[zigzaggy]

I’ve had a good experience with RH too. I started out small, learned about stocks first. I gradually started into options and learned some strategies there. Then I started learning about volatility and other derivatives. And of course I’ve learned all about ETFs etc.

My first year was hard; and it was emotional. I was too excitable and got hooked a little. But I steered my way through it with a very small loss. I considered it the cost of my education.

But I really started getting the hang of it my second year. I started swing trading and learning the mathematics and psychology of the market. I didn’t break the bank with profit but I did make a few % points.

I’m in my 3rd year and I’m a decent hobby trader now. I’ve been consistently beating the market in my “spare time” (I have a full time job and a side hustle). I don’t really get too excited anymore. I’m very methodical and pretty u emotional.

To be clear: my trading account is not my retirement and it’s not my savings. It’s “mad money” and I use the post-tax proceeds for vacation etc.

But yeah, I’ve had a decent experience with RH, learned a lot, made a few $$$ and had a good time.

[zigzaggy]

P.S. It’s not “luck” for a small time swing trader to make a little money. Its something you do every day, using math, psychology, and timing on companies carefully selected for their fundamentals. The market is a large, slow moving entity that constantly shows its hand. A small timer can make money. Will it scale? I don’t know. I’ve been steadily increasing my account so ask again in 5 years.

Admittedly, there are days where it’s hard to see where things are going - especially high vol days. But when vol comes down and the market slowly heaves one way or the other, there are tickers that pretty much always go with the flow. Buy low, hold for the swing. Or short a bump and sell lower... it’s really not rocket science. Just don’t get greedy... hit your target a get out.

The real question is: is it worth my time in terms of ROI? Frankly, no not yet. I am streamlining the work, semi automating thru alerts, triggers, and buy/sell presets. But my paycheck and my side hustle still pay better. However I’m on a slow trajectory right now and I’m curious where it’s going. Will I plateau? Yes probably. But I’m enjoying the ride.

[dbancajas]

Are you doing things like bankroll management? measuring your risk of ruin? Sharpe ratio? if you are not tracking how legit your upswing/downswing is then I think are doing a disservice to yourself.

[zigzaggy]

Yes, I have developed a risk management plan that address like bankroll management and risk of ruin. After the big drop in Dec 2018, I learned a whole lot about hedging and diversification. I’ve recently been learning to quantify that stuff with metrics like Sharpe Ratio etc.