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In The Money: The Simple Options Strategy That Always Beats the Market
IN THE BULL MARKET STRATEGYAre you fed up with books about 'market secrets' that don't deliver? Just the same tired old advice that doesn't work?In The Money is different. Over the last 30 years the ITM strategy has beaten the market spectacularly.THE ITM STRATEGYITM is an easy options strategy suitable for beginners and experienced traders. The ITM strategy is simple, elegant, takes very little time to do and generates exceptional results.AMAZING RESULTS OVER 30 YEARSStarting 30 years ago, with real data, we apply the ITM strategy and watch our account grow. We start with $1,000 in 1993 and apply the ITM rules, no exceptions and no cherry-picking.What is our $1k worth now? MORE THAN $100k!The ITM strategy beat the market spectacularly, including the Tech Wreck, GFC, Covid and 2022 bear markets . ITM made more than 10 TIMES the market return!YOU'LL NEVER TRADE ALONEThere's a FREE Weekly ITM Market Update on current market conditions, alerts investors to any actions need to be taken and answers reader's questions.ABOUT HEATHER CULLENHeather Cullen has been trading the stock market for 25 years and knows what works and what doesn't. She shares her experiences, and shares the easy ITM strategy that always beats the market. She is the author of In The Money book series on option strategies, and the One Hour Expert series on stock market topics. Her blog can be found on her author website.
- GenresFinance
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2020
228 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 24, 2023
Simple but potent strategy to make money in the stock market explained
Buying deep in the money call options that are one year until expiration is the basis of Heather's strategy to make money in a bull or ascending market. Along the way one may sell this option for profit assuming the market is still bullish or exit the position if the market goes bearish, hopefully for a profit. This strategy is supposed to return profits in a bull market that are 2-3 times greater than the S&P 500 returns. I prefer selling shorter term covered calls so buying a call is not something that I would not normally consider. However, I expect to try this strategy as an adjunct to my preferred strategy of selling covered calls.
Buying deep in the money call options that are one year until expiration is the basis of Heather's strategy to make money in a bull or ascending market. Along the way one may sell this option for profit assuming the market is still bullish or exit the position if the market goes bearish, hopefully for a profit. This strategy is supposed to return profits in a bull market that are 2-3 times greater than the S&P 500 returns. I prefer selling shorter term covered calls so buying a call is not something that I would not normally consider. However, I expect to try this strategy as an adjunct to my preferred strategy of selling covered calls.
December 10, 2025
only skimmed it fast. read mostly highlights
We buy when we have seen the ITM IN signal, the 10/200 SMA golden cross
* We must make sure that the SMAs have actually crossed, not
just touched and bounced off each other (which happens quite often)
* I have tried many different parameters and the one that suits our purpose is when they are 0.3% apart. So, if SPY was trading at, say, $1,000 then they would have to be at least $3 apart
Our rules for choosing options are:
* Is it DITM?
* Is the effective price very close to the current price? (1 – 2%)
* Is it long dated? (6 months - 1 year to expiry is ideal)
* Our GET OUT signal is the 10/200 SMA death cross.
* Our GET IN and GET BACK IN signal is the 10/200 SMA golden cross.
We buy when we have seen the ITM IN signal, the 10/200 SMA golden cross
* We must make sure that the SMAs have actually crossed, not
just touched and bounced off each other (which happens quite often)
* I have tried many different parameters and the one that suits our purpose is when they are 0.3% apart. So, if SPY was trading at, say, $1,000 then they would have to be at least $3 apart
Our rules for choosing options are:
* Is it DITM?
* Is the effective price very close to the current price? (1 – 2%)
* Is it long dated? (6 months - 1 year to expiry is ideal)
* Our GET OUT signal is the 10/200 SMA death cross.
* Our GET IN and GET BACK IN signal is the 10/200 SMA golden cross.
June 6, 2021
Great Insights and strategy to beat the average investors!
Appreciate the honesty about all the noise out there and misleading strategies that lose a lot of people money. I have personally been using this strategy before buying this book and agree it is the safest way to maximize gains. I would only add a few more technicals I watch and how to scale in and out over time using RSI indicator overbought and oversold on the 1 year charts. Otherwise great short book with useful information and step by step doable techniques. Appreciate the author taking the time to write this and share her experiences and wisdom!
