Investing: From Hobby to Money Making Side Gig

Most investors do not think of themselves as a business. That is especially true of people that use platforms like Capital One Investing, which is geared toward casual investors. People that have extra money lying around and want to try to play the markets. Just that phrase, play the markets, denotes a lack of seriousness that would sink any small business. So, when you do begin dipping your toes into the world of small business, you will get more out of the experience if you start to build some business habits.

But having that mentality is very valuable. Even if you are buying and selling stocks with some extra money that you have leftover because you are living at home, you want to take that seriously. Looking at your hobby with the eye of an entrepreneur will get you further than just tossing it off. When you start to look at investing, you want to be able to control costs and keep your risks low. That is where Capital One Investing can be a lifesaver.

For inexperience traders, you can get your feet wet with Capital One without being to expose to stock market risk. And you can keep your trades costs down, with the Share builder program. That platform allows you to make regular, scheduled investments into stocks or funds, through Capital One, at $3.95 per trade. The regular nature of the buys allows you to consistently invest without worrying about the volatility of day to day market movements and will mean you can continue to see returns on the money.

This set it and forget it setup is very smart for busy office workers that don’t have time to research stocks and keep up with the market minutiae. By outsourcing the management of these investments, you are acting a like a true business owner. These instincts will serve you well as you look to make strides in your side gig.

Making money on the side of your regular job is a great way to improve your financial well-being. Having extra income will allow you to save more, to pay down debt and to create more opportunities for wealth building. That can help you get on the path to set your children up for life. Capital One can be a step on the path to true financial independence, if you can make those strides.

Beyond casual investors, there is potential for day traders to make use of the platform. While it is geared for retail investors, high frequency traders can make use of the data and research arms of Cap One in order to create alternative analysis reports. While outfits like Interactive Brokers and Tradestation offer more modern and full interfaces for high frequency trading, day traders can use Cap One to hedge their risk, by pouring a portion of their profits into more steady and consistent investments.

That is the mark of a sober and experience businessperson.