My $100 Trading Week: What I’d Do If I Started With R2000 or Less

 

Analysing trades before Errands 

If I had to start all over again with just R2000 in my trading account, I wouldn’t be looking for magic indicators or hyped signal groups. I’d be laser-focused on survival, structure, and skill.

Because truth is, R2000 is enough — if you know how to treat it with respect.

When I blew my first small account, I thought the issue was the market. But the real problem? My mindset, poor risk management, and zero patience. If you’re starting with a tiny account in South Africa, here’s how I’d approach it today — for real.

Start With Mindset — Not Money

Back then, I treated trading like a hustle. I wanted fast returns on a small budget. But trading doesn’t reward the desperate — it rewards the disciplined.

I talk more about how price plays games with your psychology in this post:

🔗 Breakouts or Traps? Why Most Moves Are Meant To Trick You

That post shows how the market fakes moves to make impatient traders like us overcommit. This is exactly why I blew my small account — and why I’d approach it completely differently now.

My R2000 Trading Plan (That Actually Makes Sense)

1. Use a Demo — Still!

Even with a live account, I’d trade demo on the side for at least 5 days. Why? Because:

• Demo = clean execution
• Real = emotions

Trading both at once helps you compare how fear and greed affect your trades. Trust me, it’s eye-opening.

2. Use a Broker That Allows 0.01 Lots

Aka, don’t throw your R2000 into a broker that won’t let you protect it.

Go for:

• Exness (low spreads, easy funding)
• HFM (HotForex)
• Khwezi Trade (regulated in South Africa)

You want a broker that respects small accounts — not eats them with high fees.

Where real work happens ,one chart 
One trade at the time 

3. Stick to 1–2 Pairs Only

Don’t confuse yourself with 20 setups.

I’d choose:

• GBP/USD for its clean movement
• or USD/ZAR if you’re more comfortable with our local flavor (but it’s wild sometimes)

The more you study one pair, the better you get. Depth > variety.

4. Set Weekly Goals That Aren’t About Money

Here’s what I’d track in my small-account week:

✅ Take 3 clean setups

✅ Use the same risk every trade

✅ Avoid “impulse” trades

✅ Journal every decision

Even if I made just R100, I’d feel proud — because that’s controlled growth.

5. Only Trade One or Two Sessions

Choose:

• London session (10am–2pm SA time)
• New York session (3pm–6pm SA time)

No late-night chart hopping. No stress.

Also saves your data, which matters if you’re not on unlimited Wi-Fi like me 

🧨 What I Did Wrong With My First R2000 (So You Don’t Have To)

• I over-leveraged like my life depended on it
• I jumped in when candles looked “exciting”
• I didn’t wait for retests (read: I chased breakouts blindly)
• I didn’t understand traps, fakeouts, or manipulation

And again, this post explains why most moves that look like breakouts are actually bait:

👉 Breakouts or Traps? Why Most Moves Are Meant To Trick You

If I had read something like that when I started, I probably wouldn’t have lost my money trying to “catch the move.”

Tools I’d Use (Beginner Friendly + Data Friendly)

• TradingView (Free)
• MT4 or MT5 (Mobile)
• Forex Factory or FXStreet (News)
• Google Sheets or Notebook (Journaling)

That’s it. No fancy subscriptions. Just intention.

 Your R2000 Is Not Too Small

Most of us start here. And that’s okay.

If you build good habits on a small account, you’ll be 10x more ready when you get a bigger one.

The R2000 is not supposed to be flipped — it’s supposed to be respected.

Call to Action

Are you currently trading with a small account — maybe R2000 or even less?

What’s been the hardest part for you: staying patient, finding good entries, or just managing the fear of blowing it?

👇🏽 Share your story in the comments — no shame here. We’ve all been there. Let’s talk about it and grow together.

And if this post gave you perspective, please share it with a trader who needs to hear the truth.

We’re not here to fake profits. We’re here to get better. Day by day. Candle by candle.