Dividend Income Update – March 2014

rising-dividendsAnother month has passed by, and it’s time for me to post an article on my favorite subject: dividend income. The reason why I love to post articles on dividend income is because it’s pure numbers. It’s hard to argue the success of long-term dividend growth investing when you can slowly and surely see dividend income rise over time and get closer to covering one’s expenses.

March was a blockbuster month for me. This broke my all-time record, and I have now reached a new high for monthly dividend income. It’s amazing how fast the compounding dividend income snowball can start rolling once you push hard for a few years. Start with a really high hill, plenty of snow (in the form of savings), and push!

I hope these monthly dividend income reports provide inspiration for any investors out there that are just starting out. It’s easy to see these payments rising month after month and it shows that it’s possible to one day pay for monthlyΒ expensesΒ with dividends, which would provide an investor opportunities and freedom to pursue other interests than full-time work. Without further ado:

March 2014 Dividends Received

  • Aflac Incorporated (AFL) – $37.00
  • Phillips 66 (PSX) – $10.53
  • Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) – $27.00
  • ConocoPhillips (COP) – $37.95
  • Int’l Business Machines Corp. (IBM) – $9.50
  • Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) – $25.80
  • Chevron Corporation (CVX) – $40.00
  • Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) – $12.60
  • Target Corporation (TGT) – $30.10
  • Lorillard Inc. (LO) – $61.50
  • Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) – $37.80
  • Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) – $66.00
  • Southside Bancshares, Inc. (SBSI) – $13.86
  • American Realty Cap Prop Inc. (ARCP) – $8.33
  • Avista Corp. (AVA) – $17.46
  • McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) – $48.60
  • Realty Income Corp. (O) – $12.75
  • Harris Corporation (HRS) – $16.80
  • BHP Billiton Plc (BBL) – $29.50
  • Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDS.B) – $22.50
  • BP Plc (BP) – $45.60
  • PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) – $43.70
  • Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) – $53.95

Total dividends received during the month of March: $708.83

Wow. This is all just amazing to me, it really is. I can’t believe that after four short years I’m eclipsing over $600 per month in dividends on a fairly regular basis. I always say the proof is in the pudding with this investment strategy, and that’s never clearer than during these monthly dividend income reports. The great thing about dividends is that they’re tangible. Cash money can’t be argued with; cash doesn’t argue, it just builds your wealth!

Another fantastic aspect of dividends is that they’re passive. Who wants to spend the rest of their life working for someone else, creating value for an employer? Why wouldn’t you want to pursue your passions on a full-time basis? While it’s oftentimes difficult to turn your passions into a job, dividend income allows you to pursue what you love in life without concern about pay. Once your lifestyle can be paid for, you’re free to spend your life doing whatever it is that you want. Whether you like traveling or just sitting on the couch vegging out to movies, your life can be your own. Be the master of your destiny.

Dividend income this month was a full 71.5% higher than what I received in March of last year. Another month of fantastic progress. Although I know progress in percentage terms won’t continue like this, I’m hoping to sustain absolute progress for the foreseeable future.

The last month of every quarter is usually a big month, and March was no disappointment. I was able to cover about 32% of my expenses this month. It would have been higher but I’m still dealing with a root canal that was started back in January. However, to be able to cover 32% of my expenses during an off-month is extremely encouraging. I know without a doubt in my body that this strategy is working.

I expect dividend income to normalize for the next couple months until I receive another big month of dividend income in June, but I’m super excited about what the next few months will bring. Every dollar that I don’t have to work for puts me one dollar closer to freedom.

One ofΒ my goalsΒ this year is to receiveΒ $5,200Β in dividend income during 2014. With the first quarter in the books, I’ve now received $1,393.39 in dividends during 2014. That puts me 26.8% of the way toward my goal for the year. Looks like I may not have challenged myself enough with my yearly dividend income goal, but if I’m able to trounce this goal it just means I’m closer to financial independence than I thought I was. Which is obviously fine by me!

I’ll update myΒ dividend incomeΒ page to reflect March’s dividends.

Full Disclosure: Long all aforementioned securities.

Did you have a great March as well? Hit some new dividend income records? Closer to financial independence?

Thanks for reading.

Photo Credit:Β sscreation’s/FreeDigitalPhotos.netΒ 

Edit: Added MCD and O dividends that were not correctly imported to my spreadsheet. I then corrected all numbers to reflect proper dividend totals.

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121 Comments

  1. Great job DM! Almost $650 for one month and $123300 for the quarter. You’ve been an inspiration to so many. I can’t say this enough but thanks. I should pass $1k for a quarter in Q2 which is amazing to me. I still remember that first $0.64 dividend back in 2011.

  2. Hey Mr. Mantra
    Good job and Keep up the Good work bud.

    Your Freaking Rocking it. We’re all on this dividend growth investing Together.

    Let’s rip shit up! You hear me? πŸ˜›
    Awesome. Just awesome.

