I’ve invested into a number of different stocks and I also made good money off of crypto 24-25’… A lot of that money off crypto I’ve reinvested into long terms. Months ago I started studying options and futures. I’m not one to risk a lot for a short term call. Also not big on crypto futures. I want something where I don’t have to feel on edge happy one day then aggravated the next. I’m not looking for an insane return i’m looking for steady growth faster than just investing in stocks. I’ve lost over $1200 this far. I’ve had really good days, really bad weeks. I normally start off small and make great calls, do my due diligence, research everything and I end up putting more in and one stupid play later I’m back even or down a little for the week. I would like some different ideas and strategies if anyone has any out there, thanks.
Given that the market goes up more than it goes down, and goes up over the long term, take a look at quality stocks that you'd buy for a long-term growth portfolio. Then buy ITM LEAPS instead. The leverage gives you a larger percentage return than buying the underlying, and you have the option of selling PMCCs against them if you want.
Id target like at least 70 delta call option if you go with buying LEAPS
honestly ITM leaps is solid advice, but be careful with how far OTM you go since theta decay sneaks up on you. also consider selling cash secured puts on stocks you actually want to own, less stressful than going long and you collect premium while you wait.
Buy calls on stocks that will go up when they’re cheap
Wow why didn't I think of that?
If short-term options are making you feel 'aggravated one day and happy the next', stop buying short dated calls immediately. Look at zebra spreads or deep ITM LEAPS on broad index ETFs (like SPY/QQQ). Lower leverage, zero daily stress, and theta won't eat your portfolio alive while you wait for the thesis to play out
So, just to point out — the pattern you described sounds more like a risk management problem than a strategy problem. What I'm reading here is — you start small, do well, gain confidence, then size up and give it back. Consider risking the same small amount on every trade for a few months. Start with consistency first, then scale it later. As far as long call strategies in general, I used to trade them years ago. They may not be the best fit for what you’re describing. They still involve timing, volatility, and decay, so they can be more stressful than simply owning shares. If you want to use them, it might be better to look into longer-dated, deeper ITM calls with smaller position sizes. But again, your bigger issue seems to be sizing up after early wins, and no strategy fixes that part
If you want steady growth without the stress look at LEAPS on quality stocks Deep in the money and far out in time Slow and steady beats guessing every week
Long call naked? The best risk reward long call strategies are usually calendars, but since calls do not really benefit bdcause delta usually goes paired with decreasing IV, then I would say long call butterflies far OTM. I remember one guy that played a 50 width butterfly at like +10% SPX, he paid 50 dollars to make 4950.
there's always a counter party trying to make money too so there's no golden trades that always work
It sounds like your biggest problem isn't picking trades it's position sizing. One oversized trade wiping out a week of good decisions is a classic sign.
There's probably no single right answer here — it comes down to your own preferences, risk tolerance, all of that. For what it's worth, the least volatile setup I've found for myself is LEAPS: slightly OTM, some directional thesis behind it, expiration a year or more out. What I like about it: \- Theta is small enough that it isn't quietly eating the position while you wait. \- Delta is still meaningful, so being right actually pays you something. \- If IV picks up, vega gives you a real edge on top of that. \- And if the thesis turns out wrong, on a liquid name you can usually still sell it back for something instead of watching it decay to zero. Not advice, just what's worked for the way I trade.