Freedom Fund Update – November 2015

piggyfundWell, the time has come to update the Freedom Fund once again as we start another month. The Freedom Fund is my portfolio, and I think it’s aptly named. My portfolio is my way to freedom; freedom from a job I don’t desire to purchase goods I don’t need to impress neighbors I don’t care about. This journey is all about freedom and flexibility. One day, the dividend income this portfolio generates will fully cover my expenses and my time will be completely my own. What could you possibly want to own more than your time?

I’m extremely fortunate that I’m able to post these updates every single month, which shows the power of monthly contributions to investments because of the high savings rate I maintain. It shows how a relatively large sum of money can be built through the power of time, patience and perseverance.

It’s important to keep in mind that while updating the overall value of my portfolio is important for historical reference and keeping track of total return, as well as giving context to the dividend income I earn, my main focus is on the rising dividend income stream the Fund provides.

November was another incredibly active month for the Fund, following up a record-breaking October. I believe I’m going to finish 2015 really strong with more above-average activity in November and December, but activity will more than likely be back to my normal long-term average in early 2016. I’ll always make hay while the sun is shining, and the sun has lately been shining brighter for me than ever before.

I took the opportunity to add to a number of existing positions this month that, for one reason or another, appeared to offer compelling long-term value, especially after a few of them dropped somewhat substantially in price over a fairly short period of time. While there are a number of stocks I’m not actively interested in adding to due to exposure, I had a little room left for those stocks I did add to this month.

I’ll quickly note that I have a large chunk of free trades in my brokerage account, which is why you’ll notice a lot of smaller transactions below. I have historically tried to make sure transactions averaged somewhere around $1,400 to limit commission fees, but I paid almost nothing in commissions this month. So stronger-than-usual cash flow combined with free trades means that I spread capital around a lot more than I usually would have.

Early in the month, I picked up an additional 31 shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) at $42.72 per share. I’m not a huge fan of the telecommunications industry, but I think the valuation and yield make sense down in the low $40s.

I also snagged an additional 5 shares of International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) at $140.61 after a rough quarter sent the stock cratering. The yield is outstanding, the payout ratio remains very low, and the dividend will likely continue to grow at a very robust rate. The company doesn’t really need to grow at all from here for it to provide everything I need. But at some point, the revenue will need to stabilize.

Another stock that’s been suffering as of late, National Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NOV), remains very appealing to me. The long-term picture remains bright, but the exact time to buy stock in high-quality companies is when they’re absolutely beat down. Well, that’s what you have here. I picked up an additional 25 shares at $38.63 and another 5 shares at $36.21 after reducing my stake via a tax-loss harvesting last month.

Apple Inc. (AAPL), the largest publicly traded company in the world by market cap, has seen its stock decline even while results remain as strong as ever. So I averaged down on my position with another 5 shares at $110.19.

Notice a theme? Well, it continues. I also added my position in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT). I’m topped up here, but found room for another 5 shares at $60.36. I don’t anticipate buying any more WMT, but I think the stock is meaningfully cheap right now. They certainly face real challenges, but the stock is down more than 30% on the year. While it was overvalued at the start of the year, that’s far more volatility than what the stock saw during the financial crisis, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.

I also bought more stock in Armanino Foods of Distinction Inc. (AMNF), which is just this wonderful little food company out of California. Results continue to impress, although I have to keep in mind that the company is really tiny (the market cap is just a little north of $60 million). So I have to appropriately manage that risk. But I grabbed just 50 shares at $1.94.

The healthcare REITs remain, in my view, really cheap here considering the long-term demographic tailwinds. So I added to my HCP, Inc. (HCP) position three times in October – 20 shares at $38.29, 10 shares at $38.77, and 10 shares at $37.32. And since this update is coming a few days into November, I also had an opportunity already this month to add once more (and likely for the last time), picking up 15 shares at $36.62.

However, I was also busy adding new positions to the Fund. Just like with the positions I added to, I remained focused on dividend growth stocks that present value, quality fundamentals, competitive advantages, and bright future prospects. I’m also mindful of sector allocation and industry exposure. Of course, this has been my modus operandi since I started investing back in early 2010.

I initiated a stake in Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (POT) very early in the month by grabbing 50 shares at $21.35. I then added to that position twice – 15 shares at $22.00 and 5 shares at $20.64. The stock has been hammered by dual concerns regarding potash pricing weakness and the potentially pricey takeover of rival K+S Potash, but the latter concern has now evaporated after the offer was withdrawn. The stock hasn’t recovered yet, but the current yield, at 6.93%, is approximately three times the five-year average. Meanwhile, every other basic valuation metric is substantially lower than its recent historical average. The stock appears significantly undervalued to me. And I’m excited to now be in the fertilizer business, which itself has long-term demographic tailwinds.

