Volatile markets can be extremely difficult for investors to manage their investments as fear & uncertainty often lead to poor decisions. Using Options Volatility to your advantage can help your portfolio and ease your tensions in a fluctuating market. One way to benefit from Options Volatiltiy is through the use of Covered Calls or selling options against positions you own. Since volatile markets correlate to higher option premiums, capturing these premiums can be an effective way to increase profits as well as calm your nerves.

Options Trading is often viewed as having high risk and diffcult to learn. While some option strategies can be very risky for the average investor or even the most experienced professional, many options strategies let your hedge risk and can be implemented in almost any portfolio. Buying a protective PUT in a long portfolio, selling a CALL against a high flying stock, selling a "cash secured" PUT, or even buying an "in the money" LEAP option instead of stock can be useful tools for optimizing your portfolio/s. Whereas, trading puts or calls or even selling "naked" calls can be treacherous and ill advised for the every day investor.

Whether you are a novice or a pro, a risk taker or very conservative, investors need to arm themselves with a full arsonal of tools and strategy knowledge base. The days of buy & hold and close your eyes have been replaced by active portfolio management and attention to your investments.

We now see how fast moving markets, instant access to information and a host of new products have given rise to the average investor's chances with competing with the pros. It is simply not enough to pick stocks and hope they "go up", investors shoud utilize option strategies that fit their needs, take part in ETFs, and learn to hedge assets when they need to. Knowledge is power and whether you use options, ETFs or just stick with Mutual Funds, arm your self and increase your awareness of different investment vehicles.