How to Trade in Options in Stock with Little Money (2024)

Many investors find trading in derivatives attractive as the avenue tends to provide the potential for good returns. Futures and options are two main types of derivatives that investors can trade-in.

Both these contracts promise the buying or selling of an instrument at a future date at a predefined price. While the futures contract mandates the trade, the options contract allows the buyer or seller to back out if the trade is not in their favour.

Since options contracts are flexible, they are quite popular. Traders can trade in options with different amounts of capital. However, an investment of less than Rs.2 lakhs is usually considered small capital.

Usually, budding traders or traders who want limited exposure to options trading opt for small capital to minimize exposure to risk in the overall portfolio.

While you can do option trading with a small capital, there are certain rules that you should follow to ensure that your trade is profitable.

Here is a quick guide to the rules –

Rules for Options Trading With Small Capital

  • Understand the Options Market Before You Venture Into It

The options market is a technical market. Unlike the cash market, wherein you can buy stocks immediately, options involve trading in the future. With the markets being volatile, no one knows what the future might bring.

While you might enter the trade with the expectation of profit, the party at the other end of the trade has also entered the contract with profit expectations. Only one of your expectations can come true, so you need to have the right set of expectations.

Understand how the options market works and then identify profitable trades before investing.

  • Start Small

Although your capital is limited, you should not invest all of it at once. Start small by investing 10% or 20% of your capital, or lesser/more, depending on your risk appetite. Do not open multiple trades simultaneously. Enter one or two contracts at a time. Before signing on a new contract, wait for the previous ones to close.

Remember, some consider options as wasting assets, and they have a small shelf life too. So, when investing in such assets, you need to keep your exposure limited.

  • Choose the Right Holding Period

The holding period is crucial in determining the profit that you can earn from an options trade. Many investors stay invested for too long and risk losing out on the trade.

Since options have a short shelf life, opt for a shorter holding period. This would allow you to participate in breakout or breakdown zones so that you can immediately move out of the trade if needed.

  • Predefine the Stop and Target Amounts

There are online calculators for options trading that help you prefix the stop and target range. Align your options trade to these calculated and analyzed stops and targets to minimize losses and maximize gains.

  • Avoid Impulsive Buys and ‘Hot Tips’

Just because your friend or a neighbour benefited greatly from an options contract doesn’t mean you would too. Avoid impulsive trades or buying options that are in the news.

If a stock is expected to surge, it doesn’t mean that the options contract of the stock would have the same favourable outcome. Price expectations in stocks don’t apply to options trading, given their short-term nature.

Also, do not believe in the so-called ‘hot tips’ shared by self-proclaimed analysts and experts. Always research the trade that you venture into and make a judgment call rather than being swayed by the alluring tips.

  • Steer Clear of the Unknown

There is always the fear of the unknown when it comes to stock and derivatives markets. There might be events that have an unknown impact on the market. Trading during such events is a mistake.

Avoid entering into a trade during such unknown events. Plan your trades after the events pass so that any impact on the market is already made away with.

You may also want to know How to Trade in Futures and Options

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a considerable sum of money to become an options trader. You can start small with a capital of less than Rs 2 lakhs too. However, as you start small, you need to be a careful trader so that you can cut down on the possibility of losses and enhance the return potential of your trades.

Use these simple yet effective rules to trade in options with little money.

You May Also Be Interested to Know

1.

How to Trade in Futures and Options

2.

3.

Best Option Trading Strategies

4.

10 Things That Every Options Trader Must Know

5.

Delivery Vs Intraday Trading : Which One Is Right For You?

Disclaimer: This blog is solely for educational purposes. The securities/investments quoted here are not recommendatory.

How to Trade in Options in Stock with Little Money (2024)

FAQs

How to Trade in Options in Stock with Little Money? ›

Start small by investing 10% or 20% of your capital, or lesser/more, depending on your risk appetite. Do not open multiple trades simultaneously. Enter one or two contracts at a time. Before signing on a new contract, wait for the previous ones to close.

How do you trade options with little money? ›

5 Rules to Follow for Options Trader with Small Capital
  1. Learn about Position Sizing: A common mistake that newbies tend to make is conflating options and stocks. ...
  2. Define the holding period for a trade: ...
  3. Calculate the targets and stops: ...
  4. Do not fall for bandwagon trading: ...
  5. Avoid taking a gamble:

Can you trade options with $100? ›

Yes, you can technically start trading with $100 but it depends on what you are trying to trade and the strategy you are employing. Depending on that, brokerages may ask for a minimum deposit in your account that could be higher than $100. But for all intents and purposes, yes, you can start trading with $100.

