How to Day Trade for a Living: A Beginner's Guide to Tools, Tactics, Money Management, Discipline and Trading Psychology

2021 Updated Version

Very few careers can offer you the freedom, flexibility and income that active trading does. As a trader, you can live and work anywhere in the world. You can decide when to work and when not to work. You may only answer to yourself. That is the life of a successful day trader; but it is not easy to achieve and very few succeed.


In the book, I describe the fundamentals of day trading, explain how day trading is different from other styles of trading and investment, and elaborate on important trading strategies that many traders use every day. I've kept the book short so you can actually finish reading it and not get bored by the middle.


For beginner traders, this book gives you an understanding of where to start, how to start, what to expect from day trading, and how to develop your strategy. Simply reading this book, however, will not make you a profitable trader. Profit in trading does not come with reading a book or two or browsing online. It comes with practice, the right tools and software and appropriate ongoing education.


Intermediate traders may benefit from the book's extensive overview of some of the classic strategies that the majority of retail traders regularly use with proven success. If you think you are beyond the stage of a novice trader, then you may want to jump ahead and start reading from Chapter 7 for an overview of the most important day trading strategies:


Day trading is not gambling or a hobby. You must approach trading very, very seriously. As such, I wake up early, go for a run, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and fire up my trading station before the markets open in New York. I am awake. I am alert. I am motivated when I sit down and start working on the list of stocks I will watch that day. This morning routine has tremendously helped my mental preparation for coming into the market. Whatever your routine is, starting the morning in a similar fashion will pay invaluable dividends.


ABCD Pattern Trading

Bull Flag Momentum Trading

Top Reversal Trading

Bottom Reversal Trading

Moving Average Trend Trading

VWAP Trading

Support and Resistance Trading