BabyPips.com FX-Men Team
BabyPips.com
For forex traders, nothing embodies freedom more than those who trade full-time. After all, full-time traders enjoy freedom from their box-type offices, freedom of time, and freedom to choose which trading opportunities to take.
Unfortunately, this brand of independence isn’t for everyone. Just like too much freedom can do more harm than good for some economies, not all traders are ready to trade full-time.
So how do you know when you’re ready for full-time trading? From what we’ve seen from online forex communities, we can narrow it down to four signs:
1. You have enough capital
Trading full time means that you’ll be quitting your job, your primary source of income. And, because you’re realistic, you know that you probably won’t be making any serious trading money in your first few months.
Now imagine months of not getting salary and not making profits while STILL having to pay for your food, rent, utilities, and Netflix and Hulu subscriptions. Can’t live without your salary yet? Can’t afford to take big drawdowns for weeks and still maintain your lifestyle? Don’t trade full-time.
2. You have tried and tested other methods and strategies
Traders say that full-time trading just means that you’re a part-time trader and a full-time backtester. In a way, this is true.
Full-time traders know that you can’t make your living off of one good strategy alone. Not only do you need to have a strategy that has proven to be profitable for you, but you also have to have other equally qualified methods that would work for other trading conditions. After all, you never know when and for how long the market trends will shift!
3. You have spent a considerable amount of time trading LIVE.
Just like how doctors, lawyers, and pilots have simulations and internship programs before they do their jobs round the clock, traders should also spend a considerable amount of time trading live before trading full-time.
Trading a live account brings forth trading psychology hurdles that you wouldn’t get from trading demo accounts. In addition, you have to have a fairly good grasp of your trading strengths and weaknesses, and, more importantly, you should know how to stick to a trading plan before you make trading your full-time job. Make sure you’re mentally prepared to risk real money and maintain your trading strengths before you trade full-time!
4. Forex trading is your passion
Trading currencies is what motivates you to get up and get busy every morning. If you’d rather trade the RBA statement than watch the NBA finals or visit the PBoC’s economic calendar than the Great Wall of China, then do yourself a favor and trade full time. No sense in not doing what you love, right?
Remember that while full-time trading would provide you more opportunities to catch market movements, you don’t need to be a full-time trader to be consistently profitable. In fact, I know of part-time traders in the BabyPips.com community that are better than some full-time traders! In the end though, it just boils down to how much money, time, and effort you’re willing invest in your forex trading education and career.
BabyPips.com does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness to its service or information it provides. BabyPips.com does not give, whatsoever, warranties, expressed or implied, to the results to be obtained by using its services or information it provided. Users are trading at their own risk and BabyPips.com shall not be responsible under any circumstances for the consequences of such activities. Babypips.com and its affiliates will not, in any event, be liable to users or any third parties for any consequential damages, however arising, including but not limited to damages caused by negligence whether such damages were foreseen or unforeseen.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1850 after dismal German ZEW data
EUR/USD remains in the red near 1.1850 in the European session on Tuesday. A broad US Dollar bullish consolidation combined with a softer risk tone keep the pair undermined alongside downbeat German ZEW sentiment readings for February.
GBP/USD holds losees near 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report
GBP/USD is holding moderate losses near the 1.3600 level in Tuesday's European trading. The United Kingdom employment data suggested worsening labor market conditions, bolstering bets for a BoE interest rate cut next month. This narrative keeps the Pound Sterling under bearish pressure.
USD/JPY slides further below 153.00; eyes 200-day EMA amid a firmer JPY
The USD/JPY pair meets with a fresh supply on Tuesday and slides further below the 153.00 mark heading into the European session, reversing a major part of the previous day's positive move. Spot prices, however, manage to hold above the 200-day Exponential Moving Average support, around the 152.50 region, preserving a tentative bullish bias despite a shallow cushion.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1850 after dismal German ZEW data
EUR/USD remains in the red near 1.1850 in the European session on Tuesday. A broad US Dollar bullish consolidation combined with a softer risk tone keep the pair undermined alongside downbeat German ZEW sentiment readings for February.
GBP/USD holds losees near 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report
GBP/USD is holding moderate losses near the 1.3600 level in Tuesday's European trading. The United Kingdom employment data suggested worsening labor market conditions, bolstering bets for a BoE interest rate cut next month. This narrative keeps the Pound Sterling under bearish pressure.
Gold pares intraday losses; keeps the red above $4,900 amid receding safe-haven demand
Gold (XAU/USD) attracts some follow-through selling for the second straight day and dives to over a one-week low, around the $4,858 area, heading into the European session on Tuesday.
Canada CPI expected to show sticky inflation in January, still above BoC’s target
Economists see the headline CPI rising by 2.4% in a year to January, still above the BoC’s target and matching December’s increase. On a monthly basis, prices are expected to rise by 0.1%.
UK jobs market weakens, bolstering rate cut hopes
In the UK, the latest jobs report made for difficult reading. Nonetheless, this represents yet another reminder for the Bank of England that they need to act swiftly given the collapse in inflation expected over the coming months.
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