I was dead against paper trading when I wrote http://beyonddebt.net/dont-paper-trade-stocks/. However, that changed when I realized I need to practice how to get in & out of trades without making mistakes. So, for the last few months I have been more or less break even with paper money. Then yesterday I bought EKSO in my paper account as a swing/IPO RWLK idea. When the stock down trended to support I bought with real money. I guess it's better to be wrong on paper and right with real $.