What is the lowest amount to trade options? ›

Most brokers require account sizes of $2,000 or less. However, trading an option account with only a few hundred dollars is not prudent. Option trading strategies work best when a trader employs only a small amount of their available capital on any one trade.

How to trade options without real money? ›

Paper trading is a form of simulated trading, which allows traders to practice their skills using hypothetical trades and no real money is at risk. It can be a great way for new traders to gain experience and develop their trading strategies without the risk of losing real money.

How should a beginner start options trading? ›

You can get started trading options by opening an account, choosing to buy or sell puts or calls, and choosing an appropriate strike price and timeframe. Generally speaking, call buyers and put sellers profit when the underlying stock rises in value. Put buyers and call sellers profit when it falls.

How do beginners trade options successfully? ›

  1. How to Trade Options in 5 Steps.
  2. 1.Assess Your Readiness.
  3. 2.Choose a Broker and Get Approved to Trade Options.
  4. 3.Create a Trading Plan.
  5. 4.Understand the Tax Implications.
  6. 5.Continuous Learning and Risk Management.
  7. Buying Calls (Long Calls)
  8. Buying Puts (Long Puts)

How much money do I need to make $100 day trading? ›

You're really probably going to need closer to 4,000 or $5,000 in order to make that $100 a day consistently. And ultimately it's going to be a couple of trades a week where you total $500 a week, so it's going to take a little bit more work.

What is the safest option strategy? ›

The safest option strategy is one that involves limited risk, such as buying protective puts or employing conservative covered call writing. Selling cash-secured puts stands as the most secure strategy in options trading, offering a clear risk profile and prospects for income while keeping overall risk to a minimum.

How do beginners start trading with little money? ›

If you want to start with limited funds and still earn good profits, here are a few tips:
  1. Have a clear investment goal. ...
  2. Make up for missed contributions. ...
  3. Controlling emotions. ...
  4. Take risk tolerance into consideration. ...
  5. Focus on the basics. ...
  6. Diversify. ...
  7. Be realistic.

How much do beginner options traders make? ›

How much money can you make trading options? It's realistic to make anywhere between 10% – $50% or more per trade. If you have at least $10,000 or more in an account, you could make $250 – $1,000 or more trading them. It's important to manage your risk properly by trading them.

How much money do I need to start options trading? ›

In order to make option trades that require margin, you need to have at least $2,000 in your trading account. Most options strategies require margin, so here's a list of the strategies you can employ without the use of margin: Buying outright puts and calls. Selling covered calls.

Should I trade options as a beginner? ›

Options can provide diversification, they can also cause you to easily lose an unlimited amount of money. And while selling options is a more advanced investing strategy, buying options is a better starting place for beginners.

How do you never lose in option trading? ›

The option sellers stand a greater risk of losses when there is heavy movement in the market. So, if you have sold options, then always try to hedge your position to avoid such losses. For example, if you have sold at the money calls/puts, then try to buy far out of the money calls/puts to hedge your position.

Which stock is best for option trading? ›

Best Stocks For Options Trading
SNoList of Top Stocks for Options TradingIndustry
1.Reliance Industries Ltd ShareConglomerate
2.State Bank of India ShareBanking and Finance
3.Infosys Ltd ShareInformation Technology
4.Tata Consultancy Services Ltd ShareInformation Technology
1 more row
Mar 26, 2024

What is the most profitable way to trade options? ›

A Bull Call Spread is made by purchasing one call option and concurrently selling another call option with a lower cost and a higher strike price, both of which have the same expiration date. Furthermore, this is considered the best option selling strategy.

Can you day trade options without $25 K? ›

You can day trade without $25k in accounts with brokers that do not enforce the Pattern Day Trader rule, which typically applies to U.S. stock markets. Consider forex or futures markets, which have different regulations and often lower entry barriers for day trading. Swing trading is another option.

How much money do you need to day trade options? ›

First, pattern day traders must maintain minimum equity of $25,000 in their margin account on any day that the customer day trades. This required minimum equity, which can be a combination of cash and eligible securities, must be in your account prior to engaging in any day-trading activities.

Can I trade options with $500? ›

Yes, you can trade options for only $500, but it is important to note that options trading involves significant risks and may not be suitable for everyone. Online brokers like Robinhood and TD Ameritrade offer commission-free options trading and allow you to start trading with no minimum deposit.

Do you need $25,000 to trade options? ›

In short, yes. It doesn't really matter what type of stock, or what the stock price is, you will need to maintain a $25k balance in order to avoid the limitations placed on smaller accounts. Penny stocks can be lucrative and volatile, but they still operate under the same rules as higher-priced stocks.

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