An interesting company, Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (CPSI), recently popped up on my radar, and after taking a really good look at the company, I initiated a stake with 25 shares at $43.94. I don’t regret the logic, but the timing could have been better. After a fairly rough quarter, the stock dropped precipitously (much of which was warranted). I averaged down heavily with another 15 shares at $36.74. The fundamentals here are absolutely outstanding, but they’re making some changes whereby they focus less on system sales and more on service (that should provide recurring revenue). This, in my view, is short-term pain for long-term gain, but I’m going to watch this stock a bit more carefully than most. Nonetheless, the profitability is otherworldly, they have no debt, and the business (providing hospitals with necessary electronic records systems and administrative services) is fascinating in the aspect that demand should remain strong for years to come.

As discussed recently, I initiated a stake in Houston-based CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) with 65 shares at $18.62. I added another 15 shares at $18.56.

I noted last month that I planned on once more initiating a stake in BHP Billiton PLC (BBL) after selling out of my stake for tax-loss harvesting purposes. Well, I did just that. A new position in the world’s largest miner was initiated with 45 shares at $34.95. I purchased 5 more shares at $32.16. I don’t anticipate making this position as large as it was before due to the fact that it was larger than I wanted it to be, but I’m pretty comfortable here with 50 shares. It’s a highly cyclical business and FCF is basically just covering the dividend, so it’ll be interesting to see what the next two or three years look like for the firm.

Retail is one of my least favorite industries, so it’s surprising that I was pretty active there this month. I added to my WMT stake, as mentioned above. But I also initiated a position in Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM). The stock is down almost 40% YTD, which seems disconnected from underlying results. Meanwhile, it’s a premium brand with an extremely loyal and enthusiastic customer base. I picked up 20 shares at $32.82 and another 5 shares at $30.03. The yield leaves a lot to be desired, but the stock is as cheap as I’ve ever seen it. I plan on keeping this position small, however.

Another retail play (albeit apparel), I initiated a stake in Gap Inc. (GPS) with 25 shares at $27.00. Two out of their three global brands remain challenged, but Old Navy is killing it. I have an Old Navy within walking distance to my apartment, and I have to say it’s consistently busy. The apparel also appears particularly high quality for the price. I was in need of some clothes myself, so I took that opportunity to help contribute to my own bottom line by picking up a few pieces. The margins are surprisingly high to me because I bought seven different pieces of apparel and spent less than $40. Morningstar has this stock about 60% undervalued, and I initiated a position after coming to a similar conclusion myself. I’m excited to see what this position looks like in five or so years.

Noticeably, a number of stocks were unusually volatile this month. One was Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM). It’s long been on my watch list, but the valuation has kept me from buying. However, after a ~20% drop on challenging earnings, I finally initiated a stake with 10 shares at $67.42. I didn’t think the stock was all that cheap even after the big drop, but it’s since rebounded rather strongly.

A similar story played out for VF Corp. (VFC). Great business, but the stock always seemed to reflect that (and then some). But a one-day double-digit drop in the stock brought it into a range that I thought was fairly reasonable. Again, not particularly cheap, but good enough to initiate a stake and see where it goes. I bought 10 shares at $65.25. It, too, has rebounded a bit since then. This one isn’t a household name, but their fundamentals and brands are outstanding. I wish I would have bought years ago, to be honest.

I mentioned at the end of last year that there were a few themes I was paying attention to as it relates to the portfolio and its industry exposure, long-term health, and income growth. One theme is e-commerce and how that positively affects volumes for major shippers like United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS). The stock isn’t very cheap right now; it seems roughly fairly valued. But I think now is as good a time as any to initiate a stake in the world’s largest shipper. With the way e-commerce continues to grow, I can’t imagine they won’t be making a lot more money and sending out much bigger dividends a decade from now. I purchased 10 shares at $102.85. I’m actively interested in buying more. But a cheaper price would be even better.

Perhaps the most expensive stock I bought in October, I finally initiated a stake in Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) with 10 shares at $62.76. It’s not cheap. In fact, I think it’s at the upper end of fair value, but I’m also not sure one needs a big margin of safety here on Starbucks. I initiated a stake after the quarterly report came out, which was absolutely fantastic. They also announced a 25% dividend increase. The yield isn’t as high as I’d like, but I think the business is one of the best in the entire world. I’ll at least feel better about buying coffee when I spend my 4-5 hours per day over there writing and drinking away.

