I will probably be hung for this, but as a beginner as well, I find that demo accounts just don’t do it for me. It’s too easy to go “oh that meets my criteria” and jumping in, then Jumping out long past when you should have, etc, and saying “oh in real life I wouldn’t do that”
For me, the reality of risking my real money, makes me look more realistically at my analysis, to enter and exit when I should (as much as possible) and to use what I have learnt.
Ie, if I am a day trader, once I decide on my trades and put them on, the computer goes off until the evening. If I have lost then I analyse why, if I have won I analyse why.
I never risk more than I am completely prepared to lose. I disassociate from the emotion by already being prepared to lose that amount.
My trade are rarely more than 0.01 lot (volume) I use sensible stop losses, say 30 pips away, sometimes more to avoid whipsawing. My take profit are set 10 to 20 pips away. Small profit but it’s about learning.
Currently I am using a signal provider. It’s going well. In a month I shall know if it’s worth it.
So for me, having a live account is the best way to move forward.
Have fun, it’s not supposed to be sleep depriving! Lol
Oh and having just lost a heap to an unregulated broker in Cyprus, not quiet a scam, but as close as can be. I learnt the value of sticking with a fully regulated broker.