By: Charley Warady

 It's time to graduate. It's time for a Forex real account. You have used the Forex demo account; you have your strategy; you have practiced discipline. You are as confident as the Forex Karate Kid. A Forex real account will get you on your way to trading Forex.

What kind of account

 There are a couple kinds of Forex real accounts to consider, of which how much money the Forex trader wishes to deposit is determined. Besides a regular account, the trader with limited funds might choose to open a mini account. For these accounts, most Forex brokers only require minimum deposits of between $100 and $500. These are still Forex real accounts, but you are allowed to trade in fractions of pips.

The regular account will also let you trade mini pips, but you are not limited to this amount. In all cases, a comfortable margin should be kept in the account. So, depending upon the amount of cash you want to deposit, should determine what kind of account you should open.

Remember that it's real

As they put it in 'The Wizard of Oz', you aren't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy. If you've taken brazen chances in your demo account because you knew that it wasn't your money you were tossing around, try to remember that your Forex real account is made of real money.

Discipline is the key. You should have a trading strategy and stick to that strategy. And always make sure you have a cushion to trade with. Forex trading with scared money is a recipe for disaster. There will be times in your career where you may be in a slump. These things happen. It is during these times while trading Forex that you have to remind yourself that it is, in fact a Forex real account.

How to choose

 A Forex trader doesn't necessarily have to pick the Forex broker he has his demo account with, but it definitely is more convenient. What this does is allows the Forex trader to switch back and forth between his demo account and his Forex real account seamlessly.

But if one wishes, the Forex trader should always choose the Forex broker who offers the services that fit his needs. That doesn't have to be the one he started with. As a matter of fact, Forex traders have been known to change Forex brokers. It's not a lifetime commitment.

The most important thing to understand is that opening up a Forex real account is like opening up the front doors to a new business. It's exciting, thrilling, and scary. But with the proper preparation, it is not daunting. This is your profession; your business; and you should treat it as such.

A Forex real account is the beginning of a long process. Handled properly, it will be a profitable one as well.