  3. DM,

    Awesome progress. It really is amazing how fast the snowball starts rolling once you get it going. I have a feeling that yours is going to take off faster than you could’ve ever imagined.

  4. Congrats, that snowball is getting bigger and bigger!! And you know, the more you make, the more you make! Im doing the same as you. Im not quite to $600 a month, but I did get $540 this month, so Im creeping up there. I just love love love this! What a feeling to know that one day we can retire, and have our hard earned money doing all the work for us. Great stuff.

  5. JC,

    Hey, I really appreciate the kind words. I’m incredibly fortunate, and I’m so glad that I’m able to pass along some goodwill in the form of inspiration through this blog. I have a strong desire to change the world for the better, and this medium is my best shot at doing that right now.

    Congrats on all of your success as well. Your amazing income gives you a lot of flexibility and firepower, and I’m glad to see that you continue using it to slowly buy yourself time.

    Best wishes!

  6. FFdividend,

    Thanks, man. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, yet I also know I have a long way to go. I’ve got the will to keep going for as long as it takes. πŸ™‚

    Keep up the great work on your end too.

    Take care.

  7. Awesome. My goal is like 700 for the year. You almost got it in a single month. that’s pretty sweet. Keep up the good work. Like JC, said, you are truly an inspiration.

  8. Tyler,

    I’m digging the enthusiasm. That’s what I like to see! πŸ™‚

    It’s hard to not get excited over all of this. I mean we’re talking about money we don’t have to actively work for. If there was ever an American Dream worth dreaming about, this is it.

    Stay in touch!

    Best wishes.

  9. Brian,

    Thanks for the support. I really appreciate the encouragement!

    And the snowball definitely starts rolling faster than one would think. The power of compounding is easily underestimated, until its force is so strong you can’t ignore it.

    Hope all is well with your journey as well!

    Cheers.

  10. anne,

    You’ve got the gist of this down pat. The more you make, the more you make. Success begets success. Dividends buy ever more dividends. It’s like music to my ears. πŸ™‚

    Congratulations on $540 in passive income this past month. That’s phenomenal. You’re building a hell of an income source over there. Keep it up!

    Take care.

  11. Richie,

    Hey, $700 is a great start! If you look at my dividend income history you’ll see it was only a few years ago that I was earning less than $300 for an entire year. Patience, persistence, and perseverance will get you very far!

    And thanks for the kind words. It’s an honor and a dream come true for me to be able to inspire other people. I couldn’t ask for more.

    Best wishes!

  12. Now that’s what I call MONEY. That’s no piss in the bucket. Congratulations!

    March was a great month for me as well, and it couldn’t have come at a better time because I was not making contributions to my portfolio, I had to use the received dividends to sustain my dividend stock addiction!

    The confidence that comes from seeing large amounts such as these is amazing!

  13. Heck of a first quarter Jason, and you are absolutely right about that annual goal. Amazing how those returns begin to feel like they are taking on a life of their own. Just the simple beauty of a snowball rolling down the hill.

    Keep up inspiring and plugging away. Still sticking by my assertion that by the end of 2015 you will be in a completely different stage of life!

  14. Spoonman,

    It’s great to know that even when you don’t have the capital available to purchase stock with, your dividends have your back! The sixth man at play. πŸ™‚

    And you couldn’t be more correct about confidence. I feel so much better about my entire life now than I did just a few short years ago, especially in regards to my employment. The old me would have completely panicked at the pay cut I recently took, while the new me is calmly plotting my next move.

    Cheers!

  15. W2R,

    Thanks, bud. I really appreciate the ongoing support. This community is really wonderful and supportive, and I’m just honored to be a member.

    And I think you’re very right about your prediction. I had some ideas rolling around in the back of my head for a little while now, and the recent problems at my job have led me to believe that the time to strike is coming soon. It’ll be a shift in direction, but I’m excited and hopeful.

    Thanks again!

    Best regards.

  16. DM,

    Your monthly dividend income updates are my favorite post. I love dividends. You had an amazing first quarter. You got your snowball rolling. Maybe next March you can break 800. Just imagine, if you never invested another dollar and you made 5200 this year in dividends. In 10 years from now assuming your dividends increased 7 percent a year, you would being getting 10,229.19 off your portfolio. How can one not get excited about dividend income.

    Frank

  17. You are rocking and rolling! Congratulations on yet another outstanding month. This is why I admire what you are doing. You are talking the talk and walking the walk!

    Now stay hungry and don’t let it get in your head.

    Stay inspirational and passionate.

    Take care.

  18. Frank NY,

    Your point is not lost on me at all. I often think about what would happen if I were unable to invest fresh capital any longer, but thanks to the Rule of 72, I already know what will happen. Thanks for pointing that out so eloquently! It’s awesome to know that at this point I almost can’t be stopped, because $10k at 41 would buy me a hell of a lot of freedom, especially if I were interested in living in a low-cost country or working part-time to supplement the dividend income.

