If you’re looking for a way to make some quick cash, then you’ve probably considered trying your hand at online trading. And that’s exactly what the stock market is; it’s all about making money off the buying and selling of shares (usually represented by an index such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500).
But how exactly does one go about making money in online trading? What are the best online stock trading platforms? How much money can I really make? Are there any shortcuts to riches?
The Basics
The first and most important thing to consider about online trading is how does one go about making money off of it? The answer is simple. One makes money off of the fees that the stock market charge on all the trades. For example, if you’re using an online brokerage such as Scottrade, you’ll owe the company a transaction fee of $9.99 plus taxes for every trade. And that’s not counting the spread, which is the profit made by the broker in addition to the trade fees.
What exactly is a spread? The spread can vary from stock to stock, but usually refers to the difference in price between one share and the other. So, in the example above, if you’re buying 100 shares of Apple at $100 per share and the bid/ask for that stock is $95/105, the spread is $5. This means that you’ll pay $9.99 plus $4.95 for the order, for a total of $14.94.
In general, the smaller the spread, the more opportunity there is to make money. While in some situations, particularly during times of enormous price fluctuations, a large spread in itself can be profitable. If you’re just getting started, it’s best to look for the smallest possible spreads as much as possible. This will help you keep more of what you make.
The Downsides
While the above example presents a fairly positive outlook on online stock trading, there are a couple of important things to keep in mind. First, like any other investment outlet, there is the possibility of losing money. Second, there is always the chance of getting scammed. Just remember that classic tale of the con man who calls himself J. Rogers famous fictional character, P. T. Barnum, and his scam named the Barnum Effect. He would take advantage of people’s good nature and desire to help others by convincing them to hand over their money.
One more important factor to consider is how does one go about making money in the first place? If you’re looking for a way to make some quick cash, then you have two choices. The first is to find a lucrative hobby or pastime that you can turn into a side gig. The second option is to try and beat the stock market. As it happens, both of these options present some serious challenges. The first is that you need to find something that you can dedicate the time and energy to. And the second is that you need to have the skills to be able to consistently beat the market.
Which Platform Should You Use?
With all of the talk of how to make money in online trading, you may be wondering which platform is best suited for such endeavours? There are a number of good options, all with their unique set of pros and cons. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a way to make some quick cash, then the best option is typically the simplest one; you can start by looking at popular crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe and seeing what projects are seeking funding. If you’re able to successfully raise a small sum of money for a project you believe in, then the rewards (if any) for the fundraiser and the buyer are likely to be more valuable than the money they spent in one transaction. In this case, you can essentially get a free trial of crowdfunding without any risk.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a long-term play, then consider looking into more traditional methods of investment. What this means is that you want to consider looking into the various exchanges and theodds makers to better understand the concept of speculation rather than investment.
For example, if you’re looking to short the market, you may want to consider using a platform like DocuSign so that you can send and receive NSR (notice of short sale) and terminate orders and positions more efficiently. Plus, with the ATS (automated trading system), you can set up the orders that will be sent to the exchange without having to worry about the complexity of managing different orders individually.
Where do I begin?
At this point, you’re probably wondering where you should begin your search for financial freedom. Well, if you’re looking for a way to make quick cash, then consider looking at the various methods of getting paid to do something else. For example, you can use GoFundMe to raise money for a school project, for a hobby, or to pay off debts. Alternatively, you can use Patreon to create and sustain a community of people who support you and your projects financially. And then there’s always freelancing, which you can do online or off. You just need to find the right client and project.
No matter where you decide to begin your search, simply remember that the goal is to find a way to make money now. If you’re looking for a way to pay off your debts, then take into consideration that it may take some time to build up a portfolio that can support you financially. But if you want to make quick cash, then consider looking for ways to do so now. The sooner you start, the sooner you can start making money.
Wherever you decide to begin your search for financial freedom, the most important thing is that you find something that you can dedicate the time and effort to. Ultimately, the better your time management skills, the better your odds of being able to build a profitable business.