Carl's 2 Cents:

Paper trade or back testing is the key to determine if a strategy would work.  I used demo accounts to test my strategies and also used the ExpertAdvisor in MetaTrader to back test them.  I like MetaTrader a lot because the automated back testing could tell me if a strategy is working or not right away.

Many novice traders rush into Forex trading enticed by broker ads of 400:1 leverage; free real time demo accounts or simply by the thrill of getting into the action. Even those that test their signals service or trading strategies in real time to see how they perform don’t do so adequately. In any case, there is a limit to how much you can gain from real time practice: testing trading strategies with live demo trading accounts is only useful if you know what you are doing.

The first step in refining your trading skills and strategies is to accept that this is a process that involves repetition, practice and reinforcement. This is where a Forex Simulator is very useful. It can save you money and ensure that you don’t start out a loser.

Unlike a live Forex demo account which functions in real time, a Forex simulator enables users to upload, view and review historical data at any given point in time. Used to confirm one's understanding of pattern recognition and trading signals, data can be rewound and fast forwarded to test and retest your knowledge and understanding.

Using a Forex Simulator enables you to get months of training in just a few days work because you can pause, rewind, fast forward. You can set up 5 minute timeframes to up to what ever you choose. You can take snapshots of trades. You can use any indicator you like. You can keep a trade journal and refine your strategy.

Remember buying those PC games and being able to save a mission before coming back to it, repeating it over and over again until you got good enough to pass the stage? Well a Forex simulator works in a similar way. Practice, reinforcement and repetition until you get good. Imagine getting a year of practice in a month!

When you are finally ready to open a live demo account you will see your confidence skyrocket. Why? Because you are finally starting to understand what you are doing. A Forex Simulator is a serious tool for serious traders who want to learn to trade first before trading with real money.
 

About the Author:

Jovan Vucetic is the Editor of www.margin-strategies.info. Margin Strategies provides Free Forex Lessons and Unbiased Reviews of Forex Trading Systems, Brokers and Forex Courses.