Entering, managing and archiving our covered call writing and put-selling trades are critical to our overall success as well as allowing us to learn and benefit from our investment history. To demonstrate how to achieve a high level of organization and management of our trades, this article will highlight a real-life series of trades with […]

Entering and Adjusting Our Covered Call Trades Using the BCI Trade Management Calculator: A Real-Life Example with WBA
Posted on November 19, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

20%/10% Guidelines: “Hitting a Double” in the Same Day: A Real-Life Example with Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP)
Posted on November 12, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
After entering our covered call writing trades, we immediately enter our 20%/10% BTC (buy-to-close), GTC (good-until-cancelled) limit orders. If and when these thresholds are reached (resulting from share price decline) are short calls will be closed (bought back). At that point, we can plan our next steps to mitigate losses or turn losses into gains. […]

Why Did Option Value Decline After Stock Price Accelerated? A Real-Life Example with United Health Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH)
Posted on November 4, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
We, as covered call writers and sellers of cash-secured puts, are on the sell-side of options. Every so often, I receive interesting emails with educational value from members who buy options. On 4/21/2022, Kevin shared with a trade he executed with UNH where share value went higher after purchasing a call option, but the value […]

Evaluating Pre- and Post-Market Opening Calculations; A Real-Life Example with The Simply Good Foods Company: (Nasdaq: SMPL)
Posted on October 29, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
Preparing for our initial covered call writing and cash-secured put trades starts pre-market. After developing a watchlist of eligible securities, we turn to the option-chains to determine if initial time-value returns align with our stated goals. Market-makers will be a bit hesitant to publish bid-ask spreads that are in our best interest until they can […]

How to Select the Best Covered Call Writing Strikes in Bear & Volatile Markets
Posted on October 22, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
Option selection is the 2nd of the 3 required skills for achieving the highest possible returns when writing covered calls or selling cash-secured puts. Option decisions include strike and expiration date choices. This article will focus in on strike selection for covered call writing in bear and volatile market where we take defensive positions that […]

Setting Our 20%/10% Guidelines After Rolling an Option Out or Out-And-Up
Posted on October 15, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
Rolling-out is a covered call writing exit strategy we frequently use when a strike is expiring in-the-money (ITM) and we want to retain the underlying shares for the next contract cycle. After closing the short call in the current month prior to rolling, a new trade with the same security is set up in our […]

Portfolio Overwriting in High Implied Volatility (IV) Markets + Alan’s Wealth365 Webinar Registration Link
Posted on October 8, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
One of our covered call writing-like strategies is portfolio overwriting. The strategy involves selecting deep out-of-the-money (OTM) strikes that will generate lower returns than traditional covered call writing but also decreases the likelihood of exercise (our shares being sold). The returns will still be significant when annualized, while still enhancing the probability of avoiding exercise […]

How to Enter & Calculate Closing a Weekly Put Trade After Rolling the Option in the Same Contract Cycle + Alan’s Wealth365 Webinar Registration Link
Posted on October 1, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Trade Execution, Put-selling, Stock Option Strategies
When we sell cash-secured puts, we are undertaking the contractual obligation to buy shares at the strike price by the expiration date. The option seller (that’s us) sets those parameters. In return, we receive a cash premium. The implementation of exit strategy opportunities allows us to maximize the success of our trades. This article will […]

Dividend Stripping & Selling Cash-Secured Puts: A Real-Life Example with Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Posted on September 24, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Put-selling
Whether we are selling stock options or buying stocks to accumulate dividend income, Blue collar Investors seek to generate cash-flow in a low-risk manner with capital preservation in mind. This article will highlight 1 way to combine selling cash-secured puts with dividend stripping. What is selling cash-secured puts? A low-risk option-selling strategy where the […]

How to Manage a 5.3% Mid-Contract Unrealized Gain: A Real-Life Example with BHP Group Limited (NYSE: BHP) + Alan’s Wealth365 Webinar Registration Link
Posted on September 17, 2022 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
When we have a maximum mid-contract unrealized gain on a trade, there are opportunities when we can generate additional income streams and, thereby, enjoy higher than initial maximum returns. There are also scenarios when we should take no action and continue to monitor these trades. On 1/19/2022, Patrick shared with me such a trade he […]
Podcast
- 97. Managing Our Poor Man's Covered Call Trades When Share Price Drops Substantially
- 96. Protecting Our Covered Call Trades: Protective Puts and In-the-Money Strikes
- 95. Covered Call Writing to Generate Premium and Dividend Income
- 94. Covered Call Writing Net Debit Limit Orders
- 93. WHEN CALL STRIKES MOVE DEEP ITM EARLY IN A CONTRACT
- 92. Selling Deep OTM Cash-Secured Puts to Create High-Probability Returns
- 91. Portfolio Overwriting Analyzed
- 90. Entering a Collar Trade
- 89. Am I Losing Money When I Buy Back My Deep ITM Covered Call Options?
- 88. Creating a Portfolio of Weekly Cash-Secured Puts
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Beginners Corner Enhanced & Updated
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Beginners Corner Selling-Puts
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- Lesson 5:puts-selling-Calculating Returns
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