    I hope your journey is going just as well as mine!

    Best wishes.

  19. DividendVet,

    Believe me, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone hungrier than me. πŸ™‚

    Thanks for the kind words. I’m truly honored to serve as a source of inspiration for others. I draw strength in that, and so I’m inspired and motivated by everyone who stops by. It’s in the support of one another that this community finds its voice.

    And you’re having a great 2014 so far. Keep up the great work!

    Cheers.

  20. Hey congrats DM! You’re inspiring to a new guy like me. I actually just logged on to my loyal3 account a couple minutes ago and saw that KO, PEP, and WMT just paid me my very first dividends! All 21 cents worth, lol That has to be the smallest beginning ever. πŸ™‚ Nonetheless, thanks for posting your progress. I hope to be where you are sometime in the future.

  21. Awesome, DM! That is one solid month of dividends…congratulations.

    Looks like you are right on track to meet your goal and great progress since last year…keep it up.

    regards
    R2R

  22. I just stumbled across your site a few days ago and absolutely love what you have accomplished. Congrats so far and please keep sharing your hard work.

  23. Bruce,

    There are many monthly dividend payers: ARR, EPR, ERF, etc. However, there are another 2 that are under my watch list: BDC and MAIN.

    Good luck,
    Passive Income Mavericks

  24. Yes is it taxed differently. It is taxed as ordinary income as REITs are required to payout 90% of their profits to shareholders so they won’t be taxed at corporate level. The payment to shareholders is called a distribution, it is still income Dividend Mantra does own it and I do not recall him saying he sold it.

  25. Excellent work and good point on living in a low cost country. The attractive part on earning this way is you can be anywhere in the world and still have the cash pouring in. I believe you are much closer to your goals than you think, but you dont seem the type to rest on your laurels which is great. Keep pushing forward and working at this impressive pace.

  26. Excellent!!! The YOY stats are so awesome! Another thing I love about DGI is that you can clearly see progress, you’re already covering 30% of your monthly expenses with many years to go till age 40. You are going to blow your end goal out of the water at this rate. Congratulations on another record month and I can’t wait to hear which companies are on your radar for April πŸ™‚

  27. Awesome numbers! You’re closing in on $1000/month in dividends which is really impressive since you only started the journey just 4 short years ago.

    You are the model for consistency, my friend. Keep at it and may you continue to be rewarded for your efforts! πŸ™‚

  28. Investing Pursuits,

    Great eye! I woke up this morning, and to my horror read your comment. Scottrade was experiencing some issues around the middle of the month, where my the ‘My Account’ tab was not able to load recent transactions for around 24 hours. I can’t remember if it was due to site maintenance or not, but at any rate it was during this time that my MCD and O dividends were paid. As such, they never got transferred over to the spreadsheet I use to track my dividend payouts. I can’t believe I missed that. Thanks so much for pointing that out!

    I’m now late to work because I was so upset. I had to correct this right away. I added the O and MCD dividends and corrected all numbers to reflect the difference.

    Thanks again for catching this. I feel like a dunce!

    Best regards.

  29. Hi DM,

    What an amazing progress! 700$ in a single month is starting to resemble a salary, unbelievable how fast you reached that!

    Congratulations and thank you for being an inspirations to all of us!

  30. Hi DM,

    I almost spat my drink out at the laptop when I read your dividend income. $700+ in one month is fantastic going!

    What’s probably more rewarding is seeing the 72% growth YOY in March. If you continue in that fashion for 3-5 years, you’re looking at huge dividend payments!

    27% through your goal of annual dividend payments in a year is encouraging as well. You’re right on track to hit it. You’re not miles ahead and your not lagging behind so it looks like a nice annual target for you. All the very best of luck with it.

    I do find these posts inspiring, so please keep them up!

    Thanks again
    Huw

  31. Amazing! I love reading this blog, and have done so for about 1.5 years now. You keep motivating me each month! Curious why you didn’t add your VOD “dividend” from the VZ deal?

  32. Congrats on the month. Your blog is one of the main reasons I started investing in individual companies instead of continuing to invest in mutual funds. Keep fighting the good fight!

  33. I really enjoy your blog and following your progress . There is another dividend blog that I follow DividendMonk, but I haven’t seen any updates for a while now. Do you have any idea what happened to it ?

  34. Great Job DM!! I just had a great month at $225 in dividends with a diversity in dividend growth companies also. LVS and XIN positions have helped a lot too! Keep it up! And keep avoiding those “expense trap habits”! That is a key fundamental as you know!

  35. That’s awesome! Keep fighting the good fight!

    I quit tracking monthly distributions last fall because it started getting too complicated due to all the volatility throughout the year. My brokerage (Vanguard) provides a monthly statement which shows the total projected distributions for all holdings which I go by to gauge my progress.

    For now, it’s projecting $3.8K distributions in my taxable account. 2013 was ~$2.3K so very healthy growth for me. I did add significantly to my holdings throughout 2013 so most of the jump is from new purchases.

