Without an investing or trading plan, you're headed for financial disaster.

Have you lost money in stocks or options?  Or maybe you're just not getting the consistent gains you're looking for?  Perhaps you're just drifting from one strategy to another, or you've tried taking "hot tips" from friends/family/co-workers... with poor results.  If so, you're not alone -- I talk to people in this situation practically every day.  What you probably need is guidance, coaching.... and a trading/investing plan.

The fact is, it's absolutely necessary to have an investing plan; otherwise, you're putting your money at risk with random, unfocused trades.  Having a plan means knowing what stocks to buy and WHY you're buying those stocks at the particular time you're buying them; when to buy them and, just as importantly, when to sell them; what to do when a stock trade or investment moves against you; how to read stock charts and price movement; managing your emotions when trading or investing; making sure that you're "hedged" properly so that your potential losses are limited and so you can sleep soundly at night; and other factors.  Jumping into the world of trading and investing is a way to lose money if you don't know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it.  What you really need is someone to assist you in formulating an individualized trading/investing plan to suit your particular needs.

Before you choose a trading/investing coach, make sure that this person:

  • Actually trades or invests his own money (I've used my own strategies for years and outperformed consistently).
  • Is not only knowledgeable in financial matters, but has expertise in teaching (I have a master's
    degree in education -- something that very few of the so-called "trading experts" out there can claim).
  • Has helped many other individuals in a situation similar to yours (I am proud to have helped so many people vastly improve their situation and enjoy greater peace of mind).
  • Doesn't just give you "hot stock tips/alerts/signals" but instead helps you to learn to trade/invest profitably on your own (I'm not interested in making people dependent on me; I want to help people so that they can become proficient themselves).
  • Focuses on limiting risk, instead of only focusing on making quick profits (I put capital preservation at the top of my list of financial priorities).
  • Truly cares about his clients and provides excellent customer service (most "hot stock tips" services out there only send you a bunch of stock symbols but don't bother to answer your questions or concerns; on the other hand, I am proud to provide the best possible customer service and I am passionate about the well-being of my clients).



(Disclaimer: For informational purposes only, and not to be construed as financial, trading, or investing advice. Not a licensed or registered financial adviser. Financial results or profits cannot be guaranteed.)

Why You Need a Trading/Investing Plan

So you're considering putting together a trading or investing plan for stocks or options, or just jumping into it without a plan.... or maybe just leaving your money with and "adviser" and letting him or her take care of it for you? But consider this: Did you know that most high-priced "financial advisers" do WORSE than the overall market (the S&P 500)? And they charge hefty fees for this "service"... It's detrimental to the clients but it's perfectly legal and happens all the time. You'll actually do better than most of those high-priced "advisers" if you do it yourself, and you won't have to cough up massive fees (and many of these fees are "hidden" fees too).
But if you choose to do it yourself, you need to have an investing plan; otherwise you'll be putting your money at risk with random trades. Having a plan means knowing what stocks to buy and WHY you're buying those stocks at the particular time you're buying them; when to buy them and, just as importantly, when to sell them; what to do when a stock trade or investment moves against you; how to read stock charts and price movement; managing your emotions when trading or investing; making sure that you're "hedged" properly so that your potential losses are limited and so you can sleep soundly at night; and other factors. If you're "looking to dabble in the stock market a little bit," that's not a plan -- it's a way to lose money if you don't know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it.
You can view my trading/investing YouTube videos here: https://www.youtube.com/c/davidmoadel/videos
(Not a licensed or registered investment adviser. For informational purposes only; not intended as investment advice. Please conduct your own research before making any trades or investments.)

How to protect yourself against a stock market crash: Hedging your investments/trades

Great Books for Beginning Traders/Investors: My short list of indispensable trading/investing classic reads


Occasionally I'm asked about books that beginning traders/investors ought to read. I'm encouraged by this question, as I feel that successful market participants are avid readers and researchers. New books and trendy methods come and go, but I believe that the "classics" are the best place to start reading about the markets. The following list includes some of the classics in the field (though of course this list is far from comprehensive):

  • The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
  • The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
  • The Little Book that Beats the Market by Joel Greenblatt
  • The Art of Short Selling by Kathryn F. Staley
  • Options as a Strategic Investment by Lawrence G. McMillan
  • The Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns by Thomas N. Bulkowski
  • Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits by Phillip Fisher

There are more books to read, but this is a good starting point and these books have helped a lot of people over the years.

(Not a licensed or registered investment adviser. For informational purposes only; not intended as investment advice. Please conduct your own research before making any trades or investments.)

Stocks & options trading tips: Increase your profits by doing this 1 thi...

Investing for Beginners Video Series + Worksheets Now Available!

Hello friends, if you or someone you know is ready to start the journey into the world of investing, I've just created the Investing for Beginners Video Series and it's available now. Here are the details: first let me say that it’s for beginners and requires no knowledge about investing at all. By the end of the course, you should have an investing plan and should be ready to start making some investments. I’ve seen practically every course out there, and I’ve never seen one that thoroughly explains how to build an investing plan from the very beginning, so that’s why I created this course.