This is another stock I regret not buying years ago. The valuation kept me on the sidelines, but I now see I should have just paid up. It’s funny, but I often hear about how you shouldn’t commit capital to your “50th idea”, yet Starbucks was my 80th idea. Just so many wonderful businesses out there. Doesn’t mean The Coca-Cola Co. (KO), Union Pacific Corporation (UNP), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), or any of the other 79 stocks that preceded this pick are any less worthy of my capital over the long haul. It’s just a situation where there is more than 20 or 30 really high-quality dividend growth stocks for the long term that an investor can buy.

As noted earlier, I’m active already in November. This update is coming a few days into November, so it’s encompassing purchases across the month of October as well as capital I’ve deployed since November started.

I also noted earlier that I think the healthcare REITs are providing huge opportunities here when looking at the growth, value, yield, demographic tailwinds, and long-term prospects. So I initiated a stake in likely the last healthcare REIT that I’ll own a slice of, buying 20 shares of Ventas, Inc. (VTR) at $53.54.

Lastly, 82 stocks into the portfolio and I finally invested in a business development company. I’m not overwhelmingly enthusiastic about BDCs in general because you quite frankly don’t know exactly what you’re buying into. I view the risk-reward relationship as pretty aggressive. You basically have to trust that management is going to make the right investments. That said, it’s an exciting business model in the sense that you’re gaining exposure to a lot of smaller companies that you ordinarily wouldn’t have access to.

I initiated a position in Main Street Capital Corporation (MAIN) after purchasing 40 shares at $30.28. Of all the BDCs I looked at, this one appears to be the most well run. Their portfolio is incredibly diversified, and their track record for net income growth, NAV growth, and dividend growth since their IPO is really impressive. The stock yields over 7% here with a monthly dividend and the five-year dividend growth rate is just under 6%. Moreover, they pay semi-annual special dividends that tend to be sizable. This is a speculative investment, but I think it’s the least speculative BDC out there. And my portfolio has the room for the speculation, especially considering the blue-chip base my Freedom Fund is built upon.

All of this activity made a huge impact on my annual dividend income. Adding it all up, my annual dividend income increased by $962.76. I couldn’t be more thrilled with that kind of boost. November and December will likely be nowhere near as effective in this regard, but I’ll be happy if I can add just another $500 to my annual dividend income before the year ends.

The current market value of the Freedom Fund stands at $248,261.56, which is a 17.4% increase since last month’s published value of $211,444.20.

FFUpdate

The S&P 500’s record-breaking October run (the monthly increase in terms of points was the highest ever) certainly didn’t hurt the positive change in value, but I would have rather seen the portfolio drop in value so that my capital could go that much further. Didn’t turn out that way. In fact, this was the largest increase in portfolio value from one month to another that I’ve ever experienced. I expect that’s a record that will naturally be broken at some point within the next year or two as the portfolio’s value increases, which means percentage changes will impact it that much more.

The Fund continues to move in the right direction, all in all. Warren Buffett has compared Berkshire’s collection of businesses to a “masterpiece”, and I look at my own portfolio in much the same way. I’m painting my own version of a masterpiece with this really fantastic collection of world-class businesses that should send me increasing dividends for decades to come. It’s coming together so nicely. I really couldn’t be prouder of this collection considering that I started out with absolutely nothing (no money, no stocks, no prior investment knowledge) less than six years ago.

As always, thank you for all your continued support. I can only hope that you find value, inspiration, and motivation in these updates. If I can do it, so can you. I truly believe that financial independence is out there waiting for almost all of us.

The Fund now has positions in 82 different companies. This is an increase since last month since I initiated stakes in 12 new businesses. I expect the rate at which I open new positions to slow dramatically over the near future as I whittle my watch list down.

These updates are mainly designed to show the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying equities I’m invested in, but the main purpose of investing in dividend growth stocks is to build a rising and sustainable stream of dividends over time. Thus, I don’t put too much emphasis on these monthly updates. I think it is a good idea, however, to keep track of the rising (or falling) value of one’s securities and be aware of where they are in terms of the marketplace and whether or not certain stocks are attractively priced. I find it a helpful exercise to update the values monthly. It gives me fresh perspective on which equities are performing well and which aren’t, and from there I can make educated decisions (based on further due diligence) on which stocks I’d like to add fresh capital to (while considering portfolio weight as well).

Full Disclosure: Long all aforementioned stocks.

How was your October? Stay as busy as you would have liked? Take advantage of any opportunities?

Thanks for reading.

Photo Credit: BimXD/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Edit: Corrected information for HCP purchases.

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351 Comments

  1. Wow! That’s an amazing month! I don’t recall a freedom fund update whick took me so long to read….
    This way your snowball is really doing it’s work, and 82 paychecks is a wonderful concept.

    Keep up the good work!

