I'm a trader working at a big company. Just wondering how many of you just trade for your own personal account. How many years did it take for you to establish a consistent cash flow (something that is close to what you would earn working at a big trade shop)?

Having one of those very realistic dreams of trading from an exotic island while sipping adult beverages (sarcasm).

Which broker do you think is the cheapest for futures traders?

Thanks in advance.

worldbfree 

I'm a trader working at a big company. Just wondering how many of you just trade for your own personal account. How many years did it take for you to establish a consistent cash flow (something that is close to what you would earn working at a big trade shop)? Having one of those very realistic dreams of trading from an exotic island while sipping adult beverages (sarcasm). Which broker do you think is the cheapest for futures traders? Thanks in advance.

Do you mean you are trading for a big company or doing another job for a big company?

If you are currently trading profitable for a firm, why wouldn't you be able to recreate the same results on your own account? Unless you have acces to information via the firm which you will not have acces to at home?

If you meant you are working for a big company but not as a trader, it really depends and how far you are in regards to developing a strategy, back and forward testing, ...

If you have to start from 0, it can and probably will take several years.





Ps; For everyone reading this: A like/thanks to my original post in the link below would be very much appreciated since i can win a price with it!

Battlestations: Show us your trading desks! I went from this: To this: And i have never been more profitable! Once i started trading i thought the more information i could see the better a trader i would become. There were some other setups in the time in between then and now and it took some …

I’m not there yet but I expect 5-10 years down the road to be able to retire. I mostly make investments in lost causes and income stocks. I don’t do much futures so I can’t really be of help there. But I do fairly well given my positions and holds. Out of 27 picks 21 did very well outperforming the market and my expectations. While 1 was acquired by another corporate entity. And 5 went the reverse of my position.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would say you should know the answer this best. But, in general most people have not learned to work in unstructured, own structured, environment. The problem is most structured things in life are not always the primary product of our own agendas.

tpredictor 

I would say you should know the answer this best. But, in general most people have not learned to work in unstructured, own structured, environment. The problem is most structured things in life are not always the primary product of our own agendas.

I agree with your statement about working in an unstructured environment. I've been fairly successful in my short trading career at my current company, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. But eventually venturing out on my own is the ultimate goal.

It took me 2 years to develop my scalping method. Back and forth from demo to live margin around 1500.00 ultimately losing $11,700. Now taking home something for the last 21 months.(3.75 years from the start)

Going to net 60k this year and last year was 17k. If I continue to leverage at all, you know what that could mean. I did this on three contract max and now 4 contracts max per trade for two weeks.

Tradovate is best for scalping or any method using over 250 contracts per month. I use over 600 a month. They have other deals for lower volume and I have had zero problems with them or Dorman.

Wherever you trade, the pressures follow you, or at least they did me. My greed is an ugly monster.

Best wishes

EX

TraderEX 

It took me 2 years to develop my scalping method. Back and forth from demo to live margin around 1500.00 ultimately losing $11,700. Now taking home something for the last 21 months.(3.75 years from the start) Going to net 60k this year and last year was 17k. If I continue to leverage at all, you know what that could mean. I did this on three contract max and now 4 contracts max per trade for two weeks. Tradovate is best for scalping or any method using over 250 contracts per month. I use over 600 a month. They have other deals for lower volume and I have had zero problems with them or Dorman. Wherever you trade, the pressures follow you, or at least they did me. My greed is an ugly monster. Best wishes EX

Thanks for this information. I really appreciate it. So without leveraging you were able to get very good returns. Could you share how much capital you used to get that $17k and $60k return?

worldbfree 

Thanks for this information. I really appreciate it. So without leveraging you were able to get very good returns. Could you share how much capital you used to get that $17k and $60k return?

Even more important is how much capital to lose 11.5k... the losses are the bad part. I was up 80k in about two months scalping options... lost 60k of it in the blink of an eye. I have difficulty holding large positions of my own money with no issue executing plans with other people's money- I can only imagine with it being the sole source of income it would be more difficult. Futures have been much easier for me- no worries about delta, minimally affected by news cycle compared to the day- far more predictable moves. I trade with about 100k - but I run 5% hard stops and usually bounce out of a trade quick that turns on me.