In The Money Bull Market by Heather CullenITM BULL MARKET STRATEGY
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THE ONE-SENTENCE VERSION
Buy when the market is going up. Sell when it stops. Don't get faked out by small wiggles.
HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS
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This strategy uses two lines on your chart:
• Fast line (10-day average) — reacts quickly
• Slow line (200-day average) — moves like a glacier
To buy: The fast line crosses above the slow line, AND they stay apart by at least 0.30% the next day. This "stay apart" rule keeps you from jumping in on weak, wishy-washy crosses that reverse immediately.
To sell: The fast line crosses below the slow line, AND they stay apart by at least 0.30% the next day. Same logic — we want real trend changes, not noise.
That's the whole system. Trend up = in. Trend down = out.
WHY THIS WORKS
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Most traders lose money because they:
1. Buy and sell too often
2. React to news and emotions
3. Get chopped up in sideways markets
This strategy fixes all three. You only trade when the big trend actually changes. Everything else is ignored.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE CHART
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• Orange line: Fast average (10)
• Blue line: Slow average (200)
• Green/red shading between lines: Shows if trend is bullish or bearish
• Teal/maroon background: "Pending zone" — a cross happened but waiting for confirmation
• Long/Close Label: Actual entry and exit points
• Info table: Current status at a glance
THE SETTINGS
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Fast SMA Length — How many days for the fast line. Default: 10
Slow SMA Length — How many days for the slow line. Default: 200
Min Separation % — How far apart the lines need to be to confirm. Default: 0.30%
Leave the defaults alone unless you know what you're doing. The 10/200 combo with 0.30% separation is battle-tested.
THE OPTIONS CONNECTION
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This strategy is based on Heather Cullen's "In The Money" approach. The full version involves:
1. Use this signal system (10/200 cross with confirmation)
2. Buy deep-in-the-money SPY call options instead of shares
3. Get ~2x the returns because you're using half the capital for the same exposure
The key rules for options (if you go that route):
• Strike price should be 50-60% of SPY's current price
• Time value should be less than 1% (explained below)
• Expiration 6-12 months out
• ROLL OUT when you hit 30 days to expiration (buy a new 6-12 month option)
• ROLL UP when your strike drops below 50% of SPY's price (market ran, option got too deep)
Why roll up? If SPY is at $500 and your strike is $240 (48%), you've lost leverage. Roll up to a $250-300 strike to restore the 50-60% ratio.
WHAT'S "TIME VALUE" AND WHY 1%?
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When you buy an option, you're paying for two things:
1. Real value — what the option is actually worth right now
(if SPY is $500 and your strike is $250, the real value is $250)
2. Time value — extra money for the possibility of future gains
Deep ITM options have very little time value. That's what we want — we're paying for actual value, not possibility.
The 1% rule: Time value should be less than 1% of SPY's price.
Example: SPY = $500
• Option price = $252
• Real value = $500 - $250 strike = $250
• Time value = $252 - $250 = $2
• Time value as % = $2 / $500 = 0.4% (under 1%, good!)
If time value is over 1%, go deeper ITM or farther out in time.
This script doesn't trade options for you. It just tells you when to be in or out.
COMMON QUESTIONS
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Why not just buy and hold?
Because bear markets exist. The 2008 crash took SPY down 50%+. This system got you out near the top and back in near the bottom.
Why the 0.30% separation rule?
Without it, you get "whipsawed" — the lines cross, you buy, they cross back, you sell at a loss, repeat. The separation filter means you only act on real trend changes.
What symbol should I use?
• SPY for standard accounts
• SPYG for smaller accounts (cheaper options)
• Works on daily charts
How often do I need to check?
Once a week is enough. This isn't day trading.
WHAT THIS STRATEGY WILL NOT DO
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• Catch exact tops and bottoms (nothing does)
• Work in choppy sideways markets (it stays out, which is the point)
• Make you rich overnight
• Replace your own judgment and risk management
THE BOTTOM LINE
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Markets trend. When they're trending up, be in. When they're trending down, be out. This strategy tells you which is which, with a filter to avoid false signals.
It's not exciting. It's not complicated. It just works.
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Based on the ITM strategy from Heather Cullen's "In The Money" book.
For education and research only. Not financial advice.
Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Manage your own risk.
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