It includes 17 videos and a packet of worksheets, which I would send to you and they’re yours to keep forever and maybe show to your kids and grand-kids someday (all I ask is, please don’t try to re-sell them or anything like that).

If you’re an intermediate investor, that’s okay because there’s still plenty of information and ideas that you can use, especially after the first couple of videos which are very basic. My next project is to develop something more advanced, and hopefully that won’t take as many months as it took to create the Investing for Beginners course....

The main video topics include: How Can Beginning Investors Get Started, Planning Your Investing Strategy, Choosing What to Invest In, Choosing When to Buy and Sell, Next-Level Terms and Concepts, Avoiding Common Investing Mistakes (just that chapter by itself could save you thousands of dollars and a whole lot of heartache...), and Putting It All Together. I’ve also included “Pep Talk” videos between each of the longer informational videos so that you can stay motivated and on track.

So anyhow, I’ve got the course listed on my credit card and PayPal order page here: http://davidmoadel.blogspot.com/

Thanks and feel free to contact me at davidmoadel @ gmail . com if you have any questions about the video series.

Sincerely,

David Moadel

P.S., here's a short video explaining what you'll get with the Investing for Beginners course:


(Disclaimer: For informational purposes only, and not to be construed as financial, trading, or investing advice. Not a licensed or registered financial adviser. Financial results or profits cannot be guaranteed.)


Options Trading and Stock Market Investing: Your Questions Answered


Hello, traders and investors!

Today I would like to answer a few questions about stocks and options.

Question: Knowing that the implied volatility of an option will increase as an earnings report approaches, and that should increase the value of the option, should I buy a call and a put 3 weeks before earnings and sell it the day before earnings?

Answer: It sounds like you're considering buying a straddle or a strangle before earnings, in anticipation of an increase in implied volatility as the earnings day gets closer, and then selling right before earnings. There's a video that addresses this topic:

Long Volatility into Earnings?

Their study concluded that this strategy only has a 43% win rate and loses money if done repeatedly (though you might get lucky if you do it once or twice). The reason the strategy doesn't work is because everything (including the fact that volatility will increase leading up to earnings) is already priced into the option price.

Question: Could I instead hold on to the straddle or strangle through earnings?

Answer: Keeping the trade going after the earnings event is a hit-or-miss strategy, as I've seen too many earnings events, including highly anticipated ones, result in surprisingly little price movement. Today's Tesla earnings report (August 3, 2016) is a good example of that; the stock price wobbled a little bit but hardly moved much.

Question: Would you recommend buying calls for 52-week-low high-quality companies?

Answer: In regard to scanning for blue-chip companies that are experiencing a 52-week low, that's actually not a terrible idea, but it's not my approach. I'd much rather watch a small handful of companies every day and become an "expert" in those companies and their price movements, than continually scan for companies that happen to be in a 52-week low but I don't know much about the company, its fundamentals, its products and services, it's typical price range and movements, etc. I really like the idea of focusing on a few stocks that I really like to follow and that I'm really familiar with, rather than betting money on a stock just because it's hitting a 52-week low.

I hope that these answers are helpful to you. If you would like a consultation to set up a trading plan or just to get you focused and answer your questions about trading or investing, feel free to contact me at davidmoadel @ gmail . com anytime.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon,

David Moadel, M.Ed.

1400% profit in one day with options trading ... Wait, what? (Options st...

Check out all of my financial investing / trading videos (click on the links below to view the videos):


Frustrated Bear? Watch this Video!

So You Want to Invest in Foreign Countries?

If You Wanna be a Trader, You Gotta be an Ice-cold Gangsta

The 7 Dirty Words of Stock Trading

The 3 People Who Know Where Stocks and Options Are Headed in the Next Few Days

This is What an Overextended Stock Market Looks Like

The Stock Market Sucks! Why Not Just Stay in All Cash?

Why hire a financial advisor when you can do it yourself?

Should I Buy an IPO?

Why 90 Percent of Traders Fail

Trading Stocks and Options is Uncomfortable and Unnatural!

"Daily Stock Alerts" Services Are a Bunch of Crap

Trend lines? Nope, I don't use 'em.

Can You Get Rich by Following the "Smart Money"?

Technical Indicators: You Have too Much Crap on Your Screen

Should I Buy Stocks or Options Before an Earnings Report?

Penny Stocks? Marijuana Stocks? There's a Better Way to Grow Your Small Account!

2 Questions I Ask Before Buying Any Stock or Call Option

Short-term OTM Options: Double Your Money in One Day?

I bought a stock or option and it went down! What do I do now?

How to Control Your Emotions When Trading Stocks or Options

Should I Trade Binary Options?

