Quote from pikerforlife:
i don't understand how someone who already has the option analysis available to them through their TOS platform is not using it to *see* the answers to their own questions.
falcon, have you spent *any* time at all with the "analyze" tab? right click on an option in the chain, highlight buy/sell, then notice the menu popping up with pretty much *every* combo you have ever asked about here in all caps, *all of them*, try one. you can see it on the next tab over.
spend some time with the "risk graph", get to know it, play with it, adjust stuff, add/remove legs, move out strikes, change prices, etc. you can use it as your order entry tool as well, (simply right click on the combo you've worked on and create/submit an order from it.) one can also use it as a real time quote page for various combos being watched, to follow prices as the underlying moves, or when ready to place an order quickly to open/exit a spread position. again, i'd highly recommend spending some time on that tab in TOS.
better return (cheaper price) on a debit vert comes from it being more OTM when bought. while ATM you might pay ~$2.5 for a $5 wide strike (even money), the farther OTM you go the less you will pay for a $5 wide strike vert, which would make sense, right? go a few strikes out, you'll find those $1 verts easily. yes, they are directional plays, with limited risk and limited reward.