Hi
I have set up a new portfolio that has been running for 1 month. I am running this portfolio with 3 signal providers. however each provider trades with 1 currency pair and I am only taking 1 trade at a time.
This is an low risk portfolio and my aim is to have the lowest settings and still make 20% in one year.
Here’s to making a safe 20%.
margret
which providers are you following? it is not clear by your blog…
Hi Eddy Mo
I have put the make up of my portfolio on my blog. I am also looking to run a new max growth system for comparison. Would you like me to do this and publish this as well.
margret
how exactly are you following them? …what lots/ trades?
how much is your margin-o-call meter?
Hi Eddy Mo
My lot sizes change as the currency pairs change. What I do is use a calculator system which tell me my lot size, stop losses, my risk of a margin call and the % chance I have of blowing my account. Once I have used the calculator system I know my lot sizes and I know that I am not overtrading.
I have the added bonus of being able to use this calculator system to be able to use maximum broker leverage. This allows me to maximise my profits all while not overtrading. This is why I can take very little risk but still aim for 20%. To find out how you can trade like this follow the link on my blog.
HI
I have started a new single system growth account. this account has 1 system from zulutrade and I am taking all available trades. I am looking to make 60% + return from this acount all while not overtrading.
I will keep posting and let you know how it is going.
imho, 20% risk is too low…how much are you actually winning? roi?
i think you should add following at least up to 5 different traders
Hi Eddy Mo
My Risk per trade is only 5% I am aiming to get a return on Investment of 20%. This is a very low trading portfolio I have decided to make my portfolio with as little risk to my capital. I’m not going for spectacular returns I am trying to earn 20% per year with the minimum of trades taken.
The portfolio is only just over a month old so as for ongoing return I will keep posting the results.
hello Margaret,
sounds like a nice risk allocation - small and steady,hopefully and your results will be the same!
btw, would help a great deal if you post results from your zulu-account, like profits, SPs settings and all - helps a big time rather than describing it 
good luck trading
Hi Margaret! Is this your first attempt at zulutrade? Or you’ve decided to set up this low risk portfolio based on your long term experience (demo or live) ?
Hi Eddy Mo
Thanks for the reply.
Yes I can post the results.
Starting Balance £10,000
Profit after 1 month of trading £221.00
Total £10,221.00
Total ROI + £2.21%
Update 28/82012
Current balance £10,213
Total ROI + £2.13%
I am currently using 3 signal providers they are:
SUREWIN88
Forex Cruise Control
GBP@USDzen
I have chosen to use these 3 systems because they all only trade 1 currency pair. Which is the GBP/USD, I was not looking for a single currency pair only that each system traded one pair. This was to keep the number of trades down as Im not looking for excitement I’m looking for a consistant compounded return.
I also looked at the expectancy of the signal providers. I was looking for a high expectancy as my portfolio takes a low number of trades. Expectancy is the indicator that tells you if a signal provider will make money. A positive expectancy means that the system has a tradable edge and it makes money over the long term.
A good expectancy is around 30.
Expectancy Start Now
SUREWIN88 165 152
Forex Cruise Control 72 28
GBP@USDzen 3,035 3,119 (in my opinion the best signal provider)
The expectancy changes as the system either makes a profit or takes some losses. By keeping track you can also KNOW when a system stops being profitable and when its time to switch. This is when the expectancy goes negative. any minus figure is a sign to stop trading the system and move to one with a posiive expectancy.
You have asked for lot sizes and settings. My lot sizes are only relevant to my own account and if I gave you mine they would be not be the correct lot size for your account. Lots are calculated by knowing the cost per pip, knowing your risk per trade and by using your chosen stoploss.
Lot sizes can also change when you change a systems parameters, if you chosen to let your signal provider open lots of trades at once you may need to lower your lot sizing to compensate for the increased risk, such as a risk of a margin call. Your % risk per trade also has a massive impact on your lot sizing. If you only want to risk 1% of your account per trade your lot size would be different to a 5% risk.
This is why knowing your risk per trade is important in trading.
By controling every aspect of the system I’m following I am in full control of how I trade. The signal provider is only there to produce the expectancy. Basically I use money management to ensure i’m not over trading and to calculate my risk and lot sizing.
