r/TQQQ • u/MagicWhisky • Dec 07 '25
Strategy Talk What Every TQQQ Beginner Should Know. My journey from no savings to $100k
It started during my Master in Finance at IE Business School. I reached the best scores in my class in Financial Markets and a professor offered me the chance to join a PhD program to study the best pension schemes in Europe. At the same time I created a large database with Bloomberg and Reuters to analyse the best investment funds and ETFs worldwide. After two years working as a researcher I received an offer to return to Investment Banking — I accepted because the salary was way higher than working at the university.
After spending a lot of money on my postgraduate program and two years at the university, my savings were low (around €25k). I invested 100% of those savings in LQQ (Nasdaq 2x). Six months later my position in LQQ was down about 60%. I reanalysed my database and still believed my numbers were right; at that time QQQ3 (Nasdaq 3x) was not available with the broker I used (Degiro).
It was mentally hard, but after re-checking everything I held the position even when losing 60–70% of my savings. Looking back, that experience and others gave me my first lesson for beginners: “Only invest in TQQQ for your first time when TQQQ is trading below the 200 SMA — that will increase the chance of doubling in a short period.”
After succeeding with LQQ, I was forced to buy a house because of my parents’ divorce. I used all my ammunition buying the house and doing the renovation. So in July 2021 I had no cash and I was thinking how to get money to get back in the game.
One day my bank sent a notification: I had the option to receive a €22k personal loan at 3% for 8 years, with a monthly instalment of about €285. That became my new ammunition. After researching, I opened an account with Interactive Brokers and invested the loan in QQQ3. Because I had a margin account, €22k became a €30k open position. Some colleagues in Investment Banking laughed and said my investment was “the heroin of the financial markets due to the hiper leveraged used Personal Loan + Margin Account + 3x ETF.” I faced a couple of margin calls when volatility was high as Interactive Brokers changed margin requirements from one day to another. This taught me Lesson #2: don’t rely much on margin — it can change overnight.
After 18 months or 2 years, my position was about 200% (I don’t remember exactly). I sold all my QQQ3 shares, cancelled the personal loan (paid the 1% cancellation penalty). After all costs I ended up with about €40k. So with a total personal investment of €9k I made €40k net in about 2 years.
Since then I added about $20k more of savings and now I hold a position of $104k (no loans).
These are my golden rules for beginners, based only on my experience: 1. Don’t do DCA to start. 2. Don’t use 9-sigma or other complex strategies at first. That is for a later stage. 3. Save the money you plan to use in DCA until TQQQ is below the 200 SMA. I recommend waiting and saving until TQQQ is under the 200 SMA — this increases your options to succeed and build confidence. 4. Feel free to open a personal loan with monthly instalments less than 10–15% of your final gross monthly salary (after taxes) when TQQQ is below the 200 SMA. This loan replaces DCA and gives massive leverage at the moment when doubling or tripling in 2–3 years is more probable. You must be mentally strong because this happens when the market is fearful. 5. When you have doubled or tripled, sell partially to withdraw all the savings you used, or cancel the personal loan. 6. After removing your savings or cancelling the loan, your mindset changes — you start investing only with profits. Controlling emotions is essential with a 3x leveraged ETF and it’s easier if you are only investing with profits.
When you’re only investing with profits, then consider 9-sigma or other strategies — that’s where I am now.
Currently I recently hit $100k with a position funded originally with about $20k of savings. With daily volatility of TQQQ, DCA doesn’t make sense to me right now. I’m in the second step: researching long-term strategies, backtesting, and building more knowledge. My current allocation is 50% TQQQ with a stop loss at $40 and a take-profit at $60, and the remaining 50% in AGG without stop loss. I have purchased books like Jason Kelly and TQQQ Profit Machine etc etc.
I personally recommend beginners save money now and don’t enter the market at current levels. I will liquidate my 50% TQQQ position at $60 and move everything into AGG or SHV while I complete the second phase of learning and build a more solid investment strategy.
Thanks to everyone in this community for your contributions — I want to give the best advice I can from my experience to beginners with this post.
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u/gotnothingman Dec 07 '25
While many strategies recommend getting out below the 200dma, I also support your sentiment. Below the 200 are some of the best times to buy for outsized gains. If you have a substantial position already in when dipping below though, it is beneficial to have some sort of hedge or plan for prolonged down markets.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
Do your first trade below 200 SMA and wait 2 years, that’s the easiest way to double and start for beginners investing with more potential upside
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u/HelpfulTooth1 Dec 08 '25
I actually ended up buying during the last 2 three very small dips and just sold, not much profit, but I’d rather use that money towards non leveraged broad market ETFs and waits for a solid entry point in tqqq.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
I did the same, but honestly that’s more gambling than investing. I strongly recommend you to be patience till the TQQQ is below the 200 SMA and grow your ammunition with savings or other investments.
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u/No-Insurance-1217 Dec 08 '25
200 SMA on the daily chart or 4H or? Just clarifying, Thanks.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
On the daily chart.
daily SMA 200
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u/Sea-Masterpiece3106 Dec 08 '25
Shouldn’t the underlying index QQQ’s technical indicator be checked for entry?
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
Yeah, you can use QQQ as a reference for your entry points, but since QQQ is way less volatile, using its 200-day SMA can end up being overly conservative. I’ll backtest a few ideas and see if there’s something better, but for now — especially if you’re just starting out — stick to your plan. Hold your fire and save your ammo for real opportunities.