    I actually did not even think about YOY growth until your article. I’m glad I did because it’s very encouraging!

  36. Wow over $700 in one month! That is fantastic. Your yield on investment must also be taking off with your compounding, right?

  37. The way I like to think about dividend income is, gee I never need to worry about paying for groceries and the electric bill (or whatever $700 in your budget covers) ever again! Now, that is peace of mind.

    Great job DM.

  38. When you add all your dividends, you are close of 10 000 $.
    The cumulative curb of dividends looks exponential, it is so great when you realise that is YOUR money.
    We can understand that Rockfeller was so happy πŸ˜‰
    You can’t go wrong with Einstein and Buffett ))

  39. $708 is impressive. I wish they taught this stuff in school. That $708 dollars is hours you didn’t have to put in at work, that’s your money working for you while you live your life.

    I have a question that has nothing whatsoever to do with this post.

    What is your take on possessions? Are you a minimalist? Are you a “just enough for me and my household?”

    How strict or flexible are you with what you buy and own?

  40. Very cool J! Your writing has inspired me again. Seeing your recent increase comparing March 2013 to 2014 I had to look at mine too!

    Mine jumped up almost as much @64% increase. Wow! About the time you a person feels he is only making minimal progress stuff likes this is reinvigorating!

    Rock on buddy!

    Chris

  41. Hey we all started there!! The hardest part is starting, and you’ve done that. You just wait, you’ll get addicted to each month checking that account…more dividends….more dividends….you’ll get up early in the morning and run to the computer and see if the dividends showed up……and then the next day, same thing…..

    Not that I do that, of course.

  42. Congrats on the big month DM!

    I personally also had a record month in which I recieved $145.78 in dividends in March. After reallocating my portfolio this winter to focus dividend growth investing, I have already surpassed my total dividend income from 2013. I set a goal of making $1,000 in dividends this year. I’m a bit off pace after the first quarter, but I think I will be close by years end after I make a few more quarterly deposits and investments.

  43. Seth,

    Congrats!

    You’re at a very exciting point in your journey. I know it seems like a long road ahead, but every step forward is one less step you must travel.

    Like anne said, the hardest part is actually starting. Once you get that behind you and you dedicate yourself to building wealth the bricks do add up. Before you know it you have an entire wall built – all on the way to building your castle of freedom.

    Stay in touch and best of luck! πŸ™‚

    Take care.

  44. R2R,

    Thanks so much. It’s been an exciting year so far. The progress is coming along incredibly quickly. Dividends rock, don’t they? πŸ™‚

    Keep up the great work on your end too!

    Cheers.

  45. John,

    So glad you found the blog. I hope you continue stopping by and find some inspiration here in what we’re all trying to accomplish.

    Best wishes!

  46. PIM,

    It was a fantastic month indeed. The last month of every quarter is always fun because a significant portion of my portfolio all pays out in one month. June is going to be another really exciting month.

    Congrats on your $115 in dividends from last month. That’s a very, very solid sum of passive income. And it will only grow from here. πŸ™‚

    Take care.

  47. Sasha,

    Absolutely. Great point there. Dividend income is so wonderful because it’s flexible and you can live anywhere in the world without worrying about income and work. I hope that some day in my future I’ll be able to travel and see a chunk of the world, all while paying my way via dividends. What a wonderful concept, right? Who needs work visas??

    Thanks for the support. Much appreciated! And I’m not resting on my laurels quite yet. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes.

  48. Ryan,

    Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate your ongoing support.

    You’re off to a really wonderful start. Keep it up and you have only good things to come. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes!

  49. FI Fighter,

    Thanks, man. I’m just really blessed, though I’ve worked incredibly hard to get to where I’m at. You reap what you sow.

    And you’re a model of consistency as well. You’ll be the real estate mogul while I’ll try my best at being a dividend aficionado. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes.

  50. DividendVenture,

    Very, very kind of you. I’m so glad to be a part of this great community!

    The great thing is that we’re all inspiring each other. We’re changing our lives individually, but also collectively.

    Best regards!

  51. Huw,

    Don’t want you ruining your computer! πŸ™‚

    My goal wasn’t as challenging as I anticipated; however, I may slow capital additions significantly here as the year goes on. My relations at work are unfortunately deteriorating, and I’m growing increasingly frustrated. I have some ideas rolling around in my head, so we’ll see what happens. Either way, I’m excited for the future! πŸ™‚

    Best of luck as you continue your journey. You’re off to a great start!

    Take care.

  52. DM’s protege,

    Hey, I’m digging the username! I feel like Mr. Money Mustache, as he has his Mustachian Acolyte. πŸ™‚

    I’m with you on JNJ. As it’s my largest position, a dividend increase will have a material effect on my dividend income for the next year. Very exciting. πŸ™‚

    Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the really kind compliment via your screenname.

