Options are very useful. You can use options to do many things. In fact I have even developed a way to increase profits, while by the same token reducing risk.

                      Hopefully the options strategy mentioned above caught your attention. You would think that such a  marvellous strategy would be complicated. Actually, it isn't! Say you have a long position on xyz. You can compliment this position with a straddle option spread, if the stock goes down you don't lose quite so much money, if the stock goes up then you make more money, if the stock goes sideways then you will lose some money, however if the stock starts in a sideways trend get out of the trade. Exit all trades when they begin to move against you.

                        Here are some basic things abou options. They are contracts allowing you to buy or sell a certain amount of stock at a given price. Puts are bearish, they allow you to sell a certain amount of shares at a given price, so you think that the stock price will move down, and so you will be able to sell x amount of shares at a different price than they are worth. Calls allow you to buy at a certain price, i.e. they are bullish. Option contracts do expire however.