The spread is the difference between the Ask and the Bid. You buy at the Ask, sell at the Bid. So for a buy order you pay the spread on open. For a sell order you pay the spread when you close.
An interesting contention and I understand how you have reached it.
However, as I wrote before, I don't like the analogy of "paying" the spread.
You would forgive someone from taking away from that statement an idea that spread is wholly irrelevant when opening a sell order, because they will be "paying" the spread when the order is closed.
The spread is the difference between the Ask and the Bid. You buy at the Ask, sell at the Bid. So for a buy order you pay the spread on open. For a sell order you pay the spread when you close.
That is why, for a buy, your TP should be relative to the Ask (includes the spread) and your SL relative to the Bid (spread already paid.)
You don't pay anything, I agree with Honest Knave. BUY or SELL, when you open a trade you are in loss.
About your point 2, you could, for a BUY, set your TP relative to the Ask if you want, but you should not.
An interesting contention and I understand how you have reached it.
However, as I wrote before, I don't like the analogy of "paying" the spread.
You would forgive someone from taking away from that statement an idea that spread is wholly irrelevant when opening a sell order, because they will be "paying" the spread when the order is closed.
You don't pay anything, I agree with Honest Knave. BUY or SELL, when you open a trade you are in loss.
About your point 2, you could, for a BUY, set your TP relative to the Ask if you want, but you should not.