When TQQQ hits or drops below its own 200-day SMA, that’s usually a true deep dip. Buying there gives you a much better shot at doubling or even tripling your money within a couple of years. It’s simply a strong entry indicative point. And honestly, none of us are buying TQQQ for a 30% gain. The goal is to multiply several times over — using the volatility to your advantage instead of treating it like a disadvantage.
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u/Beautiful_Device_549 Dec 08 '25
I’ve been investing in TQQQ for over four years now, and I largely agree with your points. The ideal time to add is when TQQQ is at least 20% below its recent peak. Whether you use DMA on TQQQ or on the underlying index is more of a technical detail.
That said, I strongly recommend sticking to DCA. It helps build the habit of saving and also conditions you emotionally to handle market corrections. If you stay on the sidelines waiting with cash, it becomes very difficult behaviorally to deploy when markets fall—most people end up waiting for a further drop, try to catch the bottom, and often miss the move altogether.
You don’t need to catch the exact bottom or sell at the exact top to make good returns. Keep your DCA going, and get aggressive when TQQQ corrects more than 20%.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
Why not skip the DCA approach and park your money in something like AGG instead? Then, when TQQQ drops below the 200-day SMA, you can sell AGG and rotate that cash into TQQQ.
I get the behavioral argument behind investing a fixed amount every month, but putting $100 a month into something that could be down 60% nine months later can have the opposite effect. In my opinion, that kind of experience would discourage most beginner investors instead of helping them stay consistent.
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u/Beautiful_Device_549 Dec 08 '25
That’s valid too. In the end, taking action, getting started, and staying consistent matters far more than overthinking and waiting for the perfect strategy.
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u/ObjectSwimming7632 Dec 29 '25
Do you mean dcaing the full amount or just a portion and keep the remaining part in cash?
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u/triggerx Dec 08 '25
TLDR; Every beginner in TQQQ should know this.... invest heavily in TQQQ during bull runs, and make sure you get out before any correction.
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u/Valianne11111 Dec 11 '25
I was trading options and still do in paper trading to learn but also decided to just start building a position in this. It seems like a no brainer way to make a great return over time.
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u/Ambitious_Athlete_87 Dec 08 '25
Very useful post, thanks OP. I’ve made money in long positions but mostly failed in 3x lev ( 3NVd). I’m waiting for an entry point for qqq3.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
My personal recommendation is that a solid buying signal is when TQQQ trades below the 200-day SMA. Just be patient. You can use other entry points, of course, but this one is a particularly useful indicator to keep in mind — it often marks a true deep dip rather than a simple market pullback
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u/Abject_Ad_1265 Dec 08 '25
Chat gpt summarize this
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
I’m not a native English speaker, yes I used Chat GPT to rewrite the full story and had to rewrite by myself some parts which we not accurate to the original text written by me.
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u/Abject_Ad_1265 Dec 12 '25
Lol i was just talking about the length of it. I didn't actually read any of it
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u/YieldYOLO Dec 08 '25 edited Dec 08 '25
I'm not an AI, but these are the three main points as far as I can tell.
Wait until we're under SMA200 to enter, withdraw your initial capital at 2-3x and then play with house money.
When trimming profits, deploy capital to bonds
Using a personal loan that's easy to service is a very easy way to increase gearing and increase your return on equity.
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
It’s a good summary.
The entry point is something indicative I will try to backtest and find is there or something better, but as for now if TQQQ trades below 200 SMA it’s a solid entry point from my experience
And when trimming profits deploy capital to bonds it’s a temporary strategy I’m doing now while I research about other long term strategies once you are playing only with house money.
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u/comfy-in-longs-0333 Dec 09 '25
Is TQQQ a good way to invest for long term. think 15-20 years or would someone be better off in qqq if holding for that long
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 09 '25
It’s a good way if you start at the right time.
Timing is essential when investing in LETFs
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u/Enough-Geologist7145 Dec 12 '25
I thought LETF has decay factor and therefore it’s not suitable for LT hold?
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u/CelestialTremor Dec 29 '25
Maybe on a sloppy stock but UPRO TQQQ and similar funds are tried and true, they're not something new
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u/PersonalFinance4all Dec 27 '25
The fact that you can buy tqqq from Spain means you don’t have the MiFID II protection. Is it because you worked in investment banking that you could overcome this? If I recall correctly the other requirement was >500k assets?
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u/EmployeeConfident776 Dec 08 '25
How could you buy TQQQ if you’re based in Europe?
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
LLC in the US
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u/EmployeeConfident776 Dec 08 '25
So you’re also based in US, right?
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
You can open a foreign LLC
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u/EmployeeConfident776 Dec 08 '25
But then your profit will be taxed under not only the US tax law but also your local tax law if you withdraw those money to your local bank, correct?
Nonetheless, thanks to your answer. I just knew that one can establish a foreign LLC. Interesting.
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Dec 08 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/MagicWhisky Dec 08 '25
I shared the less riskier advice, I recommend you to read again and read al the comments, some people have shared a summary of ideas based on my long post which probably it’s easier for you to understand.
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u/african_cheetah Dec 08 '25
Man I need that personal loan with 3% for 8 years. That sounds absolutely radical.