Step 1: Watch our "Stock Options 101" Video Course
It's FREE. If you're not a FREE Bronze member yet, then this is the no-brainer of the century. These videos provide a general overview of the what, why, and how of stock options trading. By the time you're finished watching these videos you will know key lingo, understand rudimentary concepts, and probably be confident enough to start trading. But don't. Not yet.
Step 2: Carefully Read the Beginner Articles by Uncle Mikey
Uncle Mikey is an experienced Cajun with the most down-to-earth trading mentality of any guy we've ever met. And he loves to help people become better traders, especially those with little-to-no experience. You will learn a lot from these articles, we promise! And you'll probably want to meet him and ask him more questions in the OM Trading Chatroom.
Step 3: Open A Virtual Trading (i.e. paper-trading) Account
This requires NO CASH and is a very important step in the process. During this step you will either prove to yourself that you can win at trading stock options OR that you need to practice more before using real money. Please practice paper-trading for 2-4 weeks. And don't use huge amounts of virtual money. Only use around $100-500 paper-dollars per paper-trade. In other words, use the kind of amounts that you will use if/when you begin using your own real dollars. *Mikey will take you step-by-step through this process in his articles.
Step 4: Ask Questions on the OM Forum
The OM Forum is open to any registered member (including free Bronze). Like our free Stock Options 101 video series, this is another free no-brainer. You can interact with experienced stock options traders and/or peruse the wealth of information that is already there.
Step 5: IMPORTANT! Try Out the Chatroom
Sometime during the 2-4 weeks while you are paper-trading, I urge you to sign up for a FREE TRIAL to our one-of-a-kind options trading chatroom. You will have a full 3 days trial. The chat room is most useful during USA market hours (weekdays 9:30 AM-4PM EST) so make sure that you don't sign up on a Friday afternoon! Sign up so that you can experience the action of the chatroom during USA market hours!