Category: Investments
Tiny Dividends: Can You Retire on Dividends from Index Funds?
Today’s topic will make you think, so put on your exploration hats. I have never seen a subject like this before, so we are charting new territory and hunting some sacred cows. Let’s begin. Typical index fund retirement. The standard index fund retirement involves savers (not investors) piling their money into various index funds. Most…
From Dirt to Dividends: Use Gardening and Preferred Shares to Supplement Your Homestead
Homesteading is about freedom from the world (large) and the daily grind (small). However, there is one thing that we will never be free of—money. Thus, we need to prepare financially before we run off into our homesteading haze. You must be thinking, “what a weird article.” In my last article, “How to Defeat Creator’s…
TSP vs. Dividends
In a perfect world, all investing options would be equal. The universe would understand your intent and spit out the results of your wish. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We must micro-manage our investing habits to get the best results. The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) versus a standard brokerage account is a touchy subject…
Retirement Plus: Use Dividends to Supplement Your Retirement
How is your retirement looking? Do you have cash flow that also increases with inflation? Do you depend on the government to supplement your 401K with social security? How much money do you need the day you retire? Does that amount look the same 20 years into retirement? Retirement is a sensitive subject for most…
Easter -Nest- Eggs: Build a Dividend Growth Nest Egg
I used to love searching for easter eggs during the Easter Season. My mom would lay out many eggs around the yard or church, and we would run around looking for candy-filled eggs. Childhood memories bring us these incredible feelings of joy and happiness. I am grateful to my parents for ensuring we had moments…
Emergency Escape: Build a High-Yield Emergency Fund
Building an emergency fund is one of the most critical aspects of creating a financially secure lifestyle. Sadly, most Americans do not have $1,000 in savings to cover a minor emergency. Today, I want to cover some reasons to have an emergency fund and how we can use our emergency fund as an investment vehicle.…
It’s Raining Money: How Dividends Can Change Your Life
I’m about three months away from hitting my third anniversary as a dividend investor. I have had many experiences in my life (especially as a US Marine for 23 years), but none are as transformative as dividend investing. Today, I want to talk through some of my experiences with dividend investing, how it’s changed my…
Blue Yield: The Magic of High-Yield Blue Chip Stocks
Income investing is my favorite way to interact with the stock market. I enjoy finding great high-yield products at a discount. When I buy these securities on sale, my dividend yield (income) increases. However, most people will not become income investors. The average person will invest in low-fee index funds, leading to massive gains but…
Income Portfolio vs. USDC: The Battle for 9%
Investing is about getting a return on your investment, therefore ensuring the velocity of money, compounding, time, and intellect all work in your favor. The more you learn, study, and grow, the better your chances are to get “lucky.” When we think about investing, sometimes we come to decision points that lead to vastly different…
Rich & Free: Build an Investment Portfolio in 8 Steps
Building an investment portfolio from the ground up can be a daunting task for anyone. There are so many questions that one has to answer before investing their money. “What is my risk tolerance?” or “How much income do I need?” are some of the first questions that you need to ask yourself before beginning. …
Investing for Interest 106: My Favorite High-Yield Savings Account
One of the best ways to start your journey from non-saver, to a saver, to an investor is by opening a high-yield savings account (HYSA). In fact, my first passive income payday was from my favorite high-yield savings account. Welcome back to the Investing for Interest series (101, 102, 103, 104, 105). I have recently…
Investing for Interest 105: The Hunt for Baby Bonds
Investing in bonds can be difficult because companies usually sell them in $1,000 or more increments. Thus, we typically turn to US Treasuries or Bond funds to allocate bonds. However, some bonds trade in denominations of $25, $50, and $100—making them accessible to the average investor. Welcome back to the Investing for Interest series (101,…
Investing for Interest 104: Bountiful Bond Funds
Bonds are a great way to hedge yourself against the stock market’s volatility. However, bonds themselves can be volatile. There are various ways to invest in bonds allowing us to diversify our portfolio. Welcome back to the Investing for Interest 101 series (101, 102, 103), where we discuss building a portfolio of interest-bearing assets. Today,…
Become a Bonafide Investor VI: Debt vs. Equity
One of the most important aspects of becoming a bonafide investor is understanding the difference between debt and equity. Each has its use-cases across multiple investments, including the stock market, real estate, content creation, and business. I’ll try to keep this article from getting out of hand because there is much to discuss. First, welcome…
USDC vs. Saving Bonds vs. Treasuries
There are more ways to save and invest than ever, yet most Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. Dave Ramsey (“Baby Step Millionaires”) suggests saving a $1,000 emergency fund before paying down debt. I have been talking about saving and investing recently, and even savings vs. investing. But, just because you are not comfortable…
Investing for Interest 103: Treasure in Treasuries
Learning to invest can be intimidating, especially if you don’t have much guidance. That’s why I started the Investing for Interest 101 series (101, 102). Investing for interest (debt) can be safer than entering the stock market; however, you may achieve a lower return. Previously we discussed the Super Safe Savers of high yield savings…
Why I Became an Income Investor
There are many different ways to invest in the stock market, and with discipline, you can find success with all of them. You can invest purely in index funds or ETFs. Or you can start a dividend growth portfolio. If you take the time to understand the securities you are picking and gather some information…
Use Dividends as Your Safety Net
We are moving into unknown times. The stock market is in flux, interest rates are inching upwards, the job market looks good on the surface, and the pandemic still looms. How is a person going to survive? Yes, conventional wisdom leads us to believe that having a job is the most reliable form of stability.…
How to Start Dividend Investing 105: Your First 5 Dividend Stocks
Venturing into the unknown can be difficult, especially if money is involved. I always beat the drum of dividend investing; however, most people are too intimidated to take the first step. Today, we are going to solve this analysis paralysis. Welcome back to the How to Start Dividend Investing series (101, 102, 103, 104), where…
Dividends vs. Royalties part III
What a fantastic day to be alive! I just hit a significant milestone on my passive income journey. I reached $100 in Amazon book sales in one month. This is an incredible feat, especially as I don’t advertise my books at all. I started my Amazon publishing journey in January 2021. That month I earned…
