By traderdollar– Forex & Futures Day Trader | Based in France | 10+ Years of Experience
In trading, complexity is often mistaken for professionalism. Fancy platforms, premium subscriptions, and endless indicators are marketed as the keys to success. But after more than a decade in the markets, I’ve learned that simplicity is the real edge. I trade Forex and index futures using free, open-access tools, a basic setup, and a lot of paper. No TradingView. No Forex Factory. No mobile apps. Just clarity, discipline, and structure.
I don’t believe in overloading my screen with flashy indicators or relying on expensive data feeds. I believe in understanding price action, respecting risk, and staying mentally sharp. My tools are simple, but my process is rigorous. That’s what keeps me consistent.
Free Tools, Real Discipline
My entire trading workflow is built around free resources. I use:
- Investing.com for real-time charts, economic calendars, and sentiment snapshots. It’s clean, reliable, and gives me exactly what I need—nothing more, nothing less.
- Investopedia for refining concepts and revisiting fundamentals. Even after 10 years, I still go back to basics. It keeps me grounded.
- Official central bank websites like the ECB, Fed, and BoJ for monetary policy updates and macroeconomic releases. I prefer to read the source directly, not someone’s interpretation of it.
- General financial news portals for broader context. I scan headlines, but I don’t let them dictate my trades.
I don’t use Forex Factory. I find it noisy, cluttered, and not aligned with my minimalist approach. I prefer to go straight to the source—central banks, government statistics, and clean data feeds. I don’t pay for Bloomberg terminals or premium subscriptions. I don’t rely on algorithmic signals or curated news. I trust my own process, built over years of experience and observation.
I’ve seen traders spend hundreds of euros a month on subscriptions, hoping for an edge. But the truth is, no tool can replace your own judgment. If you can’t trade with free resources, you won’t trade better with paid ones.
🚫 Why I Don’t Use TradingView
Let me be clear: I don’t use TradingView. Not even the free version. It’s not because it’s ineffective—it’s because it’s overloaded. Too many indicators, too many overlays, too many distractions.
Trading should be simple. I don’t need ten oscillators blinking at me. I don’t need community scripts or chat boxes. I need clean charts, clear levels, and quiet focus. That’s why I stick to platforms that let me strip everything down to price, volume, and time.
I’ve seen traders paralyzed by analysis—jumping between timeframes, toggling indicators, second-guessing every move. That’s not trading. That’s noise. I prefer clarity. I look at price, structure, and momentum. That’s it.
Complexity kills clarity. And clarity is everything.
Paper First: My Trading Journal
One of my most powerful tools isn’t digital—it’s paper. Every morning, I sit down with my trading journal, a simple notebook where I write out:
- My daily trading plan
- Key economic events
- Currency pairs and index futures I’m watching
- Entry and exit levels
- Risk parameters
- Emotional notes and mindset reminders
This ritual is non-negotiable. It forces me to think before I act. Writing by hand slows me down just enough to avoid impulsive decisions. It’s also a record of my evolution as a trader—my wins, my losses, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
I also use a basic agenda to track weekly goals and performance metrics. No apps. No spreadsheets. Just pen and paper. It works.
There’s something powerful about writing things down. It makes your plan real. It holds you accountable. And when you review your journal weeks or months later, you see patterns—both in the market and in yourself.
A Calculator, Not a Bot
I keep a simple calculator on my desk. It’s old-school, but it’s essential. I use it to calculate position sizes, risk-reward ratios, and margin requirements. I don’t rely on automated tools for this. Why? Because I want to stay mentally sharp. Doing the math myself keeps me engaged and accountable.
Trading is a numbers game—but it’s also a discipline game. The calculator reminds me that every trade is a decision, not a reaction.
When I calculate my risk manually, I’m more aware of what’s at stake. I don’t just click “buy” and hope. I know exactly how much I’m risking, where I’ll exit, and what I expect in return. That’s how professionals think.
Why I Don’t Trade on My Phone
In today’s mobile-first world, many traders rely on their smartphones to monitor markets and execute trades. I don’t. I avoid trading on my phone entirely. Here’s why:
- Screen size matters. I need space to analyze multiple timeframes, draw clean chart patterns, and compare instruments.
- Distractions are deadly. Phones are full of notifications, messages, and temptations. Trading requires focus.
- Execution precision. On a computer, I can set stop-losses, take-profits, and manage orders with accuracy. On a phone, it’s easy to make mistakes.
I trade exclusively on a desktop computer, with a large monitor and a clean workspace. It’s not about being fancy—it’s about being deliberate. My charts are well-organized, my tools are accessible, and my mind is clear.
I’ve tried mobile trading in the past. It felt rushed, reactive, and disconnected. Now, I treat trading like surgery—precise, focused, and uninterrupted.
Multi-Timeframe Analysis: Minutes, Hours, Days
I operate across four key timeframes:
- 1-minute and 5-minute charts for entry precision and short-term momentum
- 1-hour charts for trend confirmation and session structure
- Daily charts for macro context and major support/resistance zones
- Occasionally, I glance at the weekly chart to understand broader sentiment
This multi-timeframe approach gives me a full picture of the market. I don’t trade blindly off one chart. I zoom in and out constantly, looking for alignment between short-term setups and long-term trends.
For example, if I see a bullish breakout on the 5-minute chart, I’ll check the 1-hour and daily charts to confirm that the move isn’t just noise. If all three timeframes agree, I act. If they don’t, I wait.
This habit has saved me from countless bad trades. It’s easy to get excited by a breakout—but if it’s happening inside a larger downtrend, it’s probably a trap. Timeframe alignment is key.