    Cheers!

  53. Skottoman,

    I appreciate your readership very much. I’ll do my best to keep the motivation factor very high. πŸ™‚

    I didn’t include the VOD dividend because it isn’t a dividend in the traditional sense. My VOD position was reduced via a new position in VZ and a simultaneous Return of Value, which was basically a return of capital. Succinctly, I didn’t have the same equity position in VOD after it was paid. Furthermore, it would skew my dividend results unfairly.

    Best wishes.

  54. Integrator,

    Thanks. I’m so excited to see the $700 mark finally eclipsed. The next milestone is $800! πŸ™‚

    However, I’ve got a long way to go to catch up to you. Keep up the great work!

    Cheers.

  55. My Dividend Pipeline,

    Thanks for the very kind words. I’m honored to be a one of the reasons you started down your own journey.

    And look at you now: You hit $2,358 in passive income this last month. That’s incredible. Blows my total out of the water. Keep going! πŸ™‚

    Best regards.

  56. Wow! Jason, I’m a new reader of your blog and I can honestly say that you impressed me a lot! Imagine we would have all learned that in school… Who would be working for these corporations now?! Ahah!! Seriously you found your own path through financial freedom, your pursuing a dream and you are fully dedicated to it even able to do all the necessary sacrifices to reach it and that’s what makes you unique! I’ll definitely be one of your follower! Keep the good work. You’re truly inspiring!

  57. Bobnj,

    I’m not sure what’s happened to Matt. I haven’t seen him around much at all. Although, it’s not totally unlike him to go a few months between posts occasionally. I may email him and see what he’s up to. I also miss his insight and analyses.

    Take care.

  58. DM,

    Congrats on smashing that record! That is some great work and planning you have done over the last several years. Now you are setup to fight back against that pay cut at work. That’s awesome and I hope I can follow the same path you are taking. Having the option of early FI is/would be amazing to have unless can find a job you absolutely love then that’d be great as well. Too few and hard to find in this economy for most I would imagine though.

  59. FYC,

    Nice going! $225 is fantastic. That compounds itself, turning that $225 into $300, then $400 and so on.

    And I hear you on lifestyle inflation. I’m fighting it actively at every corner. I’ve been hacking my way through some expensive months lately due to dental costs, but I’m hopeful that the latter part of 2014 is going to be much cheaper. I’m anxious to one day get back to 70% monthly savings rates.

    Cheers!

  60. Ravi,

    $3,800 in dividends this year is fantastic! That’s about what I hit last year, so you’re right behind me. Give it a good push this year and I’m sure you could eclipse me in short order. I’m always glad to see people killing me in the income department – it makes me proud, while also motivating me.

    Cheers!

  61. Evan,

    Thanks so much. Really appreciate you stopping by.

    I don’t track YOC, but rather I check my dividend income against previous numbers. And, obviously, I try to anticipate where I’m going to be in the future. YOC won’t pay my bills, but dividend income will. However, I can see how it’s still a pretty neat figure to track.

    Best regards!

  62. luckydog17,

    That’s a great way to look at dividend income. I do the same thing all the time. Once I knew I could cover my food costs for the rest of my life (pegged at $300/month plus inflation) I realized that I would never starve. When you know that you’ll never go hungry no matter how bad life gets you sure get better sleep. πŸ™‚

    Next up is housing. If I know that I’ll always have a roof over my head and food in my belly there isn’t much to worry about.

    Thanks for sharing that great perspective.

    Best wishes.

  63. Eric74310,

    Wow, that’s awesome. I didn’t even look at it like that. Pretty awesome to look at lifetime dividend earnings. Earning a cumulative $10k in dividend income will be a hell of a milestone. Thanks for pointing that out!

    And I understand exactly why Rockefeller was so happy. πŸ™‚

    Take care.

  64. Lila,

    That’s a great question there. Perhaps I should expand that in a post.

    I believe in minimalism. I’ve always felt that the more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you. I don’t approach it from a footprint reduction point of view, but rather from a pragmatic point of view. It’s all about being flexible and cost savings for me. I believe in being liquid, flexible, and placing premiums on experiences. Owning a big house with a bunch of stuff to fill its space is the complete opposite of the life I envision for myself.

    My possessions largely boil down to this (seriously):

    2006 Toyota Corolla with 23k miles
    A small wardrobe of about 25 total pieces of clothing, not including socks and underwear, and two pairs of shoes
    A PS4
    A six year-old 42″ plasma television
    A small collection of DVDs and CDs and video games
    Two mobile phones
    An entertainment stand for the television
    An antenna
    A digital camera
    One couch
    A bed with mattress
    Photo album with pictures of family and friends
    A framed article from my USA Today appearance
    One Rubbermaid 4-drawer storage dresser (about three feet tall)
    My five year-old Toshiba laptop

    That’s really about it. I don’t have a garage or a big storage unit somewhere. If I sold the couch and bed, I could fit everything I own inside my car, which is exactly how it was when I moved from Michigan to Florida. In fact, I wish I didn’t even own a car, but right now it’s where I’m at. Maybe in the future that will change.

