I've made my profits by making trades that were a bit risky. I made a good chunk on Vertcoin. Bought in at $4 dollars after hearing news about their plans for a reward reduction in December. I think the key is to find people who are smarter than you and listen to a lot of them, then do your own research (because no one is perfect). I skim youtube on my lunch breaks and find people to listen to with cryptocurrency news. I also have a friend, together we come to a better consensus on decisions. I don't make too many bets at once. I put a lot in one place so it grows and I can watch it and know when to move. I try to avoid the urge to hop on mooning coins. (Although I'm experimenting with ICO's right now. Flaconcoin is a mess lol)
I recommend this guy on youtube, he's pretty awesome. https://www.youtube.com/user/Suppoman2011