Options Trading Guides
Practical how-to walkthroughs and side-by-side comparisons. No theory overload — just what you need to make better trading decisions.
📝 How-To Guides
Step-by-step instructions for real trading tasks. Follow along and learn by doing.
How to Backtest an Options Strategy
Learn how to backtest options strategies using historical data. Tools, methods, and how to interpret results for better trading decisions.
How to Build a Trading Journal for Options
Learn how to create and maintain an options trading journal. Track your trades, identify patterns, and improve your results over time.
How to Build an Options Trading Watchlist
Learn how to build and maintain a focused watchlist for options trading. Screening criteria, organization tips, and how to prioritize opportunities.
How to Calculate Options P&L
Learn how to calculate profit and loss on options trades. Formulas for calls, puts, spreads, and multi-leg strategies with real examples.
How to Choose Strike Prices for Options
Learn how to select the right strike price for any options strategy. Covers delta-based selection, support/resistance levels, and risk tolerance.
How to Generate Monthly Income with Options
Build a consistent monthly income stream using options selling strategies. Practical framework for covered calls, cash-secured puts, and credit spreads.
How to Get Options Approval at Any Broker
Tips and strategies for getting approved for options trading. Understand approval levels and what brokers look for in your application.
How to Hedge Your Portfolio with Options
Learn how to protect your stock portfolio using options. Protective puts, collars, and other hedging techniques explained step by step.
How to Manage a Losing Options Trade
Step-by-step guide to managing options trades that go against you. When to hold, roll, adjust, or cut your losses.
How to Open an Options Trading Account
Step-by-step guide to opening a brokerage account for options trading. Account types, approval levels, and what brokers look for.
How to Paper Trade Options
Learn how to practice options trading risk-free with paper trading. Setup guide, best platforms, and how to get the most out of simulated trading.
How to Pick the Right Expiration Date
Learn how to select the best expiration date for your options trades. Time decay curves, strategy-specific guidelines, and practical rules.
How to Read an Option Chain
Learn how to read and interpret an option chain. Understand bid, ask, volume, open interest, implied volatility, and the Greeks.
How to Roll Options Positions
Learn when and how to roll options trades. Rolling up, down, out, and diagonal rolls explained with examples and decision frameworks.
How to Sell Cash-Secured Puts — Step by Step
Learn how to sell cash-secured puts to generate income or buy stocks at a discount. Complete step-by-step guide for beginners.
How to Sell Covered Calls — Step by Step
Learn how to sell covered calls for income. Step-by-step guide covering stock selection, strike picking, expiration timing, and trade management.
How to Trade 0DTE Options
Guide to trading zero days to expiration options. Strategies, risk management, timing, and practical rules for 0DTE trading.
How to Trade Options on Earnings Day
Specific strategies and tactics for trading options on earnings day itself. Pre-market setup, intraday management, and post-earnings plays.
How to Trade Options Around Earnings
Step-by-step guide to trading options around earnings announcements. Strategies, timing, IV crush, and risk management explained.
How to Trade Iron Condors — Step by Step
Complete guide to setting up, managing, and closing iron condors. Learn strike selection, position sizing, and adjustment techniques.
How to Trade Options in an IRA
Guide to trading options in an IRA account. Allowed strategies, restrictions, tax advantages, and practical tips for retirement account options trading.
How to Trade Options with a Small Account
Practical guide to trading options with $1,000-$5,000. Best strategies, position sizing, and how to grow a small account without blowing up.
How to Trade SPY Options
Complete guide to trading SPY options. Liquidity advantages, strategy selection, expiration choices, and practical tips for the most traded ETF options.
How to Trade the Wheel Strategy — Step by Step
Learn the Wheel strategy from start to finish. Sell puts, get assigned, sell calls, repeat. A complete income system explained step by step.
How to Use the VIX for Options Trading
Learn how to interpret the VIX and use it to improve your options trading decisions. IV rank, IV percentile, and practical VIX-based strategies.
⚖ Comparisons
Can't decide between two approaches? These side-by-side breakdowns make the choice clear.
Active Options Trading vs. Buy and Hold
Compare active options trading with passive buy-and-hold investing. Returns, time commitment, risk, and which approach is right for you.
Buying vs. Selling Options — Which is Better?
Compare buying options (debit strategies) vs. selling options (credit strategies). Win rates, risk profiles, and which approach fits your style.
Calls vs. Puts — What is the Difference?
Clear comparison of call options and put options. When to use each, how they work, and which is better for bullish vs. bearish trades.
Cash Account vs. Margin Account for Options
Compare cash and margin accounts for options trading. Buying power, strategy access, risks, and which is better for different experience levels.
Covered Call vs. Cash-Secured Put
Compare covered calls and cash-secured puts. Same risk profile? Different mechanics? When to use each income strategy.
Debit Spreads vs. Credit Spreads
Compare debit spreads and credit spreads. Cost, risk, probability, and when to use each type of vertical spread.
High IV vs. Low IV — How to Trade Each Environment
Compare high and low implied volatility environments. Which strategies to use, how to identify each, and how IV affects your options trades.
Iron Condor vs. Iron Butterfly — Which is Better?
Compare iron condors and iron butterflies. Premium collected, profit zones, win rates, and when to use each neutral income strategy.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Options
Compare long-term options (LEAPS, 60+ DTE) vs. short-term options (weeklies, 0-30 DTE). Cost, risk, strategy fit, and when to use each.
Market Orders vs. Limit Orders for Options
Why limit orders are essential for options trading. Compare market and limit orders with practical examples and tips for better fills.
Options vs. Futures — Key Differences Explained
Compare options and futures contracts. Obligations, risk profiles, margin requirements, and which is better for different trading styles.
Options vs. Stocks — Which Should You Trade?
Detailed comparison of options trading vs. stock trading. Risk, reward, capital requirements, and which is better for different goals.
Paper Trading vs. Live Trading
Compare paper trading and live trading for options. When to switch from practice to real money, and what paper trading can and cannot teach you.
Robinhood vs. Schwab for Options Trading
Compare Robinhood and Schwab for options trading. Simplicity vs. power, commissions, tools, and which broker fits your experience level.
SPY vs. SPX Options — Which Should You Trade?
Compare SPY and SPX options. Settlement, tax treatment, contract size, and which is better for different strategies.
Straddle vs. Strangle — Which Volatility Play is Better?
Compare straddles and strangles. Cost, breakeven, risk profile, and when to use each volatility strategy.
Technical vs. Fundamental Analysis for Options
Compare technical and fundamental analysis for options trading. Which matters more for options traders, and how to use both effectively.
thinkorswim vs. tastytrade — Platform Comparison
Compare thinkorswim (Schwab) and tastytrade for options trading. Features, pricing, tools, and which platform is better for different traders.
Weekly vs. Monthly Options
Compare weekly and monthly options expirations. Theta decay, liquidity, strategies, and which is better for income trading vs. directional plays.
The Wheel vs. Just Selling Covered Calls
Compare the full Wheel strategy with standalone covered calls. Income potential, flexibility, capital usage, and which approach generates better returns.
Stay in the Loop
New lessons, video drops, and trading tools — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.