Common Questions
1. How
does the calculator get the prices of the stock and
option?
Microsoft
Excel has the ability to pull data automatically for all
stock through MSN. For Excel 2003 users, there is
a free add-in. For 2007 users it is built
in. The instructions you will read when you
purchase the product will link you to the right
place.
2. Does this
work with the new way options are
named?
Yes, but the MSN sotck add-in for
2003 users seems to not work and web query must be
used. For 2007 users it works fine. All you
have to do is enter the option name in the same
nomeclature as MSN money.
For example llike here
on MSN money's option page for GE. Note
the dashes and periods.
3. I don't
have PayPal and I don't want to sign up for it
either!
Don't
worry, you can still pay with credit card, but it's just
through PayPal (it is the easiest way for a small
merchant like me to accept payments), just click the
main payment button and select "I will Pay with.....
Paypal", fill in the fields, and hit "Buy
Now"
Then
on the bottom-left, find the "Don't have a PayPal
account?" and click on "Continue".
4.
Will it work with Microsoft
Office 2007?
Yes
- on the download page, please download the file
specifically for 2007. This is a *.xlsx type
document.
5.
Will
it work with MAC's - Yes
6. Does
your calculator work with writing/selling a LEAP as the call
option (vice the more typical short term call option)?
Yes - I have never done so myself, but the calculator just
uses standard ticker symbols which LEAPS have.
7.
Does
your calculator work with buying a LEAP call and then writing
a short term call on the long term LEAP? - Yes - same explanation
as above
8.
What other countries does your calculator work with?
The calculator pulls
data from the MSM Money website
So the question is "what countries does the MSN Money
website support". Going to the MSN webpage here,
you see that MSN Money can pull from many different exchanges
throughout the word. You have to be careful to enter the
ticker symbol in the format that MSN Money wants it. For
example, the Italian car company Fiat has a ticker symbol of
"F", so in excel you would place "IT:F".
Now
for the options side, my honest answer is I don't know.
I've done research, and I know for example that the Australian
company BHP has options, but MSN says no option data is
available. So if you are interested in purchasing this
for foreign securities, just let me know ahead of time and I
will troubleshoot it with you.
Lastly,
I know for example the Australian option contracts are for
1000 shares vice 100 in the U.S. So differences like
this will effect some of the calculations, but this can be
easily worked around.
9.
Right now I am looking for a
screening tool that will search the market and find calls with high returns.
The service I used to use for this screening (www.coveredcalls.com) has just
changed over to a subscription based service. Does your
program perform this function, or anything like it?
Yes and no -
Firstly, the tool is NOT a screener like coveredcalls.com or
OptionMonitor (I recommend this). But it does help you
further "screen" possible positions more from a risk
perspective. I am, and thus the tool is, very sensitive
to the risk you set in your CCs. For example, the
calculator will estimate how much you will loose in your
portfolio if this position is stopped out - which may be way
to much such as 5%. So in a sense it does
"screen" candidates before you enter the trade.
It can also be used to ensure you get a good enough fill, or
the slippage will eat away your profits.
The tool is mostly
for assisting you in making decisions once the trade is open.
But it can be used as a secondary "screen" to ensure
you're not exposing yourself to too much risk or slippage.
But in the sense of your question, my program does not assist
in screening.
10.
When I launch the spreadsheet I get the warning message from Excel: "This workbook contains
links to other data sources". I'm assuming I click on
the Update button. When
I do this I then get the warning message: "This workbook
contains one or more links that cannot be updated" I can
either "change the source of the links, or attempt to
update the values again" by clicking the Edit links
button OR "open the workbook as is" by clicking the
Continue button. I assume
Hit "don't update" on the first box,
then "enable automatic refresh" on the second box.
11.
Is
the price a one time cost?
Yes
12.
How
many trades can your covered call calculator handle at
one time?
As
many as you like. Each different trade is on a
different worksheet.
Other Resources
A completely free stock
charting program. You can overlay almost anything
imaginable. I especially like that it
shows quarterly earnings reports (the only charting
site I've found that does this, and is very useful
for covered
call writers).
This is the brokerage I use. The best part is the
Virtual Trading platform so you can practice trading with fake
money
Although OptionsXpress has a covered calls screener,
this one is better ($34.95/month)
This has all of the fundamental
information and news on any company that I could
possibly use.
Recommended Books
New Insights to Covered Call Writing
by Richard Lehman
Trade your Way to Financial Freedom
by Dr Van Tharp
|