    Again, I prefer experiences over stuff. Some of my greatest memories include backyard barbecues with my family, summertime baseball games with my sister and brother-in-law, trips to the big Renaissance Festival in the fall, snowball fights, Saturday afternoon walks down the beach, family trips to Cedar Point, etc. Life is a collection of memories, not a collection of possessions.

    I hope this helps!

    Best regards.

  65. Chris,

    Congrats on a huge jump in YOY dividend income. That’s awesome! I’d say that’s anything but minimal progress. Keep up the great work. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes.

  66. BCS,

    Thanks so much. Appreciate the support! πŸ™‚

    And congrats to you on your big month. It wasn’t that long ago when I was earning very similar numbers to you. The progress happens so quickly. I hope you surpass your $1k annual dividend income goal this year. Keep me informed.

    Take care.

  67. Allan,

    Thanks for the very kind words. And thank you as well for featuring me in one of your recent posts. I really appreciate that! πŸ™‚

    I have a dream that is so powerful to me, and I’m doing everything I can to make it come true. Life is precious and short, and so I want to make it as wonderful and long as I possibly can. As such, slowing time way down is imperative. Sometimes I get so busy that time just flies by, and it really pisses me off when that happens. It just motivates me to try even harder and reach ever further for freedom.

    Best regards!

  68. SWAN,

    It’s been a lot of hard work, with some luck thrown in for good measure. I’ve been incredibly fortunate, and I’m so grateful for the amount of success I’ve experienced thus far. I’m in a really good place right now, although my situation at work is becoming increasingly frustrating and disappointing. But I remain optimistic.

    I wish I could think of a job I’d love to do for the next couple of decades or so. But I keep coming up blank. I have such a diverse array of interests, and I just don’t know if anything could keep me challenged and interested for the next 20 or 30 years. But the great thing about FI is that I can pursue my passions without the need to worry about compensation. I can chase ideas with reckless abandon out of love, not for money. πŸ™‚

    Hope all is well! Thanks for stopping by.

    Take care.

  69. Hi DM,

    Great inspiration sharing of your blog. I’m from Singapore and finished reading your blog from your very 1st post till the last in 2 days. I’ll be replicating your strategy to attain my passive income target. Such a joy and appreciate your unselfish sharing.

    God bless.

    David

  70. Jason

    Great month for you, did you also get a return of value from Vodafone in March.

    I had a great March too (even excluding Vodafone), and like you I achieved good growth from last year and have posted details on my blog.

    I love it when the dividends have accumulated to a point that I can buy more shares and build that snowball.

    Keep up the great work, and hope you reach your goal for this year (I am looking to beat Β£5k this year

  71. JC

    The important part at the beginning is to not get disheartened by the small dividends (as you didn’t with the $0.64), as the saying goes “from small acorns a great ok grows”

    The great thing about the internet and blogging, is that people can see examples of what happens when you continue to invest, and how quickly the snowball accumulates. First its Β£10 per month, then its Β£50 per month, then Β£100. Before you know it you are earning enough each year to buy even more shares (unless you are DRIPing), and then the snowball really accelerates.

    Best Wishes
    FI UK

  72. David,

    Wow, thanks for stopping by all the way from Singapore. Singapore seems like a really fantastic place to live in, although expensive.

    Thanks so much for taking the time to read through some of the old posts. While my writing abilities have grown, the seeds were sown in those earlier posts. πŸ™‚

    Best of luck on attaining your goals. I hope you continue to stop by!

    Cheers.

  73. FI UK,

    I did receive the RoV from Vodafone, but I didn’t include it because it wasn’t a dividend in the traditional sense. More return of capital than return on capital because I now have a smaller position in VOD.

    Building the snowball is a ton of fun, isn’t it? Much nicer than building a real snowball when it’s 15 degrees outside. πŸ™‚

    Best of luck with your dividend income goal this year. That’s some serious passive income there! πŸ™‚

    Take care.

  74. I think it’s a bit of a headache right now. I bought into some MLPs around two years ago and total return has been great (40-50%), but it’s a big headache come tax time. Perhaps once I’m making enough money that I don’t do my own taxes I may get into them again, but I think 2014 will be the last year for a while to have to deal with K-1s.

    That said, I think I’ll miss that $3.8K projection, but it will be mostly from taking some gains and reinvesting in lower yield holdings. I see my taxable portfolio as a high-yield risk-on type area, so I’ll usually be targeting income plays with 4%+ payouts, or just stocks that I think are undervalued and should pop within 2-3 years. Right now, my growth plays include GM, INTC, and AAPL. As long as I keep the growth stocks for 1+ years, I can pay the same tax rate on gains as qualified dividends. Also, as long as I can outpace my average payouts on the remainder of my portfolio, then I’ll keep making stock picks.

