Ok guys, let's clear up a few misconceptions about the new rules.
Please view:
http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/nd0003n.htm
You will see there that the rules ONLY apply to margin accounts. Here are some quotes from the regulations which I am sure you have seen before:
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(f)(8)(B) Day[-]Trading
(i) The term "day[-]trading" means the purchasing and selling or the selling and purchasing of the same security on the same day in a MARGIN account except for:
a. a long security position held overnight and sold the next day prior to any new purchase of the same security, or
b. a short security position held overnight and purchased the next day prior to any new sale of the same security.
(ii) [A "day-trader" is any customer whose trading shows a pattern of day-trading.]
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So the rules ONLY affect you if you trade within a margin account. Only then do you need to top your account up to $25k.
If you have less than $25k, simply trade in a cash account. As long as your broker has real-time buying power calculated for your cash account, you can continue to trade at will on the long side (the short side is out, cos that requires a margin account).
Example:
If you have $15k, then open up a CASH account with a real-time buying power broker such as Cybertrader. You can then do long side trades all day long, so long as you close one trade before opening another and so long as you don't use more than $15k on any one trade.
The SEC is only out to kill MARGIN trading on accounts that it arbitrarily identifies as dangerously undercapitalised (it somehow came up with $25k). The SEC has NOT killed long-side CASH basis daytrading for those sub-$25k accounts (indeed daytrading is usually defined as trading in a MARGIN account, so "CASH basis daytrading" is somewhat of a contradictory term) . Just go out there and find a broker who updates your account buying power in real-time. I don't believe IB does this (but they may be forced to change their mind unless they want their commission revenues to be slashed). CyberTrader DOES have the facility.... and I am sure there are others, too.