Options have become very popular, especially in the U.S. and they are far from being limited only to banks and specialist money managers, options trading for "retail" traders from all walks of life is now quite common. However, the idea of options is still being viewed with trepidation in some areas. When I first started out on serious trading, a friend cautioned me of what I was diving into, but trading can be as secure as you want it to be. The truth is, you need a trading strategy that works. It helps to keep the risk low and your reward opportunity high.