Link to the first post in which you will also find the link to all other parts https://getqu.in/cbIOkg/
Today I'm giving you an insight into my trading routine! I'll show you how much time I invest, how my trades have gone so far in 2025 and how I use my capital.
- Time spent
- Trade frequency
- Profit/loss trades YTD 2025
- Capital employed
Time spent
I invest on average 5 hours per week in trading. But not just blindly!
Weekend preparation: 1 hour for stock selection & chart analysis
At the weekend, depending on my mood, the weather and other family activities, I prepare for the "trading week". This can be Saturday morning or Sunday evening. I spend about 1 hour selecting stocks and analyzing charts. I usually focus on 3 to a maximum of 5 stocks, for which I consider entry and exit points for the coming week.
The initial stock analyses are always carried out on the home stock exchange, I look at the price development at the various time levels, then superimpose my two layouts and I already have a clear picture and can decide whether trading makes sense. My focus is on trading qualitatively rather than quantitatively.
It's not about being active all the time, but only hitting the right setups. Therefore, "more time" is not a criterion for success. I know full-time traders who don't trade more than 3 hours a day.
During the week: About 30-45 minutes a day to execute & monitor trades
If the worst comes to the worst, you can intervene and add to your position or adjust your trading SL to protect your profits. If you are traveling for work, you can also rely only on the orders placed in advance - see the post in the feed from $ADYEN (+0.63%)
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Trade frequency, profit/loss trades YTD 2025 and capital employed
I am summarizing these points because it fits thematically and I can then cover several interesting aspects in one capital.
As of May 16, 62 trades have been closed, compared to 128 buy orders, which is because I usually enter in tranches.
- 128 buy orders
- 62 sell orders
- Total 190 orders,
- average 42 per month, just under 10 per week
There are weeks when I don't trade at all, others with more trades.
What is the balance of the 62 closed trades?
Only realized profits/losses count for traders. Book profits/losses are only temporary movements in the defined areas of risk management.
- 50 trades with profit (80%)
- 12 with a loss (20%)
And what does that mean in euros?
This question brings us to the next interesting piece of information. Is this more than just fun and enjoyment in trading? Or are you just one of the 80% who supposedly only lose money by trading?
The following figures are net, i.e. less KEST, order fees and other costs such as for the securities account, subscription to TradingView, etc.
Losses: €1,266.73 (9 trades <€100 loss, 3 trades in the range between €200 and €400)
Gains: 14.797,21€
(most of the gains are between 5% and 10% per trade)
Total net: 13.420,97€ (Jan-Mid-May)
The trading frequency makes it. It's not about the one big "tenbagger", but about an appropriate trading frequency with solid trades. It is easier to achieve 10 times 10% than to wait for a tenbagger and have your capital tied up in a trade for a long time.
Conclusion: Trading as a side income can be worthwhile - my average net income: 2,982.43€ per month for 5 hours of effort per week.
Anyone expecting to become a millionaire quickly will be disappointed - but as a hobby it is a solid regular income!
Question for dividend investors: How much capital do you need to invest to get a net dividend of around 3k a month?
Yes, yes 😅 it's clear that trading is different from pursuing a dividend strategy. It's just to illustrate that you can achieve a nice side income with relatively little capital compared to dividends.
This question brings us to today's final point. How much capital do I need to invest for short-term trading?
I keep about 40-50k as risk capital for short-term trading, with position sizes between 5k and 10k.
For beginners: Don't worry! I started with €500 to €1,000 per trade and gradually worked my way up. Confidence in your own setup is the key. The proceeds flowed into steadily increasing position sizes. Like B&H, it's a snowball effect!
In addition to my capital for short-term trading, I also have around 100k parked in longer-term "swing trades" (months to 1-2 years). But from a trading point of view it's the same, only the time horizon is different. Today's post, including the figures, only refers to short-term trading.
So, I hope this article has clarified your previous picture of a part-time trader.
In the next post I will reveal my trading setup, my indicators and my exact preparation for the trading week!
Below are links to a few stocks that I have recently written about.
$ADYEN (+0.63%)
$UBER (+0.42%)
$BRBY (+1.26%)
$NOVO B (+2.97%)
$RDC (+1.76%)
$KTN (-0.04%)