  2. One word: Incredible. From your humble beginnings to now gaining $37,000 in portfolio value in ONE MONTH! That is awesome!! Like you said, its a shame the market had to bounce back so hard but it’s great to see that you knocked it out of the park with buying into great companies.

    I’m sure you’ll get a lot of flack about the 82 companies, but who cares! There are 1000’s of companies to choose from and you are buying up some of the best of the best. 82 separate paychecks… if they all pay quarterly could make it 328 days of receiving a paycheck (if they all paid on different days). You almost get a paycheck for every day of the year! Which if you add in the monthly payers, you are even closer.

    A portfolio value of almost $250,000 in 5 years is awesome. It just goes to show how hard work, consistent saving and investing can do for your finances. I kept track of your twitter account and at one time I had counted about $15,000 in purchases this month, that’s is some serious income my friend! You have really kicked it into high gear, I just can’t wait to see what an additional $1000 of dividend income will do to your dividend income posts in the future. Awesome!

    My October was not nearly as stellar as yours and the rest of the year might be a bit lower than I expected with regards to purchases but I am still quite fortunate to be where I’m at at 27 years old.

    Congrats again,
    ADD

  3. fantastic results! I have to thank you as i finally have opened an account at the ripe age of 19, and its uplifting to see i made some of the same decisions you made!

  4. What a combination of market gains and large contributions! I can only imagine what your savings rate must of been in October! October was great for me as well as I saw the net worth climb five figures due to the market rally and putting a decent amount of cash to work! Take care.

  5. Quite a month, congrats!

    Seems like you’re getting the snowball rolling big time, perhaps thanks to significant amounts of fresh capital from the recent change in site ownership? It is quite obvious that normal income does not cover this kind of buying spree anymore.

    Earlier this year I initiated three positions in US Stocks (GE, VZ, JNJ), which means I don’t have a single month without paycheck. It’s still small but still, a paycheck every month 🙂

    Anyway, all of your success is more than well deserved! Congrats Jason & keep up the good work. Always a pleasure to follow the inspiring story.

  6. So Jason if my math is right your portfolio increased by about 36k last month, that’s more than I make in a year so that in and of itself is pretty amazing and speaks volumes to how large your “snowball” has become. I’m sure you will continue to break records all the time as you continue to release capital more and more.

  7. Jaw dropping!
    Congratulations on buying all the companies. Just like that, you’ve added almost 1k forward income. And the increase in the portfolio is out of this world. It’s almost a 15% month over month increase !
    Thanks for sharing and inspiring the rest of us to invest.
    D4s

  8. Jason,

    Supremely awesome! Did you buy HCP on 10/14 as well? Saw that on twitter but maybe it slipped through the cracks. You sure packed a lot of snow this month onto what is slowly becoming an avalanche!

    Are you ever reachable by e-mail? I tried the contact form a few times and did ask your site admin to forward the message to you (as you suggested in a comment to someone else), but didn’t hear anything. Thanks!!!

  9. Wow, that was a lot of ‘company’ name dropping in that article :).

    I didn’t realize you were so active in October, and nearly adding $1,000 in dividend income is fantastic.

    At 82 companies, you’re basically a diversified BDM of your own portfolio of stocks!

  10. Congrats on an amazing month!

    Glad you were able to pick up some SBUX. I think its a great company and there seems to always be huge pile of cars outside no matter what time of day it is. I thought it was a bit expensive when I picked some up in May, but it has since risen +20% so I can’t complain.

    Now you can look at it as if they were paying you to drink their coffee!

    -FwF

  11. I added some Wal-Mart shares as well on dip. The stock should not have been pounded so much by the market, it is too strong of a company. Glad to see you found multiple new opportunities this month.

  12. Woo. Wasting no time getting that extra capital to work! I finally started a position in IBM with 10 shares on its most recent dip and 35 of WMT not long ago. I will probably get more of each sooner rather than later. What an awesome jump in your freedom fund graph, it wont be long now till you get to reinvest those extra dividends! Hard work is rewarded and you are a living example.

    Andrew

  13. Hooray for a good October! Seems like we’re all feeling the market love. And I can personally attest to that Whole Foods customer love and loyalty. Pretty sure our household could keep them afloat singlehandedly, which should mean that yours is a good investment long-term. 🙂

  14. Jason.
    You’re killing it. All the sacrifices and just taking a chance on changing your life has become reality. Welcome to the life of an investor now. :). You’re ripping it up. Thanks for sharing and it’s nice to see posts from you. Cheers to us my friend. Best wishes.

