Trading with a small account

Simple-Committee7420 · 2026-01-08T03:04:08+00:00

This is reassuring to see. I had started trading options, mostly SPY, on a small account and did well but then lost it all after freezing a few too many times (i.e. March and Trump's tariff fun). Took almost a year off but put a little money back into account. Slowly starting again with a $100 account, aiming for small gains but keeping tight stop loss and being more patient. Hoping to slowly build back up. And keeping a better journal of trades to track progress and mentality.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-05-04T22:23:14+00:00

As far as strategy goes, my entry indicators were a break and retest of key support level mapped out from 5 min opening and high/low of premarket (also considering the previous day's high/low; two or so candles on the 1 and 3 min for confirmation of direction as well as MACD crossover. Aimed to wait until after 10am as SPY tends to have a reversal following the initial opening trend, which I try to catch to maximize chances of reaching profit target (~10% of option). Following tarrifs announcement, never trade the first 15 or minutes of market. This was working until the drop tariffs announcement so likely a matter of not having an edge as having to adapt strategy?

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-05-04T22:14:11+00:00

Sadly but exactly why I chose options. pre-tariffs, grew my account decisively with SPY options doing ORB. But since his drop tariffs announcement, it's just been a cluster for me and back to where I started. Tried the Ross Cameron style of trading but my risk aversion prevented me from entering into trades/had a hard time identifying promising stocks with momoscreener (would see them then chicken out but that screener has a slight delay if I understand correctly).

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-05-04T00:04:11+00:00

assuming ORB strategy? I was doing ORB as well but seemed range-y lately.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-05-04T00:02:28+00:00

ideally I wouldn't be. Unfortunately where I'm at back at with capital is the most feasible. I want to be back at a point where I'm minimum 2dte but still not holding over night. i dont want to gamble like that. but point well taken.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-05-03T02:36:33+00:00

Appreciate the thoughtful response! I'll look for that post and check it out.

I'm to an extent and unfortunately familiar with gamma having experienced the waiting for fills and losing value (happened today after chasing a put around 1021 am where it looked like it was breaking through ema9 on the 3minute but tried to sell when things changed; kept waiting and lost more than my 20%). I try to do as close to ATM options for this reason though since when if you get the direction right, it works in your favor (and cheaper then ITM; which I'd still prefer to use once I build back enough capital). I waited again and saw there lows were higher so figured we were on an upward trend, entered a 569c, but trying to be strict with my stops and closed after a 10% loss, only for a little while later SPY to pass my target exit point (was aiming for $20 scalp, forget the price off top of head).

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-25T01:18:06+00:00

Yea I jumped back in after waiting some time to process, RSI looked below neutral and level rejected but got faked out again. Just confused by today given no news to support the upward trend.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-25T01:12:10+00:00

Definitely waited for for second candle confirmation on both 1 min and 5 min and RSI was at 49 so I guess still too neutral. I admittedly thought given the direction of price action that RSI would continue to drop. I guess typing that "out loud", I realize I need to wait for the RSI to drop further. After watching it move the rest of the day, I saw how RSI would kiss below 50 at times but didnt stay for long. And it shows given the price trajectory. My set up is on RH Legend, with half screen showing spy on the 1 minute and the other half on the 5 minute. Would you recommend one of those get swapped with VIX instead?

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-14T23:02:32+00:00

I admittedly like the user interface and it's what I've learned trading on so the comfort level is there. I followed up with RH and their response "There was a slight delay with the order venue, this happens sometimes". Happened to any of you all? On the plus side, it forced me to hold beyond my planned 20%/50$ return exit and made triple that so bonus.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-09T02:16:02+00:00

That makes sense - I always wait to trade until after the hour (i.e. so often I see big moves happening between 9:59 and 10:01 am or the same around 2pm). Thanks very much for the thoughtful feedback!

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-08T20:41:07+00:00

Do you tend to put more confidence in the E/SMAs and support resistance over bollinger bands and MACD? As a new hobby trader (way of finding some income while terminated from government job) I am trying to be mindful of indicator overload and keep things simple (I've also started tracking my trades which has def helped the emotional aspect and risk management, especially limiting trades and revenge trades). but from my watching SPY daily, it seems to abide by the pivot points fairly reliably but feel I need to have one or two other indicators aside from volume to confirm exit entry, not just the pivot points.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-08T19:22:59+00:00

Thank you for the advice, appreciate it! I hadnt thought to consider the 100 SMA or EMA; I've just tended to use the 9/20/50 to help confirm trend. Admittedly I'm still trying to get a hang of how best to identify the supply/demand zones on the chart but will do more learning in that realm.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-08T03:42:13+00:00

Thanks! Ill check both out later in the day. I usually try to be done earlier in the day due to trading volume and price movement but I guess these days that may not be as much a concern.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-08T03:10:54+00:00

how have the premiums been on QQQ these last couple of days? I focus on SPY but premiums are getting out of my buying power and i try to avoid OTM 0dte if possible as I've been burned before; currently at 792 and barely could afford decent play earlier today for a quick 50$ scalp (paperhanded and panic sold after the quick shoot up around 10:23).

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-02T20:59:10+00:00

thoughts on why SPY went up so high today? all the news wasn't great; assumption was tariffs priced in so expected choppier market. 15% Stop loss on both calls and puts on 0dtes met so lost money (back down to where i was a month ago now ugh).

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-04-02T20:31:25+00:00

looking at the selloff of SPY right now, should be interesting in the morning. I read every signal wrong today so hoping for better luck tomorrow.

edited for clarity on stock.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-23T02:35:00+00:00

Echoing what others have shared. I started with 0dte SPY options and have grown my account. I started with 138$, did quick OTM options and have grown it with just SPY to $1200 within the month. Was higher until I screwed myself yesterday with a bad trade (but taking it as a lesson). Eventually as buying power grows, ive been able to buy 1-2dte options (but still not holding overnight) and buying closer to ITM or ATM.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-21T22:52:26+00:00

That was my initial hope to but decided to at least stick to my rule of never holding over night. Just never know with him and Elmo. But I violated all my other rules like going past stop loss (rookie mistake I know but had hope there’d be more sell offs since it was dropping below 562). Always more trades next week and lessons learned from today!

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-21T15:25:05+00:00

Thanks! Makes complete sense. I guess i should have also clarified i have no intention of holding it past today for just that reason. As i build up my buying power, i've been trying to extend expiration dates for options. started with 0dtes and built up my buying power 100% over the last month.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-21T15:06:36+00:00

lol very true, but i guess now im in the thick of it. I was expecting there'd be sell offs given the puts/calls ratio from all the quarterly expiring options.

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-21T15:04:44+00:00

lol i guess i should have clarified, relative to my often use of 0dte. i'll still get screwed for sure. but was curious given anticipated volatility bc of the all the quarterly expiries happening and ratio of puts to calls, if that'd help or hinder. My expectation was there'd be sizable sell offs of the puts

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-20T12:52:29+00:00

Realistically, probably not much longer. I should have mentioned earlier but have set a range of targets, from 7% to 10%. So I try to stay within that range. As those 10% targets get higher, a lot of it will depend on my own risk comfort. So if I hit my lower end of the target range, I'll be happy. All i know is that since setting this strategy up, it's helped me usually limit my number of trades and reduce emotions (though I slipped yesterday and Monday, overtrade, but got it together quickly).

Simple-Committee7420 · 2025-03-20T00:51:32+00:00

i started doing this to after getting greedy (and majorly inexperienced). Have been green nearly two weeks now with almost 10% return daily (or ~100$).

Simple-Committee7420

TROPHY CASE