The best profits to be made are buying the long-term options (LEAPS) on safe stocks and using a contrary method to buy more when the LEAPS go down and sell some when the LEAPS go up.
LEAPS are best because they are much cheaper than the stock they represent and much more volatile (stock goes up 2% the LEAPS go up 10%) so you will have many more buys and sells.
Contrary investing is the only way to invest because the cliché "Buy Low Sell High" isn't a cliché - it's the honest truth.
Here's proof: I started a Dogs of the Dow (Dogs are 10 highest paying dividend Dow Jones stocks) portfolio 49 months ago in the 4 years, 1 month that portfolio is up 344% and you started with half your money in cash so now half the profits are in cash or $60,000 ($30,000 cash/$30,000 LEAPS is worth $277,000 and hald the $277,000 is in cash so you have your own emergency fund and could start taking a $1,000-$2,000 a month to live on and keep right on investing.