Who actually makes anything, hands up?

[colberg]

I asked a question about Jacks video course and got some useful info, thanks again. But the more I read through all the other questions and posts, I get a very strong feeling that:-
Many people answer questions with great info, and at other places the same people are saying about the problems they are having.
Apart from the obvious, that it takes time, practise, skill, knowledge and the such, who on these boards can put their hands up and say that in the last:-
3 months they have made a profit?
6 months they have made a profit?
12 months they have made a profit?

I don't mean to ask the 64,000 dollar question, it's just a reality check for a newbie before he decides what to do. I love the banter on this forum but also appreciate the realistic attitude. That's why I ask this question

[Cran]

The first six months I made a loss, the next six months I broke even, the next 12 months I've started to make a small profit.

[nigelbleddfa]

I made £300 between Wednesday and Saturday last week. I blew £ 150 yesterday. Sulking today. Back to normal tomorrow. It's a hobby for me, sometimes rewarding sometimes not, but I enjoy it and it's better than spending my money on booze and prostitutes, so they say.

[theman73]

Just a newbie , trying to be fulltimer , saturday i blew up my two weeks earnings juts because i went in-play , take a break two days , today first race first minus , take another brake and so on ...

Just one think , mybe you can be profitable by first month , depends on what market are you trading , races are for greedy people which want every race 10 - 20 ticks profit , if you want this i think you will need a lot of time to learn propely

[mr beard]

I'm just starting my 3rd month of part time trading and so far I have been profitable.

I was disciplined in using only small stakes for the first 2 months and I'm pleased to say I've only gone in play once (got lucky - never again) and I've never blown a bank. It's been slow playing with pennies but I'm just starting to see the hard work come to fruition.

[Morgans Choice]

I tried trading on exchanges on and off for a few years without success, then took out software subscription a year last September. I just about break even on the horses, can't beat football and recently had some minor success on the dogs, but for me it's about the competition and it's a tremendous buzz. The hardest thing for me is stopping when it's obvious I've got no read on anything, it's just so much fun,

cheers, MC

[The Geek]

I didn't start making money until about 18 months - 2 years in when I first had my own ladder up & running. { I lost count of how much the fecking BetRaider Pro crashes & lock ups used to cost me, to the point I said I'd fix the bloody software for him. But that's another story for another time. }

I found what worked for me, but it took a long time and The Toy to do it. So unless you're one special dude, don't think this is easy by any stretch. To me it's the ultimate strategy game & trading the horses for me is the best gambling buzz and entertainment value I ever had. Winning a few quid here & there is just a bonus. { And TBH I'd still chuck a tenner in every once in a while for entertainment value even when I consistently lost. }

I'm here to play a game boys & girl (maybe) and we're all here to take each others money. Geeks Toy is a cross between a 21st century bookies and a never ending poker tournament. I enjoy playing here so free to come and play if you want to as well.

My advice to anyone starting to play this game is to stick a 7 day max deposit limit of £10 on your betfair account. If you blow your bank, calm down, research some more & start again next week.

[savrad]

14 Months in...... Total invested in my trading education £2000.

Starting to achieve some proficiency, consistency and a lot more emotional control.

So far this month(Feb) + £98.47

Stick at it.....Remember 1) Mindset.
2) Money management.
3) Method.

Good trading all.

[Caan Berry]

for me i think i found my feet rather quick although my impulisve attitude has cost me a few times i must say... at a fair cost, the biggest hook for me has been the fact its not the trading thats cost me but the going inplay... started about 10 months ago properly on the gg's (just dabbled on footie before)... my balance since the start is currently -£153... although i've blown about 5.3k going in-play since august.. something i think i've sussed recently (i hope) and wont do again.... on that evidence this year looks rather bright ...i'd say part time but i trade as much as i possibly can... if you can learn and never go inplay i wouldnt of thought it has any reason to be too costly.

Chuck

[PC0845]

Not made a penny yet, lost a good few quid actually, invariably due to going in play after a minor trading loss, but lost a lot less than when I was betting / laying. I can see the light, I'm consciously incompetent but will get there. Geeks advice below about setting deposit limits is invaluable. Main thing I'm learning is the amount of money I threw away on hunches. Selection is everything.

[kawasaki]

deposited minimal 10eu, traded on everything that moves, somehow managed to blow most of it on footie, began to think that maybe thats not so easy as in videos showed, began reading forums, deposited another 15eu, started small stakes, 0.2-0.5 eu, dogs and horses of 99% time, now bank over 80eu. although i am in profit, i know that its very hard to make it to the top, today you are winner, tomorrow may be in deep shit, i gonna not deposit more $$, if i ever make to amounts enough for a living then maybe.... if not, then it will be just fun hobby, like nigel said, ''better than spending on booze''
if you considering to make living from it, think twice, no, ten times before begining, there are thousands better jobs in the whole world, less stressful, more rewarding, dont waste your time here. but you know, its just up to you decide, nobody can advice when you are in crossroads of life, right?

thats my twopence, peace

[skit]

3 months they have made a profit?
6 months they have made a profit?
12 months they have made a profit?

Yes, yes and yes.
I can't really pinpoint when I started trading but I would say 2/3 years ago.
Started by doing the "risk-free betting" gig and when I had about 700€*I left just 100€ and spent the rest.
Started reading some stuff about trading (mostly blogs and a book ("Come into my trading room" I believe) and watching some videos (mostly from Adam Todd) and here I am almost consistently profitable I would say.
Now the bad part, lost probably two banks in the way and had a lot of big losses.

[KOTBIIAJIbTO]

Made 300 dollars mainly on horses last month, though it seems to be my first period of consistent profit from trading...

[1/4 of a millionaire fund]

Apart from the obvious, that it takes time, practise, skill, knowledge and the such, who on these boards can put their hands up and say that in the last:-
3 months they have made a profit?
6 months they have made a profit?
12 months they have made a profit?

I don't mean to ask the 64,000 dollar question, it's just a reality check for a newbie before he decides what to do. I love the banter on this forum but also appreciate the realistic attitude. That's why I ask this question

Temujin posted a poll a while back about who's in profit etc here

http://geekstoy.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3424&highlight=poll

If we believe that then around 70% of us are making a profit.

The reason why most of us continually state the obvious is because most newbies completely ignore it, we kind of hope that some will actually take the advice given on board for once and avoid the mistakes we've made.

Even just reading between the lines on this thread there's more than enough good info to give anyone a decent start in how to go about things. It's all there from building your bank risk free betting to playing small until you find an edge that suits and works for you. Even though you may consider those things obvious few people will actually do what's obvious and make this game a lot harder for themselves than it should be.

p.s. this isn't a dig aimed at you, there's plenty of money to be made on the exchanges, just don't go expecting it all at once.

[Alfred]

Here's my story. I started trading in the Summer of 2009. I was unemployed and I was attracted by the get-rich-quick scheme adds.

I started really causiously, using minstake on the US horses. I never really lost any money. I made small profits and I started to move up stake gradually. I though I had to start trading the British horses if I wanted to make any substantial money. I tried a bit and couldn't do it. So I decided to take a look at the horse racing market in running. I rapidly spotted something that could be profitable.

I have done this full time for a little over a year now and I can say I make a steady, modest (3000$US/month) living out of trading. Nothing impressive compared to others but I do this "working" only 25 hours a week, from home.