Mistakes Beginner Options Traders Make: What Not to Do

Thinking of trading for some extra income or even a living? Don't fall into these traps.

Much is in flux at both the global and individual levels right now. Many of us are rethinking how and where we work. For some, the flexibility of working from home has opened doors to new possibilities, including trading stocks or options.

And while options trading can sound like an exciting "work-from-home" career path or side hustle, it also comes with real financial risks. If you're new to trading, here are two of the most common mistakes beginner options traders make and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Using Retirement Funds to Start Trading

A Wall Street Journal article once suggested that it's becoming more acceptable to tap retirement accounts during tough times. While this might make sense in some emergencies, such as saving a small business, it sets a dangerous precedent when it comes to options trading.

Here's a scenario: you're working from home. You don't have a boss staring over your shoulder, and you have a monitor full of stock quotes and watchlists. You're motivated, maybe even inspired, to start trading full-time, or at least during your working day. You've followed the market closely, made a few solid investments in the past, and now you want to level up. But you don't have the $25,000 required to day trade.

It may seem logical to borrow from your 401(k) or withdraw from an IRA. After all, you're investing in your future, right?

Here's the problem: trading, especially with options trading, isn't just risky. It's unforgiving. Even experienced traders lose. A single bad trade can wipe out a significant portion of your capital in minutes. Retirement funds should be protected, not gambled.

If you genuinely want to pursue options trading, build a separate trading account. Keep your retirement savings and emergency fund untouched. Prove to yourself that you can follow a plan, manage risk, and generate consistent results before scaling up.

Mistake #2: Trading on Gut Instinct Instead of a Plan

Many new traders rely too heavily on intuition. They feel like they "just know" when a stock or option will move. Even worse, they heard a trade pitched on CNBC and just bought it. (Stick to highly vetted stock recommendation newsletters)

That might work a couple of times, especially in a trending market, but gut trades rarely hold up over time.

Here's an example: I had a strong feeling that airline stocks would rally. I based it on my travel habits. If I were booking flights, others probably were too. Sure enough, I bought the JETS ETF (an airline-focused fund), and it fell by more than 30%. Do your homework and research before trading.

Had I not acted on that instinct, I would have saved money. It was a speculative trade with no research. There was no backtesting. No system. Just a hunch.

Even worse, early wins based on intuition can breed overconfidence. That's when things go sideways. Without a trading plan with defined entry and exit points, risk parameters, and clear signals, it's easy to freeze when a trade goes against you. And panic trading almost always leads to deeper losses.

The Solution: Have a Plan-and a Coach

When I got serious about trading, I got an options mentor and coach. I stopped risking money I couldn't afford to lose. I stopped relying on gut feelings. I began learning a repeatable, backtested strategy that could be applied across various market conditions.

If you're serious about making options trading a career or even a side income, you need a system. One that's been tested and refined. One that takes emotion out of your trades.

While trading can be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, it only works when you approach it like a business, not a gamble.

Final Thought

Trading for a living or as an extra income is entirely possible. But it's not easy. And the mistakes that beginner options traders make using retirement funds, such as trading without a plan and relying on gut instinct, are the exact ones that wipe out accounts.

To make real progress, start with a small, dedicated trading fund, follow a proven system, and learn from someone who has already achieved success.