  15. Jason,
    Enjoy reading FF updates and congrats on your great progress. If possible to share, I would like to learn how to make smaller transactions (<$1000) without paying brokerage commissions. Thanks.
    Carl

  16. DG,

    The more high-quality companies, the merrier. This thing is shaping up to be the collection I’ve dreamed of for a long time now. Still a few acquisitions out there, but the “masterpiece” is nearing its completion. 🙂

    Hope you had a fantastic October over on your end as well!

    Best regards.

  17. ADD,

    You’re definitely in an amazing spot there for 27 years old. I didn’t even open a brokerage account until I was almost 28 years old. You could probably stop investing today and STILL be ahead of where I’m now at when you’re 33 years old. 🙂

    It’s definitely been an amazing journey. I think there are few people who come from more humble beginnings than me, which is maybe why I appreciate all of this so much. Every dollar I now have is there because I worked incredibly hard for it. I fought and I fought to get to this spot, and I continue to fight every day to reach the top. I continue to climb with everything I’ve got.

    Keep up the great work over there. Just imagine where you’ll be in your mid-30s. Pretty crazy stuff!

    Best wishes.

  18. retire early,

    You’ve got the “early” part of things down pat, that’s for sure! 🙂

    Good for you. That’s fantastic. I’d already be financially independent and then some had I started back at 19 like you’re doing. Compounding, as you know, works best when you have that really long runway. You’re starting about as early as possible, which puts the you of 10 or 20 years from now in a pretty amazing position. You can see what I’ve done with less than six years, so just imagine what you can do with 10 (which still puts you below 30).

    Best of luck!

    Cheers.

  19. Nicola,

    Thank you. It’s been an incredible year. It seems like every year gets better and offers more. It’ll be tough to follow this act in 2016, but we’ll see. 🙂

    Hope all is well!!!

    Take care.

  20. FF,

    Your net worth climbed five figures in one month?! Wow. That’s pretty incredible. You must have a very sizable asset base there working for you. Awesome!! 🙂

    The market was indeed kind to us last month in terms of our paper wealth, but I’d rather see it go the other way so that my real income grows that much faster. But we take what we can get. As always, it’s a market of stocks rather than a stock market, so there’s always a deal out there somewhere.

    Thanks for stopping in!

    Cheers.

  21. Fjonsson,

    Thanks so much! 🙂

    Yeah, the near-term cash flow is much higher than normal at the expense of long-term cash flow with the moves I’ve made recently. It’s not something I typically encourage, as I recommend boosting your long-term cash flow at every chance. But I didn’t do it for money. I did it to achieve a better balance in my life as I was starting to let my online activities consume me. I can say that the move has been a raging success in that regard. 🙂

    Glad to be a fellow shareholder with you there in those three companies. Might be small now, but I was only collecting a few bucks as recently as early 2011. The snowball really starts to move fast if you put some effort into it early on.

    Keep it up!

    Best regards.

  22. Tyler,

    It was an incredible month. Definitely not something I’ve experienced before. I truly would have rather witnessed the portfolio drop by $10k or something so that my fresh capital buys more shares (and more dividend dollars), but such is life. I think I picked up a really nice mix of stocks here in terms of quality, growth prospects, and yield. We’ll see how it goes, though.

    Keep it up over there. Every day, every dollar, and every opportunity counts. 🙂

    Cheers!

  23. D4s,

    I just try to live up to my own recommendations. I try to walk the walk rather than just talk the talk. I believe in regularly investing as much as you can, and this is me living that out. 🙂

    But I really hope it inspires others out there. This portfolio is a great collection, and it’s nearing completion now. But it wasn’t built in a day. It was built over almost six years now. And it took everything I had. Every day was used as an opportunity to save, invest, and slowly achieve more freedom. I hope that example lives on for many years.

    Appreciate all the support. You’re kicking major butt over there as well. Keep it going!!

    Best wishes.

  24. Well done! You’ll be over the 1k mark per month before you know it! I also took a first time stake in MAIN last month while it was under $30. Almost looks too good to be true; +7% yield that pays monthly and bonus pay-outs, but, the research was good and I need to move into that sector. Thanks’ for the inspiration and keep on rolling!

  25. anon,

    Thanks so much for catching that. I totally missed transferring over that HCP buy to my list. I think that’s all I forgot, though. I also updated the dividend income information. The portfolio value and portfolio page is correct, though, because that gets moved over directly from my brokerage accounts. Thanks for pointing that out! 🙂

    I’m definitely reachable by email. I get emails regularly forwarded to me, so I apologize if they didn’t forward yours to me. If you want to try again and just make sure you include a forward message in the subject, it should go to me. In addition, I’m always reachable via Twitter and Facebook.

    Take care!