    Slightly different strategies between us, but I’m just a lot less patient than you are. Good luck!

  75. Since there’re too many dividend related blogs I don’t follow any in particular, so excuse my ignorance but maybe you can briefly explain to answer a few questions from me.
    How much cash have you invested since the start of your journey until the end of March 2014?
    Do you have a spreadsheet publically available to see dividends received by stock by month for the whole year instead of checking each month update-article?
    Does your GF also like your dividend journey and she’s doing the same thing as you?

  76. Jason,
    Way to go! πŸ™‚ That is a truly massive month of dividend income. I think it’s equally cool how diversified your income is. That’s a solid portfolio paying sustainable, reliable income, with plenty of diversification. As I get older and work harder, I find that it’s only humanly possible to work so many hours. It’s so refreshing to have a dividend portfolio that works while I’m sleeping. I find so much inspiration here. Congrats on your big month, I think I’ll be reading here about your first $1,000 month in no time!
    Sincerely,
    Ian

  77. Congratulation DM! I got about 450$ in dividends that month. I have been folowing you since start and also have you as a friend on facebook (Im the guy building a moneymachine for my children if you remember). Anyway, if I remember it correctly you have plans for writing a book about dividend investing?
    Also, how much do you earn from this blog every month? Maybe the online income can help you reach your goal faster.

    I wish you all the best (from the other side of the world).

    /Patric

  78. This is so great! Thats 1$ (0.95) each and every hour. When you sleap, bang – 8$ more.. Watch a movie – 2 more $.. Take a walk – 1 more.. Eat – 1 more.. And this just goes on and on and on. Oh how i love dividends..

  79. Impressive! I just crossed the $1000 annually mark, now my car insurance is paid until forever. One bill at a time, until there’s no more left.

    The fun part of this and other similar blogs is that there’s so many ways to build a quality dividend portfolio. None of our top 5 holdings are the same, but it doesn’t matter. Plenty of quality companies out there to choose from.

  80. Hi DM!

    I’m from Sweden and I just found your blog. I take home a decent paycheck every month, but have nothing to show for it. I just spend it on pointless and meaningless things. And then I have to go to work to do it all over again. But your philosophy really hit me hard. What’s more important than your own time? Nothing!

    I’m truly impressed how you’ve come this far in so little time and I just have to get on board on this dividend thing. Better late than never, right?

    Take care and keep up the good work!

  81. dgidid,

    I recently went through this exercise for another reader, and it’s time consuming. Suffice to say, I’ve invested approximately $100,000 from savings over the last four years.

    I don’t track income by stock like that because it’s irrelevant to what I’m trying to accomplish. I’m sorry.

    As far as my girlfriend goes, she is not doing anything like I’m doing. She’s a bit older than I am, and generally enjoys what she does for a living (she’s in early childhood education). She lives frugally out of a necessity, rather than a means to an end. I’m quite confident if she made $100k/year she’d probably spend it all; however, she’s very good at stretching her dollars because her income isn’t particularly high. I’ve offered my investment advice many times and she has no interest in that.

    Thanks for stopping by! I hope this helps.

    Cheers!

  82. Ian,

    Working while your sleeping is quite nice, isn’t it? Money never sleeps or calls in sick. πŸ™‚

    And I hear you on hard work. I’ve been working incredibly hard in the auto industry for almost eight years now, and I don’t know how some people do it for 30 or 40 years. I’d much rather work smart than hard.

    Thanks for the ongoing support. It’s much appreciated. I hope you one day get to reap the rewards of all your planning and hard work.

    Best regards.

  83. Star,

    Thanks so much! This success didn’t happen overnight, although it didn’t take decades either. Dividend growth investing is so wonderful because the tangible success through actual cash flow slowly increases month after month. It’s like stairs leading you up to freedom. One step at a time…

    I hope your journey will be just as successful as mine!

    Take care.

  84. Patric,

    Congrats on your great month! $450 in dividends is some serious income. That handily beats what I received in January or February of this year. πŸ™‚

    As far as a book goes, that’s a dream of mine. I hope to one day put a book together, and I’d give it all I’ve got. However, my goal is to write it once I actually attain FI. To write a book about attaining FI through dividend growth investing without actually reaching the promised land myself would be a bit hypocritical. But this is something I definitely want to do one day.

    The blog is producing a great income now. You can read about my online income in my income/expense reports that I publish every month, and it just so happens that my March report comes out later today. So stay tuned! πŸ™‚

    Thanks for the support. And I’m so glad to hear your journey is going very well from your side of the world.

    Cheers!

  85. Per,

    That’s a fantastic way to look at dividend income. I always think of my dividends as an extra worker in the household, and one that gives me all of his income. And last month he indeed made about a dollar an hour for the entire month, and gave me everything. It’s a wonderful relationship! πŸ™‚

    Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the fantastic perspective.

    Best wishes.