Appreciate the honesty about all the noise out there and misleading strategies that lose a lot of people money. I have personally been using this strategy before buying this book and agree it is the safest way to maximize gains. I would only add a few more technicals I watch and how to scale in and out over time using RSI indicator overbought and oversold on the 1 year charts. Otherwise great short book with useful information and step by step doable techniques. Appreciate the author taking the time to write this and share her experiences and wisdom!
August 21, 2021
Already up 30% in 2021
I began using this strategy with SPY options in February 2021. As of today I’m up 30%. I only invested a little over 15% of my account. I am seriously considering investing the majority of my account using this strategy next February. I don’t expect 30% returns every year and will incur a loss now and then. But the author has shown this strategy to widely beat the market averages, even on the down side. Next step is top use QQQ options with a smaller % size for my account using her strategy.
I began using this strategy with SPY options in February 2021. As of today I’m up 30%. I only invested a little over 15% of my account. I am seriously considering investing the majority of my account using this strategy next February. I don’t expect 30% returns every year and will incur a loss now and then. But the author has shown this strategy to widely beat the market averages, even on the down side. Next step is top use QQQ options with a smaller % size for my account using her strategy.
August 26, 2021
Another “financial guru”. Happened to time the top of the market perfectly before COVID despite breaking her rules for identify a market top.
“Bull markets are born in pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism and die in euphoria. This sums it up nicely. So where are we right now? Well, in January this year (2020) the press was mostly negative. … In January, my call was that the bull market was still running and had a way to go before it turned into a bear market.”
Yet she goes on to say that she was safe on the sidelines during the COVID crash.
“Bull markets are born in pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism and die in euphoria. This sums it up nicely. So where are we right now? Well, in January this year (2020) the press was mostly negative. … In January, my call was that the bull market was still running and had a way to go before it turned into a bear market.”
Yet she goes on to say that she was safe on the sidelines during the COVID crash.
August 31, 2021
Written with a newbie in mind but also beneficial for an experienced options trader
Ok, if you are experienced you can gloss over what you know however Heather's journey made it an entertaining read for me. I like knowing how an author arrives at their strategies. I'm a seller of options for the most part but believe this will complement what I already do. Heathers style is easy to read and I appreciate her honesty and openness. Too many authors want to impress or claim to be what I seriously doubt they are. Not Heather. She lays it out in an easy-to-use and understand way.
Ok, if you are experienced you can gloss over what you know however Heather's journey made it an entertaining read for me. I like knowing how an author arrives at their strategies. I'm a seller of options for the most part but believe this will complement what I already do. Heathers style is easy to read and I appreciate her honesty and openness. Too many authors want to impress or claim to be what I seriously doubt they are. Not Heather. She lays it out in an easy-to-use and understand way.
October 24, 2021
Great book to read!
The strategy explained in the book is understandable and easy to follow. This strategy has actually the same working mechanism as a real estate deal.
I highly recommend the book because it is easy to read and the strategy is real and proven. I understand quite a lot about options and trade them a lot for years and I can verify the legitimacy of this strategy!
Great book to read indeed, if you want to bring your personal investment skills to another level.
The strategy explained in the book is understandable and easy to follow. This strategy has actually the same working mechanism as a real estate deal.
I highly recommend the book because it is easy to read and the strategy is real and proven. I understand quite a lot about options and trade them a lot for years and I can verify the legitimacy of this strategy!
Great book to read indeed, if you want to bring your personal investment skills to another level.
December 17, 2021
Does not explain the downside - beware
Buy in the money index options instead of the underlying instrument. That's what this book is about. The strategy is equivalent to borrowing say same amount that you have with the margin call close out at the option strike.
Beware you could use all your money following this strategy. It's no magic that the author has discovered.
The fact that she believes options do see ifn't move the underlying shows her shallow understanding of options.
Buy in the money index options instead of the underlying instrument. That's what this book is about. The strategy is equivalent to borrowing say same amount that you have with the margin call close out at the option strike.
Beware you could use all your money following this strategy. It's no magic that the author has discovered.
The fact that she believes options do see ifn't move the underlying shows her shallow understanding of options.
September 30, 2023
Great read and brilliantly simple strategy.
Exceptionally well written. If I have any complaint it is that it is to well laid out. I just needed to see the strategy without all the education leading up to it. However, to the new people who are not experienced options Investor’s it was brilliant.
The one thing that makes me sick about this book is that it didn’t come out 30 years ago so I could have started participating then.
I hope that Ms. Cullen will continue to find the tweet to the ITM strategy get you out of the bad trades a little quicker.