  26. RTR,

    October was just one of those crazy months. It was so, so fun. I wish every month could be like that, but that’s sadly not the case. Should be able to stay fairly busy until the year ends, and then it’ll likely be much slower starting in 2016. But that’s okay. Nearing the finish line with every new purchase. 🙂

    Creating my own miniature Berkshire Hathaway over here. Love being the guy at the top who collects all the checks.

    Congrats on the big move up in your net worth over the month of October. Keep it going!!

    Cheers.

  27. FWF,

    Boy, I’m with you on SBUX. One of the best businesses in the world. Shame on me for not picking it up earlier, but the valuation and yield always left a lot to be desired. I don’t see that company slowing down markedly anytime soon, so I just bit the bullet here. I doubt the 60-year-old version of me will mind I paid full pop for SBUX back in 2015. Good for you for buying even earlier, though. Great call there! 🙂

    I’m at a Starbucks right now. Being a shareholder makes the expensive coffee go down a little easier.

    Thanks for dropping by.

    Take care!

  28. Vawt,

    Tough to pass up WMT here. It’s trading near my cost basis, but I bought most of my stock years ago. It’s pretty sweet being able to get the WMT of 2015 at 2011 prices. 🙂

    Keep it going!

    Cheers.

  29. Andrew,

    Thanks for the support. Much appreciated. It’s been a long road to get here, but at the same time it feels like all just flew by. That’s why it’s so important to save and invest – that time is going to pass, either way. You want to end up better off on the other side. 🙂

    Great job there with IBM and WMT. We’re on the same page. Both have their work cut out for them, but IBM basically doesn’t have to grow at all to provide a really solid long-term return. I just hope to see revenue stabilize for them at some point.

    Best regards!

  30. ONL,

    Ha! Appreciate that very much. 🙂

    The Whole Foods here in Sarasota is always slammed. Always. It’s just one of those premium brands, but they do need to get back on track with things. Some of the recent developments have been disappointing, but that’s why you see the stock down so much this year. It’s as cheap as I’ve ever seen it.

    Cheers.

  31. Tyler,

    My dreams are definitely coming true. And it’s happening in real-time here. I’m so glad I started the blog, which has provided me this unique opportunity to share all of that over the years. Financial independence is unfolding right before us. I can only hope it’s inspiring. 🙂

    Keep up the great work over on your end as well. Those dividend checks are enough to pay for a really nice lifestyle in most parts of the world. That’s an incredible position to be in!

    Best regards.

  32. Carl,

    If commission fees are your biggest concern, you might want to check out Loyal3, Robinhood, or Computershare. Not recommendations, but those platforms are the cheapest I’m aware of.

    Hope that helps! 🙂

    Take care.

  33. Halw,

    Glad to be on board with you. 🙂

    I’ve long been hesitant to the idea of investing in BDCs because you don’t really know what you’re investing in. It’s somewhat analogous to investing in banks, but underwriting a mortgage, say, is a lot different than investing in some business that might not be around in a decade. It’s just higher up on the risk-reward scale, but I have room for that in the portfolio now. Wouldn’t have been (and I wasn’t) comfortable with the idea about 40 stocks ago, however.

    Let’s hope they continue to do their thing. I’m a little concerned over valuation when looking at the premium to NAV which could reverse itself. But I wouldn’t mind averaging down heavily if that were the case. The bigger concern will just be whether or not management continues to do the right thing. So we’ll see.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Cheers.

  34. Holy cow you’ve been busy on those buys lately Jason. Amazing that you’re able to add so much money in to your freedom fund. We also initiated some purchases as well.

  35. Jason,

    Awesome picks! I too initiated a position in MAIN in mid October. There’s a lot to like about them… 14 divvys a year works for me! Looks like great minds think alike! I’ve had my eye on SBUX lately, and I wish I would have bought more when I originally initiated around $50 (post split unfortunately). Either way if they keep raising their dividend at 20%+ a year it won’t take long to get a decent yield on cost. Best of luck to you in November, and I look forward to seeing the updates on your monster portfolio and dividend income!

    Best wishes,
    Steven

  36. Wow Jason, really awesome. Just imagine a Jason 5 years ago 😀 .

    I could really see the “snow ball effect” in your portfolio. A similar move in November and December will put you above $300K portfolio in 2015. You are already well ahead your yearly goal.

    I took advantage of recent drops and initiated tiny positions in HCP, EMR, and UNP. I am slowly moving into U.S market.

    Keep rocking Mantra!!! 😀

  37. You’ve been a busy busy bee. Congrays on all the purchases and the almost $1 k bump in dividends in one month. That’s amazing. I was a bit disappointed to see the markets climb as much as they did in October because our cash flow is finally stabilizing so I can get back investing soon. There’s still pockets of value out there though.

  38. Awesome month! You picked up some great companies. I’m actually heading over to Starbucks right now too. The coffee really isn’t that expensive compared to other options (if you stay with just black coffee, that is!)

