How to Trade Options - Basics for Beginners, Calls and Puts

Are you interested in learning safe ways to boost your returns using options strategies? Do options seem overwhelming? Use the provided checklist to see if you are ready to take this next step with your stock portfolio, then get started with an experienced teacher.

I have sifted out the most important information you need to learn first, and I present it to you in an order that makes sense.  See the relationship between stocks and options and how you can use options to build and protect your stock portfolio.  Understand the two types of options and the four ways to trade.  (All the other advanced options strategies,  such as "straddles," "strangles," "condors," and "butterflies" are based on these four trades.) 

Understand the structure and big picture before you begin trading.   Use the provided lists of essential terminology to ask questions and understand the answers you get. Learn how to obtain options trading privileges from your online brokerage service.  Make informed decisions as you manage your own funds. 

After you complete this course, you will be ready to research and choose your own options trading strategies independently, or you can save a lot of time and effort and start making money sooner with either of my next two safe options trading courses, "Selling Cash Secured Puts,"  and "Selling Covered Calls!"

This introductory course is offered at very low cost, but it is full of useful information to help build your foundation of knowledge as you prepare to trade options.  Get an overview and foundational understanding of options trading. Meet me and get to know my teaching style, then decide if you want to move forward with with me to learn two beginner-friendly, low-risk trading strategies with step-by-step instructions. 

A warning about risk:  All over the internet, you’ll find self-proclaimed gurus who promise you outsized returns. Some of them may even try to convince you to hand your funds over to them so they can invest for you. Taking the wrong advice can blow your whole portfolio. Even a few trades that go against you can wipe out any gains you have made. 

You can count on me to level with you.  I will not make false promises and I will never suggest you give me your money to manage. I am a teacher, not a financial manager. Trading options is not necessarily any riskier than just buying stocks and funds. In fact, there are ways to use options to boost your returns that actually reduce your risk rather than amplify it.

I do want to be clear and honest up front that I am not encouraging the kind of risks that might bring you outsized gains on your overall portfolio. Anyone who promises you that is probably encouraging you to take on more risk than I can justify. But you can use options to pay less for stock you want to own, and to make extra cash on stocks you are preparing to sell.  An extra few percentage points on your earnings each year, can really add up over time.  And during a bear market, or even just an expected market correction, using options can reduce your losses and set you up for a bigger recovery. 

Your first assignment will be to use this checklist to see if you are ready to trade options.

Are you ready to trade options?

Check and see if these statements are true for you.

• I have a brokerage account I manage myself.

• I know how to buy and sell shares of stock.

• I know how to choose stocks I want to own.

• I can use limit orders to set my buy and sell prices.

• I have at least $5000 that I am ready to invest in a single company.

• I want to actively manage my account.

• I have the time to check my options positions at least once a week and place orders once or twice a month.

• I am patient and want to build my portfolio safely, over time.

• I like to understand how things work. Don’t just give me a fish; I want to learn to fish.

(If these statements are not true of you yet, I suggest you consider starting with my Novice Investors course to build more background knowledge, or take this course, but practice with a paper trading account.)