Did you know that many top traders only trade part-time?

It’s true. Let’s talk about trading as a side hustle…

Many people don’t have the time or expertise to make day trading their primary source of income. 

I get it. It took me years of hard work to get to where I am today…

Plus, back when I was a general accountant, I was learning the ropes of the stock market as I was doing my day job. 

In other words, I was trading as a side hustle until I could make it my main gig. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I now encourage it. 

I’ll let you in on a little secret … you don’t have to devote your entire life to the market to potentially profit. 

That doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard … but you can accomplish a lot of other goals at the same time as you’re learning to trade. 

For example, I may not have a traditional day job anymore, but I do have another job that trumps trading every single time … my responsibilities as a father and husband.

Everyone’s schedule is different and we all trade differently. Multiple roads can lead to self-sufficient trading. You have to find yours. 

So, if you’re struggling to find time to trade amid your work or life schedule, this one’s for you. 

Keep reading and I’ll show you how you can potentially trade as a side hustle…

How Having a Day Job Can Actually Help Your Trading

People ask me, “Should I quit my day job? Should I go into full-time trading?” 

My answer’s usually no. Why? Because most of these aspiring traders simply aren’t ready yet. 

It’s always good to have a dependable job if you can. 

Having a reliable stream of income (that’s unrelated to your trading performance) can actually help you be a better trader. Let me explain…

If trading is your only source of income, that puts a lot of pressure on your decision-making. 

Unless you’ve got ample money saved, you’ll have to succeed in the markets at all times to put food on the table.

There’s too much pressure and stress if you need that money to live. That’s not a winning recipe. 

Spoiler alert: Constant success in the markets is impossible and unrealistic.

On the other hand, if you know you’ve got money coming in from another job, you shouldn’t have to worry about losing your shirt in the stock market (unless you’re a total degenerate).

This takes the pressure off of your trading performance, allowing you to focus on long-term success as opposed to near-term profits.

Take my top student, Jenny Smith, as a piece of inspiration…

She’s got a full-time job raising four young children, not to mention running her avocado farm. (To put this in perspective, I have three young kids and they’re already a handful!)

Yet she’s still found time to become an incredible part-time options trader, the income from which now supports her entire family. 

Jenny is a perfect example of how part-time trading can lead to full-time success, even with a bunch of little kids running around the house. 

And speaking of kids, I’ve got some specific advice for any parents out there looking to trade…

3 Important Tips for Trading as a Parent

I’m technically a full-time trader. But as a father and husband, everything comes second to my family. 

That said, when the market’s hot, it’s my job to trade. 

So how can trader-parents strike a harmonious balance between work and family life?

1. Block your time efficiently. When I’m trading, I zero in on the markets. I coordinate with my wife to make sure she can watch the kids. But when I’m with my kids, I turn off all notifications and give them my entire focus. 
2. Study while the kids sleep. Having three young children running around the house can make it difficult to find quiet time to study charts and do research. Luckily, they go to bed much earlier than I do. Once they’re down for the night, I try to spend time analyzing trade ideas for the following day. (Afternoon nap-time works well for this too.)
3. Take advantage of the freedom that trading provides. Like many traders, I focus on the market open and close. I rarely trade in the middle of the day, which gives me quality time to spend with my family. 

This is why I think trading is an amazing job — or side hustle — for parents. It comes with a lot of built-in freedoms that allow you to spend ample time with your family.

Final Thoughts

There’s no shame in having a day job while you’re learning to trade. 

Trading on the side is a great way to get an introduction to the market without the pressure of stocks being your only source of income. 

If you’re starting to trade on the side, I commend you. But make sure you’re approaching it the right way, or you could be working in the wrong direction.