So did you ever just do it? I wish i'd seen this thread earlier I can tell you from experience - sort of. I had a buddy who decided to give it a go. i think he's picked a few stocks when the market was down and made like 5 times returns on them and got the idea he could live like that if he just stuffed enough cash into it. he went on preaching to all of us about how the wall street fat cats are living large on our 401k money. if they lose money we retire on less (that is if we live long enough to retire on that money) if they make money they get rich and we retire on a few dollars more. i got sick of hearing that. i think he cashed out his 401k and lost it all on the stock market. you can call it day trader if you fancy I call it stupid. 

i'm not meaning to call you stupid. i'm just curious what makes you think you can make a big return on the stock market without being connected. you know - an insider - which I know you're not because you wouldn't be asking that question if you were you'd be gambling away my 401k money not your own. 

You good at picking stocks? got a system? options? you know what selling short means? I think you have to have about $25k in an investment account to have day trader margin power. if you don't know what that means look it up on your online investing website. it's there.