I run three separate playbooks with three different levels of risk. Keeping them separate in my head — and in my account — is the whole game for me.
Before the open I scan a pre-market gainers list for small, low-priced stocks that move fast right at 9:30. I favor cheaper names because the same dollars buy more shares, so a small move produces a real profit. I use RSI and price action to judge whether momentum is real. The rule I most often break — and am trying to break less — is to not buy when the signal says the move is fading. Positions are tiny and held for minutes.
Occasionally I fade a stock that's been punished for a reason I think the market has overdone — for example, a company posting record earnings that still sells off because it missed lofty expectations. Sometimes I express these through leveraged products (like a 2x ETF), which amplify both the upside and the downside. This is my highest-risk bucket, and I treat it that way.
The foundation is deliberately dull. Every Tuesday I buy $300 of QQQM, the Nasdaq-100 ETF, regardless of the headlines — plain dollar-cost averaging. When QQQM drops roughly 5–10% off its recent high, I add extra on the dip. I intend to hold this for years. It's the part of my account that quietly does the real work.
Scalping and leverage are high-risk activities, and most active traders lose money over time. I size my speculative trades small on purpose and keep the long-term core protected. Please read the full disclaimer — this page describes what I do, and is not advice for anyone else.