Exceptionally well written. If I have any complaint it is that it is to well laid out. I just needed to see the strategy without all the education leading up to it. However, to the new people who are not experienced options Investor’s it was brilliant.
The one thing that makes me sick about this book is that it didn’t come out 30 years ago so I could have started participating then.
I hope that Ms. Cullen will continue to find the tweet to the ITM strategy get you out of the bad trades a little quicker.
September 15, 2022
Wonderful concept presentation
She really opened my mind of all confused garbage that I have been absorbing through various media which she clearly erased. I feel she is an eye opener if at all anyone trying to face the stock market and start swimming and you better take a basic swimming class from her book. She is not constructing a theory but pouring her witnessed experiences. You have shown your wealth is knowledge.
Shan Vadi
She really opened my mind of all confused garbage that I have been absorbing through various media which she clearly erased. I feel she is an eye opener if at all anyone trying to face the stock market and start swimming and you better take a basic swimming class from her book. She is not constructing a theory but pouring her witnessed experiences. You have shown your wealth is knowledge.
Shan Vadi
October 30, 2022
A book for beginners. A good introduction, not just to options, but also to the stock market, and the risks involved. I haven’t tried her strategy, but it seems to be sensible. A problem is that she doesn’t deal with the effects of taxes on profits. There is a second book dealing with trading in a bear market. “Trade the tide, not the waves”. Or as Ed Norton said, “Go with the flow.”
March 19, 2024
Easy read for beginner options trader
I liked that Heather is pretty transparent about her goofball trading moves. She's already made the mistakes and learned from those mistakes. Why not learn from her? Also, her strategy is pretty conservative, which lines up with my trading style.
I liked that Heather is pretty transparent about her goofball trading moves. She's already made the mistakes and learned from those mistakes. Why not learn from her? Also, her strategy is pretty conservative, which lines up with my trading style.
August 22, 2021
Great read
This book went from A to Z with a simple, REALISTIC, and effective options trading strategy. As an index fund investor, I really enjoyed this book and plan to implement it ASAP.
This book went from A to Z with a simple, REALISTIC, and effective options trading strategy. As an index fund investor, I really enjoyed this book and plan to implement it ASAP.
May 9, 2022
Solid Book with a Solid Strategy
The strategy looks great and it’s simple enough to implement. However if you are an experienced trader you must dig through a lot of stuff you already know to get to it. If you are new to trading, it’s perfect.
The strategy looks great and it’s simple enough to implement. However if you are an experienced trader you must dig through a lot of stuff you already know to get to it. If you are new to trading, it’s perfect.
May 11, 2022
Very repetitive if you already know your way around options; there's a lot of explanation here for people who don't know their way.
Still, her strategy is intriguing, simple, and appears to be thoroughly backtested. I can hardly wait to get enough money together to try it!
Still, her strategy is intriguing, simple, and appears to be thoroughly backtested. I can hardly wait to get enough money together to try it!
May 16, 2022
Simple yet powerful book
A well written booked in full detail on how the strategy works mixed with real examples and stories. I could really relate to her down to earth examples and the style of writing.
A well written booked in full detail on how the strategy works mixed with real examples and stories. I could really relate to her down to earth examples and the style of writing.
June 17, 2024
Loved it!
This book made options trading easy to understand, and the strategies included are clear and concise. I highly recommend this book for investors who are looking for a consistently successful approach to the market.
This book made options trading easy to understand, and the strategies included are clear and concise. I highly recommend this book for investors who are looking for a consistently successful approach to the market.
August 19, 2021
Very Good Read
This book describes a simple way of entering the market for the first time investor which has only a minimal time requirement. It’s a terrific way to start.
This book describes a simple way of entering the market for the first time investor which has only a minimal time requirement. It’s a terrific way to start.
January 29, 2022
Great book! Easy to understand
This is the best book on trading I have ever read. Only problem is the editing could have been better, there are several errors.
This is the best book on trading I have ever read. Only problem is the editing could have been better, there are several errors.
May 16, 2022
excellent book
With this book Heather has helped me a lot to understand the market . Thank you Heather for sharing your knowledge
With this book Heather has helped me a lot to understand the market . Thank you Heather for sharing your knowledge
May 2, 2023
claro y preciso
Divertida, precisa, bien informada y realista. Una joya de libro. Generosa con su saber. Cirujano intelectual . Notable. Gracias Heather!
Divertida, precisa, bien informada y realista. Una joya de libro. Generosa con su saber. Cirujano intelectual . Notable. Gracias Heather!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews