Latest Insights in Stock Market Investing
ETF Index Tracker Proposed Strategy: A Risk-Free Investment?
Using covered call writing and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a viable approach to generating monthly cash flow. I personally use this strategy in my mother's portfolio. Can this investment style be expanded to include inverse ETFs to move this expanded path to a...
Naked Options versus Covered Options: Where Should We Take a Stand?
Covered call writing and selling cash-secured puts are more conservative strategies than trading naked options (selling calls and puts without having the resources to execute the potential trade obligations, if exercised). A naked call occurs when a speculator writes...
Why Option Buyers Pay More for In-The-Money Strikes
When we sell an in-the-money covered call, we are taking a defensive posture and using the intrinsic value component of the premium to protect the time value initial profit. As an example, let's look at New Oriental Education (NYSE: EDU) on April 7, 2017: EDU priced...
Determining the Delta of our Strikes Using the Airport Formula
"What is the best Delta to use when selling covered call options?" I get this question frequently from the educated core of members from our BCI community. Delta is one of the five option Greeks which are mathematical means of quantifying the risk inherent in our...
When Strikes Move Deep In-The-Money: A Real-Life Trade
Covered call writing exit strategies include scenarios when share price moves up or down. Our main enemy is share depreciation where we need to mitigate losses but we must also have the ability to enhance returns when share price rises under certain specific...
Writing Covered Call Options to Compensate for Share Depreciation
Covered call writing generates monthly (or weekly) cash flow but it also reduces our cost basis. The latter result is the reason why covered call writing increases our chances of a successful trade more so than simply owning the stock. Historical data tells us that in...
Earnings Pre-Announcements Explained and Categorized
We know to avoid earnings reports when writing covered calls or selling puts. This is easily accomplished because we have a reliable idea when those reports will become public. Premium members can access these dates directly from our weekly reports here: Those...
Why the 3% Guideline Applies to Puts but Not to Call Options
Selling options (covered call writing and selling cash-secured puts) will result in a positive outcome in the first four of the following five scenarios: Stock price moves up significantly Stock price moves up slightly Stock price remains the same Stock price moves...
Tax Implications of Writing Covered Calls against Long-Term Holdings
Covered call writing is a short-term strategy where we sell Weekly or Monthly options to generate cash flow. It is best to use this strategy in sheltered accounts to defer or eliminate tax consequences but that is not always possible. Generally, the income from...
Explore Investment Topics
Covered Call Exit Strategies
Exit Strategies
Our Journey and Mission
The Blue Collar Investor was founded with a simple mission: to empower everyday individuals with the knowledge to invest wisely in the stock market. Our blog focuses on demystifying stock options, providing readers with the tools they need to succeed. We believe that anyone can learn to invest effectively, regardless of their background or experience.
Our story began when our founder Dr. Alan Ellman, realized the lack of accessible resources for average investors. Determined to bridge this gap, we created a platform that offers comprehensive guides, expert tips, and real-world strategies. Today, The Blue Collar Investor is a trusted resource for thousands of readers seeking to enhance their financial literacy and achieve their investment goals.