The Most Important Rule in Trading Stocks and Options

A Simple Rhyme that Can Save You a Lot of Money in the Stock Market

What Moving Averages Should I Use? Plus, Thoughts on RSI and Bollinger Bands

Should I Buy Penny Stocks?

Which Stocks Should I Buy? Should I Use a Stock Screener?

Where Should I Set my Stop-Loss Orders?

Stop-Loss, or No Stop-Loss? Should You Use Stop-Loss Orders in Your Stocks and Options Trading?

Why I am a Swing Trader and not a Day Trader or Buy-and-hold Investor

Looking at the Markets 7-20-2016 $SPY $AAPL and $TWTR (Stocks and Option...

"Daily Stock Alerts" Services Are a Bunch of Crap (Stocks and Options Tr...

Check out my educational trading/investing/finance videos


Trend lines? Nope, I don't use 'em.



Can You Get Rich by Following the "Smart Money"?



Technical Indicators: You Have too Much Crap on Your Screen



Should I Buy Stocks or Options Before an Earnings Report?



Penny Stocks? Marijuana Stocks? There's a Better Way to Grow Your Small Account!



2 Questions I Ask Before Buying Any Stock or Call Option



Short-term OTM Options: Double Your Money in One Day?



I bought a stock or option and it went down! What do I do now?



How to Control Your Emotions When Trading Stocks or Options



Should I Trade Binary Options?



The Most Important Rule in Trading Stocks and Options



A Simple Rhyme that Can Save You a Lot of Money



What Moving Averages Should I Use? Plus, Thoughts on RSI and Bollinger Bands



Should I Buy Penny Stocks?



Which Stocks Should I Buy? Should I Use a Stock Screener?



Where Should I Set my Stop-Loss Orders?



Stop-Loss, or No Stop-Loss? Should You Use Stop-Loss Orders in Your Stocks and Options Trading?



Why I am a Swing Trader and not a Day Trader or Buy-and-hold Investor



Trend lines? Nope, I don't use 'em. (Stocks and Options Trading with Dav...

Master List of Stock Market Cliches

Master List of Stock Market Clichés

Buy the dip / BTD
Sell the rip / STR
Don't catch a falling knife
Cliff diving
Bottom fishing
Don't be a hero
Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy
Pigs get slaughtered
Bull trap
Bear trap
Dead cat bounce
Capitulation
Bubble
Bounce
Melt-up
Short squeeze
"Boom"
"Weeeee"
Blow-off top
Topping process
Bottoming process
Pain trade
Don't tell my wife
Stairs up, elevator down
The market fluctuates
VIX smash
Taking out the stops
Ten bagger
V bottom
W bottom
Face ripper
Don't lose your shirt
Buy the rumor, sell the news
Widow Maker
Dead money
Momentum precedes price
Wants higher
.... And it's gone
A rising tide lifts all boats
Plan your trade, trade your plan
Buy strength, sell weakness
Timber
Missed the whisper number
Low-risk, high-reward setup
High-probability setup
Tight stops
Lotto trade / lotto play
YOLO

Holding the bag / bag holder
Honor / respect your stops
Stick save
Yellen put
Don't fight the Fed
Turnaround Tuesday
Merger Monday
Market makers / MM
OpEx pin
Contrarian
Smart money
Dumb money
Permabull
Permabear
The trend is your friend
Don't fight the tape
Chasing / late to the party
Fill the gap / gap fill / all gaps get filled
Gap and go
Fade the gap
Gap and crap
Pop and drop
Picking up pennies in front of a steamroller
Buy when there's blood in the streets
We're killing it in the chat room today
Drop this pig
Waterfall
Don't trade it, own it
Wall Street casino
Hopium
I'm not wrong, I'm just early
The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent
Orphan stock
The bigger the base, the higher in space
The broader the top, the bigger the drop
Honey badger
Trade what you see, not what you want
FANG
Constructive
Buy low, sell high
Sucker's rally
Averaging down
Winter is coming

Sell in May and go away
Theta burn
Revenge trading
Boredom trading
Momo
Spoos
Brexit
$STUDY
BUY MOAR STAWKS
Pump and dump
Paid pumper
You can't time the market
Never short a dull market
Chop / choppy
Pick a direction already
Critical level
Key support / resistance level
Look out below
Dry powder
It's all just noise
To the moon
Sit on hands
Manipulation
Market is irrational
Profit taking
Taking some off the top
Power hour
"BLOCKED" (after blocking someone on a message board and they can't read your message)
Follow the big boys
Uh oh / "rut-roh" (Scooby Doo voice)
Let the trade come to you
One day does not make a trend
Don't marry a stock / position
I told you so / It was so obvious (said after the fact)
Rug pull
Back up the truck
It's not a loss until you sell
Hope is not a strategy / prayer is not a strategy
All-time highs / ATH
High of the day / HOD
Low of the day / LOD
Breakout / breakdown
Flight to safety
Only price pays
Let your winners run / cut your losers short