I hope this helps
Hi Johhnypip
I have been trading for 5 years and made plenty of mistakes but now I into consistant returns for the long term,
Hi Eddy Mo
If you let me know the size of your trading account I’ll work out the lot sizes + risk for you.
hey Margaret,
5K EUR with risk-o-meter no bigger than 100%. THank you!
Hi Eddy Mo
I have based the lot sizes, stop loss and risk to the SUREWIN88 signal provider. This lot sizing/stoploss will only be relevant to this signal provider.
Settings
Account 5000 euro
Leverage 500:1
Signal provider SUREWIN88 (zulutrade)
Risk per trade 8% (if you want me to lower it let me know)
Risk of ruin 0%
Currency pair GBP/USD
Lot Size 0.8 mini lots
Max Open trades 11
Max open Trades per Currency 11
Stop Loss 600
Safe button Ticked. (the box to the right of the stoploss)
You will need to set it up in the custom mode and tick advanced settings. This will reveal the extra options. Enter the details as above.
You should have a margin o call meter of about 40% (at time of writing) The ROI on the back test was 65% and the risk of ruin is currently at 0% (% chance of blowing your account). If this changes and your 8% risk per trade starts to be affected I will let you know the new lot sizing.
If you think that you are taking to much risk per trade (currently at 8%). I have calculated the lot size for 5% risk per trade.
0.5 mini lots
14 max open trades
14 max open per currency
600 stop loss
safe box ticked
This only gave a 40% ROI however you are now set up for money management.
As you now have a known risk per trade you can use this to gain extra profits at no extra risk. This is your geometric profits (exponential growth )and this is much better than linear profits.
Example
Linear 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.
Exponential 1,2,4,8,16,32 etc
To make geometric profits you keep your risk per trade constant and increase your lot sizes to match the growth in your account. When back testing you are using a linear system so you can expect your profits to be greater that what is shown.
Having your account set up for money management also protects you from a draw down. if you were risking 5% of your account without money management you would have 20 trade and if you lost them all you would be bust.
With money management you are keeping your risk constant. This means you reduce your lot size when you get a draw down. In this way instead of only needing 20 losing trades before you go broke you need to get 100+ losing trades (in a row) to get the same result.
This is why good money management is important, it keeps you trading in a draw down and multiply your profits when things go your way.
thank you for the kind advise!!! and the total cool analysis!!!
I opened a demo with that settings - totally interested to test them!! btw I went for option one, seems more according to my risk apetite
btw would it matter if my innitial account is 500 EUR for example? or would that be the same settings?
Hi Eddy Mo
The settings would be the same but the lot size would be 0.1 but to get a risk profile of 8% you would need to start with 600 euros.
sounds logical Thanks Margret !!! 
Hi Eddy Mo
It’s good to see you testing the settings let me know how it goes.
To help you with your trading I wanted to explain how money is made in trading. This is a concept that all traders who make money know and use. The folowing formula is the easiest way to remember it.
M=EO
or
Money = (Positive) Expectancy x Opportunity
This means that if you have a system that has a positive expectancy and the opportunity to trade it for the long term you will make money. (See previous post for an explanation of expectancy.)
Trading for the long term means surviving and being around long enough for the positive expectancy to play out. Its like a tossing a coin that has a bias towards heads. If the biased coin came up heads 6 times out of 10. In the short term the coin tosses would produce a randon number of heads and tails. However in the long term the results would revert to the statitsical pattern. In this case heads coming up 6 times out of 10.
This is how the money is made.
First you need a system that has a positive expectancy and then you need to trade for the long term. This does not mean you will not get trading losses. It means you will win more than you lose (over the long term). Once you know that a system you are trading has a positive expectancy you know that you can make money with it. All you then need to do is survive long enough for the trading edge to make money.
In trading the “best loser win”. This means surviving the bad times and the drawdowns and still being around to make the profits.
How do you trade for the long term?
Money management is the key skill that allows you to survive in trading. By controling your % risk per trade, Risk of Ruin and not over trading means you to take as many opportunities as you wish. The longer you can keep trading a system with a positiive expectancy the more money you will make. (an explanation of money mangement is in a previous post)
The trick is to set your money management so you are not under-trading or over-trading. You have used it to selected the optimum settings to make the most money without risking your trading account.
If you can master these 2 skills
Having a system with a positive expectancy
Money Management
You will join the 10% who make money trading.
Margret,
really substantial comment you put out there! wish more traders actually follow these rules. btw, seems like you know quite a bunch, you even considered actually becoming an SP?