  86. Justin,

    You’ve got it. I’ve permanently crossed the following expenses off (based on current spending habits): food, mobile phone, car insurance, fuel, and internet. The big one left is rent. One day! πŸ™‚

    Congrats on crossing $1k/year in dividends. That’s the start of something really beautiful, I promise.

    Keep up the great work!

    Best regards.

  87. Niclas,

    It’s definitely better late than never. It’s NEVER too late to start. I’ve accomplished quite a bit in four years, and four years flies by like the blink of an eye.

    I hope you get started down your own journey to financial independence, and I hope you check in now and then to let us know how it’s going. πŸ™‚

    Cheers.

  88. Hey Jason,

    That’s a fun way to look at it! Including our retirement account that we started 20 years ago we have got our food, housing, utilities, and prop taxes paid for. Next comes insurance and transportation costs.

    Chris

  89. Marvin,

    Thanks so much. It’s been an incredible ride so far. I just hope I can continue to build on this success…brick by brick. πŸ™‚

    Cheers.

  90. Chris,

    That’s fantastic!

    Just to know that you’ll always have a roof over your head and food in your belly NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS in life is a really wonderful feeling. Keep up the great work!

    Cheers.

  91. Thanks, Jason. My problem is, I cannot decide where to put my money. I am so afraid of making the wrong decision that I’m not putting it anywhere. I’ve got cash sitting in a CU account, diminishing through inflation. Inflation = bad, but I can’t seem to make a move with the cash, out of fear of doing something worse, ie loss of principal.

    Thx for listening – it felt good to get that out, LOL.

  92. Why only write one?
    Make it a trilogy :). Before FI, reaching FI and after FI.
    I’m sure lots of people would be interested in reading all three.
    And I think you would enjoy writing all of them.

  93. Star,

    I hear you. Fear is powerful. But you cannot let it run your life.

    Cash is guaranteed to lose value over time, and it’s great that you recognize the force behind that (inflation). While equities have their own risk, you simply want to make sure the risk/reward relationship is tilted to your favor more often than not. Over the long term, equities are the greatest asset class out there. Stick to high quality, demand value, diversify, and reinvest your income.

    Good luck! πŸ™‚

    Take care.

  94. AlphaTarget,

    That’s one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time! I may just take you up on that. πŸ™‚

    Seriously, I like your thought process there. And that’s what this blog is: the journey leading up to FI, what FI actually looks like at the mountaintop, and then what comes next. But putting that in a book format would be even better, as it would allow me to expand on a number of different themes and ideas.

    Thanks for adding that!

    And congrats on a great month of dividend income in March. Keep it up. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes.

  95. Oh I like this reply! Thank you so much for your detailed reply.

    What about a basic cookware set, dishes, silverware, steamer, blender, indoor/outdoor grill? Did your girlfriend bring those things into the home when you moved in together? I don’t know how you eat then, lol.

    I get you about experiences. They did a study and they found out people feel happier when they spend on experiences over materialistic items.

    http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~dtg/DUNN%20GILBERT%20&%20WILSON%20(2011).pdf

  96. Lila,

    I’ll have to check out that study. However, I’ve always felt much more satisfaction from experiences than I ever have by accumulating objects. That’s just me.

    As far as utensils and what not, those are all from my girlfriend. I personally own no tableware or cookware – which speaks to my disdain for cooking. πŸ™‚

    Best wishes.

  97. Under The Money Tree,

    Thanks! It’s been a long road to get to where I’m at now, with a lot of hard work. But I’m really proud! πŸ™‚

    And I don’t pay any fees. I reinvest my dividends selectively when I combine them with fresh capital, and as such my commission fees don’t increase.

    Best wishes!

  98. Hi Dividend Mantra,

    Fantastic result for March and further evidence that this stuff works!

    I’m from the UK and have been following your blog for a while.. it inspired me to get started myself. My motivations are similar to yours in that I’m looking to free up time in the future and not be forever tied to my day job and the uncertainties that this can bring. I see DGI as providing me with a real shot at achieving that goal with time and patience.

    I find your monthly reports are very motivational to someone in my position i.e. at the beginning of the journey..

    Keep up the good work and thanks!

  99. Dividend Brit,

    Thanks for the kind words and support. It’s very much appreciated!

    And we all have to start somewhere. You can go back to some of my earliest dividend income reports on this blog from just three years ago and you’ll see dividends of under $50/month. The snowball starts slow, but certainly builds up steam with consistent application of hard work and persistence.

    I’m glad to see you’ve started your own journey. I wish you nothing but the best of luck as you march toward freedom and reclaim some of your future time!

    Take care.

  100. Thanks DM!

    You’re right, the most important thing for me was to get started as there was a bit of the fear factor for me for a while until I let go and took the plunge!

    I got my first dividend payments in March this year…it never felt better to get paid Β£38! With dedication to learning and applying some hardcore saving I hope to be able to slowly grow these payments over time.

    All the best.

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