Instead of buying a stock outright, you can enter into an options contact, which can be cheaper but have the same, if not better, results. Though time is the most important factor in trading stock options, the closer the options are to expiration, traders are well advised to buy more time before expiration than needed. As trading stock options come attached with some sort of risk or reward structure, they can be collaborated with other options or financial tools to find profits or financial protection

Source: The Real Articles: Finance | Stock Market Investing