    Quick question for you: About a month ago I too sold BBL at a loss to offset capital gains. It’s 30 days since I sold it. Do you have to wait 30 days from the day sold or the closing date (typically 3 days later)?

    Thanks,

    Scott

  39. Tawcan,

    I’ve been so fortunate to be able to stay busy lately. Not going to last much longer, however. Another good month or two and that’ll be it.

    Keep staying busy over there. You guys are generating some serious dividend income. 🙂

    Best regards.

  40. Steven,

    You know, I looked at SBUX around that $50 mark and concluded that it was about as much as I could see paying. And then it goes on a tear and they raise the dividend by 25%. There might not be that P/E contraction due to how well they’re doing, so I just decided to finally jump on. If it drops from here, I’ll just average down. A win-win, either way. Glad to be a fellow shareholder, though. That last quarter was incredible across the board. A big base, but they continue to grow stores, SSS, and pricing. That’s the trifecta there. 🙂

    Thanks for dropping by. Best of luck to you in November as well. Hope we get some tremendous opportunities.

    Best wishes.

  41. FJ,

    I’ll tell you, I never thought I’d be this far into it in late 2015. Things are coming together really well. I’m incredibly fortunate and grateful. 🙂

    Great moves over there with those stocks. EMR is going through some challenges right now (few companies aren’t), but the value is incredible. I never thought we’d see it drop so far. But that’s what makes it a market.

    Keep it rolling over there. Every day is an opportunity!

    Cheers.

  42. JC,

    Thanks so much. I was busier than I’ve ever been. Really fun. Wish it could be like that more often, but we both know that it’s those steady and consistent contributions that matter more than anything else.

    Glad your cash flow is stabilizing. Been a rough year for you guys with the family and everything else. I’m sure brighter and better days are ahead. 🙂

    Cheers!

  43. Scott,

    Man, I wish I could say I just stuck to the black coffee. But I’m the guy who buys the fancy iced coffees. Yeah, that guy. The first time I did so I almost couldn’t even drink it because I felt like I was just throwing money away. But then I saw what happened to my productivity and income, and there you go. I drink with impunity now. 🙂

    As far as your question goes, my understanding is from transaction date to transaction date. I’ve never read anything relating to the settlement dates. I checked that with my brokerage (Scottrade) before I bought back in and they confirmed that. That’s my knowledge on it. Hope that helps!

    Thanks for dropping by. Hope you had a killer month over there!

    Take care.

  44. Way to go Jason!
    I like Potash as well. Have you took a look at Agrium? (AGU). I think it will be even a better investment than Potash over the long run (more diversified). Take a look, it might hit your watch list 😉
    Cheers,
    Mike

  45. You invested over 17K this month! Even with dividends re-invested you put up a ton of fresh capital! Wow! Putting that money to work!

  46. Mike,

    I actually did take a good look at AGU. It’s really a different business model (focused on retail), but I think it’s a pretty strong business. I might own it as well, but POT strikes me as the much better value with the much higher yield. Morningstar has POT substantially undervalued with a wide economic moat, and I agree with that. AGU, on the other hand, is almost fully valued with no economic moat (according to M*). Again, both solid businesses. Different businesses, though. And I think POT offers a lot more income and upside. But there’s room for both.

    Cheers!

  47. Jerry,

    I’m really fortunate to have strong cash flow right now. Of course, that’s going to take a rather significant dip starting early next year, so I’m just trying to do all I can now.

    Keep in mind as well that this encompassed part of November as well, so there’s more than just October’s cash flow put to work. Regardless, it was way, way above my average. I’ll take it when I can get it. 🙂

    Hope you had a great month over on your end, too!!

    Best regards.

  48. Its been awhile, but I’ve still been around. I just felt compelled to comment here. Typically the these posts are more or less the same as far as explaining the forces that lead to the results. Usually I’m content just viewing from afar without inputting because these posts seem to highlight a constant trend of slow and steady upward mobility, but my socks were blown off when I got to the last paragraph. I saw $962 and thought, “oh what else was bought ?”, but then the kicker came saying your annual dividend income rose by that amount in just one month. My annual dividend income is right around there and its taking me a year and half to get there. Then you top it off by highlighting your total fund value has increased by $37K. If you were to talk to me three years ago, it would take me two years just to amass that much from the working income at the time. This only took one month, I’m sure you had a lot of income from the blog assisting, but the majority had to come with appreciation from the fund sitting at just over $210K at the beginning of the month. Just under a 20% increase. Heck, from your own experience it took you well over a year to amass that amount also when you started here. AllI can do is repeat Lanny’s comment above. “HOLY SHIT!”. The Snowball has literally fallen off the cliff and your just standing there in the edge waving and saying “ou revoi” as it just continues to grow and grow and grow outside your control. At this point you can only basically throw snowballs at it from a distance, but in the grand scheme they matter very little at this point.

