Recent content by JournalWriter

That's the best advice, start small until you've felt some pain and realize how it can turn on you. I actually started about 8 years ago with options, but just had more money to invest in the past couple of years. I started small and learned a lot on what not to do by losing small amounts at...

I've been selling options and blogging about it for the past 18 months. You can see all my gains for the first 17 months and my bigger losses for the past month of mistakes. If you aren't on top of your game (as I wasn't) you can lose two years worth of gains before you blink. I knew the...

Good point. I have covered calls at the 30 strike, so it's actually still going as planned, I'm just trying to learn where I see the opportunity. I'll be happy to have it assigned at expiration and take my profits. These shares are in my IRA and I was debating selling naked puts at 30 in my...

Can anyone explain Hain Celestial's Group's (HAIN) beating today? I was expecting a somewhat of a pull back based on the chart, but it all hit in 2 trading days. They beat estimates for Q1 profits. I see 30 as decent support, but I thought 32 might be too and it broke that today. I'd...

Instead of spending your $ buying a put, why not just completely lock in the profit from what you had and buy the cc back for a small loss and then sell the stock for a $1.50 gain. Your % gain would have been big. Since you bought the stock to start with I'm assuming you like it. So you could...

Wait until you have more money. If you've only saved $1k in the past two years you'll sh/t yourself when you make a bad trade, which you will do.

1. I know, it pisses me off. I can't sell naked puts in my IRA, but I can write CCs all day long. 2. None, except for someone who doesn't pay attention to what the underlying value is from his naked puts and margin requirements. I made that mistake when I first started and on a dip in the...

1. Most brokerages won't approve a beginner for naked puts. 2. There's a lot of risk in writing naked puts that a beginner must understand before diving in. 3. Yes, similar to covered call with less commission. 4. Writing naked puts is my main strategy, but it's not as much of a trade for me...

Barron's had an article this week about POZN and the regulatory decision due out on August 1st. If I'm bullish about the outcome, but don't want to risk much, is selling an August call and buying a September call at the same strike a decent move? Educate me please. What are some...

I stuck with my original limit I set at 0.70 and sold 2 of the four calls. Now I'm only out $4.50 (after commissions) if it drops in the next 6 days. I can let these other two ride without risking my money now. The call premiums are rising again and hit .85 a few minutes ago. If/when it gets...

All that is true. I work for "The New AT&T" as a contractor. I'm only thinking short term and stictly based on the chart. I only have ~$130 into this position, so it's more of a way to learn at this point. My charting abilities are fairly basic.

Update - the 4 calls I bought for .30 hit .65. Should I sell two and let the others ride? T is hitting its 20 and 50 ma, but doesn't seem that its been a big point of resistance in the past. Any suggestions?

How much the options are ITM is a large factor too.