Simulated Trading vs. Real Trading - ButtonTrader

S

stockgirl

Hey:

What's the difference in trading in sim mode vs. real mode. I post consistent stellar returns month after month when trading with Buttontrader in sim mode and everytime I go live - BAM! Down everyday. Must be the "It's my Money Syndrome" Anyone got a pill to fix the problem, I need to make some money for real! :)
 
use a tiny % of your account until you get your mojo back, good sim should be as same as real or in NJ sim, even tougher than real.
 
Are you entirely honest with yourself? I have had the same problem. I can do well on the simulator but have problems going live, BUT, when I go live I do not follow the rules. I am finishing up a paper trading session now. I use only market orders as using simulated limit orders can be very misleading. When paper trading I put the trade on and leave it alone and the results, tho not spectacular are good enough. When I go live I do not leave the trades alone. I am hoping this next session will be different. I think Buttontrader is a very good simulator. If you are using limit orders often you will not get filled unlike most simulators which automatically fill you.
 
Funny thing when I was sim trading with BT, it was such a good simulation, I actually did worse. Since going live, my results are profitable, I like to think I was well prepared by BT.
 
Quote from stockgirl:

Hey:

What's the difference in trading in sim mode vs. real mode. I post consistent stellar returns month after month when trading with Buttontrader in sim mode and everytime I go live - BAM! Down everyday.
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Are you using the exact same trading methodology?

Do you have good money management and sufficient margin so that an unprofitable trade won't really effect your base capital in any meaningful way?

Do you have a short / medium / and long-term goals?

If so, you should achieve pretty similar results.

If not, keep trading SIM until you can answer yes to all the above questions, at that point, not only will you not fear live trading ... but you will look forward to it! :)

Best,

JJ
 
Quote from stockgirl:

Hey:

What's the difference in trading in sim mode vs. real mode. I post consistent stellar returns month after month when trading with Buttontrader in sim mode and everytime I go live - BAM! Down everyday. Must be the "It's my Money Syndrome" Anyone got a pill to fix the problem, I need to make some money for real! :)
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This is the absolute classic problem with paper trading. This has been debated here endlessly. In a nutshell, your brain does not work the same when real money is on the line.

Personally, I believe paper trading is good to learn and test your system, and practice with fills. That's it!

Once you find a system, or even just a general approach (assuming discretionary), that works, then its time to go live. HOWEVER, start really small. Something like a single YM, 100 shares of stock, mini FX, whatever.

There are "traders" here that will tell you its the same if you are disciplined. I'd bet not a single one of them makes money trading. You just need to get used to being live with real money. No matter how good your system works, following it will be a problem with real money at first, where as its no problem at all in sim mode.

Jay
 
Quote from Jayford:

This is the absolute classic problem with paper trading. This has been debated here endlessly. In a nutshell, your brain does not work the same when real money is on the line.

There it is in a nut shell. Try sim trading ER future and then trade it with your money on the line, you will see why that statement says it all.
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Quote from rjv27:

simulations usually gives you unrealistic fills.
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have you ever tried buttontrader simulator - fills are very close to real when using limit orders
 
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