How To Trade In The Forex Market For Beginners: These 5 Crucial Tips Will Save You

Easily the largest financial market in the world in terms of trading volume, the global forex market trades at about $5 trillion per day. Given that figure, there is much to gain if you decide to venture into this world. But, it is also competitive, ruthless, fast-paced, and if you’re not careful, you could lose a ton of money.

Its competitive allure is exactly what attracts traders to the market every day, which ranges from the professionals that make trading their bread-and-butter, to the people that have little to no experience but still have the guts (and the money) to give it a go.

As challenging as it is, mastering the forex market is not an impossible task, and learning it can spell all the difference between winning big and losing all your money as a trader.

We’re here to give you a few basic tips to point you in the right direction, and hopefully help you land the success you desire.

Note that there are high level risks to trading in the market. It's best to consult with an expert market analyst before making a decision to invest as you may sustain losses. International Business Times is not liable for any loss or damage.

Why Do People Lose Money In Forex?

Understanding why a lot of forex traders lose their hard-earned money in the market is crucial in order to make sure you don’t end up the same way. So why does it happen?

A lack of understanding about the market and how it works contributes a lot. Unlike most highly skilled professions, there is no barrier to entry in the forex market, and anyone can open an account and start trading. Unfortunately, this means a lot of people without the know-how immediately jump into it without first doing the legwork.

Another factor is the lack of preparation, because even the best traders in the world can immediately lose money in the market if they go in without any preparation. Not knowing anything about trading psychology is also a common reason, and there are many pitfalls to it. Then there are trading fees, which a lot also don’t take into account.

So now that we’ve tackled some of the common reasons that result in big losses for traders, it’s time to take a look at some crucial lessons and tips you need to learn if you are to master this competitive space, or at least be smart enough to keep playing the game.

1. Learn Before You Start

When it comes to doing something new, knowing is half the battle, and this holds true especially in the world of trading. Especially for one that’s so easy to join like the global forex market.

Thankfully, it’s easy to avoid the pitfalls by simply educating yourself about the ins and outs of the industry that you want to enter. While there are countless resources on the internet to help you, it’s also easy to get information overload, leaving you more confused than you were at the start.

This is where having mentors that are experts on the subject come in handy, and you can find some of the world’s best in Forexmentor. Founded by veteran trader and educator Peter Bain back in 2003, Forexmentor was established to help address the misinformation young and budding forex traders get online.

Now, Forexmentor has massively grown to support a community made up of thousands of members, trainers and mentors that all help contribute world-class education to those that still don’t have the knowledge and tools for the trade, be it through live training services, one-on-ones or comprehensive video classes and courses.

Forexmentor can be extremely beneficial for new traders, and can give you the edge and knowledge you need before entering its choppy waters. You can, for example, join Coach’s Corner, the longest-running forex coaching program offered by former broker Vic Noble and price action expert Darko Ali.

Started back in early 2006, Coach’s Corner offers real-time insight and training, giving you an integrated approach to trading that will teach you trading psychology and market environment, among others. Live webinars composed of QAs are also held monthly, while premium members are given access to the 24/7 live trading chat lounge where you can interact with other like-minded individuals.

For those who want something more basic, you can join options expert Lennox Chambers’ Simple 1-2-3 forex trader program where you will learn a simple and rule-based trading system that you can use to enter and exit each trade with confidence.

Forexmentor also provides home study courses that you can study at your own pace.

With all this, Forexmentor hopes to cover everything that you’ll ever need to not just survive in the forex trading markets, but thrive and find continuous success.

2. Find Yourself a Reliable and Reputable Broker

Now that you have the know-how to navigate the volatile and fast-paced waters of the forex world, it’s time to find a broker. But not just any broker. Remember that this is your money you will be trading, so work with a broker you can trust.

For security measures, make sure that you only open accounts with brokers that are registered with the National Futures Association. Remember to trust your money only to firms that are verified, and don’t hesitate to contact your broker or their representatives if you have questions.

Know and understand as much as you can, you’re paying them for it.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

Before you can be good at something, you need to be bad at it first. This is also true with forex trading, especially if it’s for your first time. Thankfully, you don’t need to do all of that in the open, as it’s common to open a demo/practice account before actually trading money.

You’re in luck, as virtually all forex trading platforms offer practice accounts where you can trade hypothetically without using any real money. The idea behind this is to let you become adept at order-entry techniques and other skills that you need in the real trading floor.

It may sound unfortunate, but instances of newbies sticking to losing position instead of accepting paper loss are very common. Practicing with a demo account will let you avoid that and master the techniques that you’ll need without using real money. So take your time with this, and make sure you put in the hours.

4. Start Small

Once you’ve mastered the necessary techniques using your practice account, it's time to make a real one and actually trade money. But don’t go all-in just yet, and start with just a small amount of money. Let go of your desire and emotion to win big for now, and familiarize yourself with the playing field.

With small money, you can become an expert trader without losing big. Gain experience, and start growing from there. Take your time as well, you’ll thank yourself later. Patience is the name of the game.

Additionally, don’t be nervous when you lose, because chances are, it will happen a couple of times (hence starting with small money). Maintain your cool when you win, and don’t be too hasty to withdraw. But also remember to pull out of the market when it’s unfavorable to you.

5. Develop a Strategy

Much like soldiers that plan before going to war, make sure that you develop a plan and strategy as you keep trading forward. One good strategy is to protect your account via a protective stop loss, which is effective at making sure that your losses will stay minimal and reasonable at best.

Another one to consider is to keep your charts clean, either by keeping analysis techniques to a minimum or avoiding multiples of the same types of indicators.

Lastly, keep a record of your wins and losses as you can learn from them in the future. Include your history of trading activity, dates, profits, instruments and such, as those can be useful in helping you become a more experienced trader.

These crucial tips can help increase your chances of becoming successful in the forex market. It may be hard, fast-paced and unpredictable, but following these tips will help you become a better trader than your counterparts. Good luck!