FAQ How Much Money Does a Trader Need To Start Trading?

[TheLastBear]

So a real account will?

In a real account you have the opportunity to learn how to trade. That is the only way you will learn.

 

[big tymer]

open an account with real money and start trading. it can be opened with as little as a few thousand. you will learn much more trading real money than paper trading. find out your pain thresholds in the market.

 

[malaguti]

In a real account you have the opportunity to learn how to trade. That is the only way you will learn.

the real account will give you the real highs and lows of trading, but your demo should be there to test your strategy. ridiculous idea to test your strategy using a real account.

 

[brettly]

open an account with real money and start trading. it can be opened with as little as a few thousand. you will learn much more trading real money than paper trading. find out your pain thresholds in the market.

How would 1 thousand go? If you traded 1-2% per trade surely that would be enough for testing the waters. Yes you could get a bad run but then you can determine the mistakes you'd be making

 

[TheLastBear]

the real account will give you the real highs and lows of trading, but your demo should be there to test your strategy. ridiculous idea to test your strategy using a real account.

It is ridiculous to test your strategy in a fake account. The only way you will truly find out if you and your strategy work is in a real account, but I understand that most people prefer to play in the sandbox and trade demo...then again most traders fail.

 

[malaguti]

It is ridiculous to test your strategy in a fake account. The only way you will truly find out if you and your strategy work is in a real account, but I understand that most people prefer to play in the sandbox and trade demo...then again most traders fail.

great idea LastBear, fund a real account, lose a grand, start again, lose another grand etc etc how many strategies are there, how many variables within that strategy?
pathetic

 

[TheLastBear]

great idea LastBear, fund a real account, lose a grand, start again, lose another grand etc etc how many strategies are there, how many variables within that strategy?
pathetic

You sure are pathetic. Why would you try it with 1K? This just shows that you are not competent to create a strategy which functions. You can test your strategy in a micro-account and it will cost you less than $100. Of course you need to have two functioning brain cells which communicate with each other in order to do so.

Listen, you can fool around in your demo account as long as you want. Nobody asks you to change. I simply disagree with testing a strategy in a fake environment. Only a real account will show you if you and your strategy will be successful.

 

[Smartertrading]

The true test of any trading strategy/approach is of course to use your own hard earned cash. When you've got money on the line you would be amazed how much it can change your emotional approach to the task at hand. That said, anybody who didn't test out their trading strategies with either a demo account or on paper is unwise. There's no sense in losing money for the sake of it :innocent:

 

[pc62]

You sure are pathetic. Why would you try it with 1K? This just shows that you are not competent to create a strategy which functions. You can test your strategy in a micro-account and it will cost you less than $100. Of course you need to have two functioning brain cells which communicate with each other in order to do so.

Listen, you can fool around in your demo account as long as you want. Nobody asks you to change. I simply disagree with testing a strategy in a fake environment. Only a real account will show you if you and your strategy will be successful.

Because if the money is not large enough to feel it. It is like trade with demo account. You have to feel the lost then the emotions come in.
Cheers.

 

[Triggerfish]

Because if the money is not large enough to feel it. It is like trade with demo account. You have to feel the lost then the emotions come in.

Interesting.....so different people have a different level of "feel" so for some, it could be a massive figure.....no?

It is like saying one needs to "feel" the pain before one starts to invite the emotions.....a wise person/smart one will know that there will be LOSS/PAIN before he even starts, so why would one want to experience pain as he already know there will be pain? Why place your hand on top of the fire to see how it feels?

And how does getting the "emotions" involved makes any progress in ones thinking? Can one really THINK CLEARLY under the emotions?.....more importantly, does emotions help one to succeed in trading?

 

[TheLastBear]

Because if the money is not large enough to feel it. It is like trade with demo account. You have to feel the lost then the emotions come in.
Cheers.

I disagree on the amount required, but it comes down to the individual. I think an intelligent new trader can achieve it with $100. Those who are not able to trade with a small account will not be able to handle a bigger account.

 

[Giovan]

I started with $1000....
and for any new trader, this is more than enough because before you get the feel
of live trading, the balance will be almost half of this amount.

 

[pc62]

Interesting.....so different people have a different level of "feel" so for some, it could be a massive figure.....no?

It is like saying one needs to "feel" the pain before one starts to invite the emotions.....a wise person/smart one will know that there will be LOSS/PAIN before he even starts, so why would one want to experience pain as he already know there will be pain? Why place your hand on top of the fire to see how it feels?

And how does getting the "emotions" involved makes any progress in ones thinking? Can one really THINK CLEARLY under the emotions?.....more importantly, does emotions help one to succeed in trading?

NO, emotion don't help you suceed! but it can very much fail you. Most traders failed because fear most of the time. Emotion is my biggest enemy. That is the different between real account and the demo account. the fear and the joy.
Cheers.

 

[TheLastBear]

NO, emotion don't help you suceed! but it can very much fail you. Most traders failed because fear most of the time. Emotion is my biggest enemy. That is the different between real account and the demo account. the fear and the joy.
Cheers.

I think as long as you feel fear and joy you will continue to fail as a trader. Fear is the lack of knowledge about the market as well as the lack of trust in your strategy.

 

[malaguti]

I think as long as you feel fear and joy you will continue to fail as a trader. Fear is the lack of knowledge about the market as well as the lack of trust in your strategy.

I agree with fear, not so sure about joy though. I dont feel afraid of losing, but I always feel joy, or at least satisfaction, of a winning trade. I wonder could we ever not feel an element of emotion, and fear and happiness are the cornerstones of our emotions?

 

[Babyblush]

My opinion after three years of trading experience is that its the trading system which is more important than the amount of money which should be deposited to trade in the forex market.

 

[malaguti]

My opinion after three years of trading experience is that its the trading system which is more important than the amount of money which should be deposited to trade in the forex market.

bloody great answer!!! You can start with £100 or you could start with £10,000 you will lose it or return on it. When I knew I had a system worth trading, I put down £300 and I'll be damned if I've ever topped it up since.
£300 was at the time, my maximum drawdown. I knew I would have been doing something wrong had I lost it. I didn't.

Of course I've blown a couple of accounts, but that was when I didn't have a system..not so now.
Sound advice Babyblush

 

[small_beer]

My opinion after three years of trading experience is that its the trading system which is more important than the amount of money which should be deposited to trade in the forex market.

I don't think so. The more money you have, the more you can diversify, the more losses you can take without abandoning your trading.

More money means a greater staying power. A good trading system is a must, but systems fail, that's why you need a good cushion.

 

[brettly]

I don't think so. The more money you have, the more you can diversify, the more losses you can take without abandoning your trading.

More money means a greater staying power. A good trading system is a must, but systems fail, that's why you need a good cushion.

True. But having all that money can inevitably lead to taking greater risks and therefore losing (or winning) more. And that's the biggest point I think, winning small or big, losing small or big it's all relevant. Being level headed about your trading is what matters. A win is a win, a lose is a lose regardless of the amount.

 

[rob_klo]

How much? For starters, not less than 5 grand and you need to be prepared to lose it all without affecting your lifestyle. Otherwise, don't even think about it.

But I agree, more is better.