Most traders don't fail because the market is impossible — they fail because they repeat the same avoidable mistakes. The good news: these errors are well known, and once you recognise them, they're easy to sidestep. Here are the most common trading mistakes and exactly how to avoid each one.
The Four Account-Killers
01
Over-Leveraging
Using too much leverage turns a small adverse move into a blown account. Fix: use only the leverage your risk plan allows and size positions to a fixed 1–2% risk.
02
Trading Without a Stop-Loss
Hoping a losing trade "comes back" is how small losses become catastrophic. Fix: set a stop-loss on every single trade, before you enter, and never widen it.
03
Revenge Trading
Trying to instantly win back a loss leads to bigger, sloppier bets. Fix: step away after a loss, and only return to valid setups that meet your rules.
04
Overtrading
More trades don't mean more profit — they usually mean more costs and more mistakes. Fix: trade only your best setups and be comfortable doing nothing.
Six More Mistakes to Watch For
- No trading plan — trading on impulse instead of predefined rules. Write a plan and follow it.
- Ignoring the news — getting caught by high-impact releases. Check the economic calendar before every session.
- Moving stop-losses — turning a planned small loss into a large one. Once set, leave it.
- Chasing the market — entering late after a move has already happened. Wait for your setup to come to you.
- Risking too much per trade — one bad trade shouldn't dent your account. Cap risk at 1–2%.
- Not keeping a journal — repeating errors you never diagnosed. Log every trade and review weekly.
The One Habit That Prevents Most of Them
Nearly every mistake on this list disappears when you trade a written plan with fixed risk rules. The plan removes impulse; the risk rules remove catastrophe. Add cashback on top, and even your losing trades return something — softening the cost of the inevitable learning curve.
"You don't have to be brilliant to succeed in trading. You just have to stop making the mistakes that wipe out everyone else."
— Say Affiliates
Trade Smarter, Not Harder
Avoid the Mistakes — Keep the Cashback
Register free, trade with discipline on a low-spread broker, and earn a rebate on every trade, even the ones that don't go your way.