Patience I don't short either, I buy uncovered puts, which is a very high risk "bet" that a stock is going to drop before the expiration of the options.
You really shouldn't try either shorting or buying uncovered puts until you understand the risks associated with both a bit more.
But basically when you short a stock, you're selling a stock you don't own, with the hope of buying it back later (covering) at a cheaper price. So your broker needs to have shares available to "lend" you.....and you also need to have a margin account open because the risk of a stock going higher will put you in the hole. When you short, the best possible gain is 100% (if a stock goes to zero), but the potential losses are infinate...if a stock goes to infinity (in theory).
When you buy uncovered puts, you're only risking the amount you pay for the options. But options are leveraged investments, so a small move in the stock price can cause a big move in the options.
If you're really interested, you should read-up on Investopedia.com about shorting and options.
Before you jump into the shark tank, you might try making a few "paper trades" just to see how it goes.
Buying uncovered puts is definately more stressful than being long in a stock, but it's the best strategy I know to try to make some money in a down market.
"Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them." - Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Economy, 1854
