If you’re stepping into the world of options trading, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Credit Spread Options for Beginners by Freeman Publications. It’s one of the more widely circulated introductory books on the subject, and to its credit, it does something many beginner resources fail to do: it introduces traders to the idea that you don’t have to buy options to make money, you can sell them. I do align with the author on many concepts in this book. Of course, I love the fact that he wrote a book about selling credit spreads. That alone is a meaningful shift, but here’s the reality: understanding credit spreads conceptually is not the same as executing them consistently and profitably. At Put Paradise, we emphasize not just knowledge, but a repeatable, mechanical system that removes emotion and guesswork. In this review, I’m going to walk through what this book does well, where it falls short, and how it compares to the Put Path Options Trading System so you can bridge the gap between theory and results. I just recently finished reading this book again for the second time so I have some fresh insights. I read it about five years ago as well and it still holds up. It is beneficial for introducing the reader into options concepts regarding credit spreads and terminology, and the author does seem like a solid, conservative options trader who is not far off from the Put Paradise way of trading.
What the Book Gets Right: A Strong Conceptual Foundation
One of the strongest aspects of Credit Spread Options for Beginners is its ability to shift the reader’s mindset away from speculation and toward probability. Early in the book, it states, “Credit spreads allow traders to profit from the passage of time rather than relying on predicting large price movements.” I couldn’t agree more. That idea is foundational, and it aligns closely with the Put Paradise philosophy. Most option buyers come into the market thinking they need to predict direction, magnitude, and timing perfectly. This book begins to dismantle that belief by introducing the idea that you can structure trades where time decay works in your favor. That’s a critical first step. The book also does a solid job explaining the concept of defined risk. It emphasizes that, unlike selling naked options, credit spreads cap both potential profit and potential loss. This is important because it introduces discipline into the equation. When you know your worst-case scenario upfront, you’re less likely to make emotional decisions. He gets into OTM, ITM and ATM positions, but really doesn’t provide a path directly to a specific trading style. While the book explains concepts well, it stops short of turning it into a strict rule-based framework so it kind of leaves the reader hanging. At Put Paradise, we show you the strategy based on the concepts of defined risk, position sizing, spread width, DTE, moneyness, underlyings and delta. Another point the book gets right is its emphasis on consistency over excitement. It states, “The goal of trading should not be to hit home runs, but to generate steady, repeatable income.” That’s exactly right. In fact, if your trading feels exciting, you’re probably taking on too much risk. The Put Path system is intentionally boring. It’s mechanical, repetitive, and designed to remove emotion. The book introduces this idea philosophically, but it doesn’t fully translate it into a structured execution plan, which is where many readers get stuck.
Where the Book Falls Short: Too Much Theory, Not Enough System
Where Credit Spread Options for Beginners begins to fall apart is in its lack of a clear system. The book provides a broad understanding of how credit spreads work, but it leaves too many decisions up to the trader. For example, it explains that traders should choose strikes based on probability, but it doesn’t define exactly what that means in practice. It might suggest using out-of-the-money (OTM) options for a higher probability of success, but it doesn’t come out and say, “Use the 0.15 delta for an 85% probability trade every time.” That level of specificity matters, especially for beginners. There are always trade-offs in trading, but we think that our system finds the sweet spot and lays out the plan step by step. The book also introduces multiple strategies, including bull put spreads (Put Credit Spreads), bear call spreads, and iron condors, with the implication that traders should adapt based on market conditions. On the surface, that sounds helpful. But in reality, it may create confusion and a false belief that traders can predict or control markets. For beginners, more choices lead to more hesitation, more second-guessing, and ultimately more mistakes. At Put Paradise, we take the opposite approach. We simplify. One core strategy. One consistent setup. One repeatable process. That simplicity is what allows traders to build confidence and consistency over time. The author also advocates for timing entry points when IV is low or is collapsing. I concur that entering trades when IV is collapsing is ideal, but it’s really not possible to predict that. Also, entering trades when IV is low can actually be a detriment. You may get lower premium, lower safety margin between your strike price and stock price, and IV could expand which will likely cause trouble for your position. Another area where the book falls short is in risk management. While it discusses the importance of managing risk, it doesn’t enforce it with hard rules. It might suggest cutting losses early, but it doesn’t define exactly when or how. He even implies holding to expiration as your max loss is defined. This is a critical gap. Without a strict rule framework, traders tend to hold onto losing positions, hoping the market will turn in their favor. That’s how small losses become catastrophic ones. The Put Path system eliminates this problem with a non-negotiable rule: close the trade at a 200% loss. No exceptions. This single rule protects capital and ensures that no one trade can derail your entire portfolio.
The Put Paradise Difference: Turning Knowledge Into Execution
This is where the Put Path system separates itself. It takes the concepts introduced in books like Credit Spread Options for Beginners and turns them into a fully defined, executable system. Every element is predetermined. You’re not performing endless research and guessing which underlyings to trade: we use a diversified set of 12 ETFs and assets. You’re not using Bollinger bands to predict which strikes to select: we use the 85% probability level (which is typically outside the support level). You’re not waiting for volatility to plateau before you enter a position: we focus on 28 to 32 days to expiration consistently each week, often taking advantage of volatility during the week. And you’re not guessing how to manage risk: we use the strict 200% stop loss. The book touches on diversification, but it doesn’t emphasize it nearly enough. The author actually recommends trading sporadically across a very limited number of underlyings. It suggests spreading risk across different trades, but it doesn’t provide a structured framework for doing so. At Put Paradise, diversification is built into the system. We trade across major indexes, sectors, commodities, and alternative assets, and we take advantage of the law of large numbers to have much more trades on at once than the author recommends. This creates balance. When one part of the market moves against us, another part often offsets that movement. Over time, this leads to more stable and consistent returns. The author is quoting a potential 1 to 3% monthly return, which is good, but the Put Path consistently achieves over 4% monthly. Another major advantage of the Put Path system is time efficiency. The book implies a more active approach to trading, where you’re evaluating different strategies, underlyings, support and resistance levels and market conditions. In contrast, the Put Path is designed for real life. You can execute the system in about 15 minutes per week of active trading. You don’t need to watch the market all day. You don’t need to analyze charts endlessly. You simply follow the system, manage your risk, and let probability and time decay do the work for you.
A Good Starting Point, But Not the Finish Line
Credit Spread Options for Beginners by Freeman Publications is a solid introduction to the world of selling credit spread options. In summary, I definitely recommend that you read it as it will likely enhance the beginner options trader’s overall understanding of stock options. It gets the big ideas right. It teaches you the greeks. Teaches that you don’t need to predict the market perfectly, that defined risk is essential, and that consistency should be the goal. But it stops short of giving you what you actually need to succeed: a clear, repeatable system. Knowledge alone is not enough. In fact, knowledge without structure often leads to inconsistency, and inconsistency leads to losses and frustration. That’s why so many traders read books, watch videos, and still struggle to produce consistent results. They understand the concepts, but they don’t have a system or the discipline to execute them. At Put Paradise, we bridge that gap. We take the Philosophy and turn it into a Process. We remove the guesswork. We simplify the strategy, and we focus on consistency over time. If you’re serious about improving your trading, I encourage you to go beyond the book and start implementing a system that’s designed to work in real-world conditions. Use this link to download the free Put Path Options Trading System guide to get started. And if you’ve read the book, leave a comment below. Remember, options trading is better when it’s not done in isolation: leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions, and let’s keep the conversation going!
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