  49. Jason,

    Congrats on a big time month !! I have to say, all sensible purchases, shopping from the bargain bin is the best way to shop !

    So tremendous boost in cash flow too. Is it all from the blog ? Coaching ?

    Curious because I have followed you for years, and this was such a massive jump in purchases these last two months… and I noticed all of a sudden you stopped posting your income/budgets at the same time..

    Glad to see you doing so well

    Guy

  50. Dividend Mantra,

    That is quite the impressive month. This will definitely help the snowball ball grow and speed up becoming financially independent. Starbucks is has a good environment in most of their shops. I think they need to step up and purchase more comfortable chairs. If they do this, I think their business will have explosive big time growth.

    My portfolio increased by just over 4%, which I quite suprised at.

  51. That’s fantastic because earlier this year it was around $200,000. I love how it keeps going up. I love how your blog offers a beacon of hope for normal people. Thank you! ^_^

  52. Great job again jason, nice rise in portfolio value. With you on POT, it may take a couple of years as it is being dragged down with all commodities so we’ll see. Almost the end of 2015 already, find it hard to believe how fast it has flown by. I think 2016 is going to be stellar. best T

  53. Congratulations on your big month! By my rough count that’s $18,769.52 invested since the beginning of October. I think I speak for a lot of your readers when I say that it is great to see your success. In addition to the net $17,056 invested in September you have invested around $35k of new money into the market in 2 months. Absolutely great.

    Apologies if you addressed this in an early post and no need to answer this question if it is too personal. You have said that your near-term cash flow has been positively impacted by (and I’m reading between the lines on this next point) the partnership and changes you announced in September.

    Is this sudden jump in free cash flow largely related to this partnership (would it not have come about without the partnership? – probably can’t answer) and something that is going down due to your coming decreased role? (Probably can’t answer the last part)

    I guess I find it hard to read your success financially over the past few months and see you say that you are stepping away and that your income will decrease. I understand that part of your goal is to live the life/lifestyle that you want to leave and to live within your means. Creating around $1,000 per month in net additions to your dividend income is awesome. I just wonder why you would not ride that out longer on the income side!

    From a reader’s perspective, I just hope you continue to find health, happiness, and prosperity.

    Best

  54. TDM,

    Hey, thanks for dropping by and commenting. Appreciate the ongoing support. I know you’ve been following along for a while now. 🙂

    “The Snowball has literally fallen off the cliff and your just standing there in the edge waving and saying “ou revoi” as it just continues to grow and grow and grow outside your control. At this point you can only basically throw snowballs at it from a distance, but in the grand scheme they matter very little at this point.”

    That’s exactly it. I contributed a lot of capital this month, but my capital contributions are going to slow markedly here pretty soon. I just don’t need to aggressively accumulate assets much longer because of that snowball effect. The S&P 500 was up something like 8% last month. So on that $211k base, that’s an increase of almost $17k in portfolio value before I do anything. The dividend income rolls just like that. My forward dividend income is now sitting at somewhere around $9,500. So a 7% dividend growth rate on that is an additional $665 per year, or $55 per month. At a 3.5% yield, I’d have to invest almost $20,000 to achieve the same result, which is amazing. I mean it wasn’t that long ago that it was a real challenge for me to invest that much money in a year. That’s more than $1,500 per month. That’s serious savings. So it’s just amazing. I’m so proud to be here. I always knew I’d get here – I was confident from the start – but it’s still amazing to see this thing start to take off without me. It’s a huge relief to not have to worry about putting so much capital away for another five years or something. I’m looking forward to giving my back a break.

    Keep it up over there, my friend. You can see what I did here. It’s not magic. It’s just consistent hard work, saving, and investing every single day, every single month, every single year. I’ve had to be a little opaque about some numbers going forward (although, not really that opaque if you’re looking around), but it’s otherwise all there for the world to see.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Best regards.

  55. Just wanted to jump in here for a second. I have an account with Merrill edge, and as long as my monthly balance in Bank of America checking, savings,IRA and stocks is over 50k I get 30 free trades per month. Another sweet tool they offer is a expected dividend income schedule. It shows me expected monthly income 12 months forward which allowed me to buy more into certain months to smooth out the cash flow. Just a personal observation for you to check out and decide for yourself.
    Cheers

  56. Guy,

    I’m still doing the same thing I’ve always done. Looking for that right combination of value, growth, and quality. Seems like most of the stuff I’m looking at is either on the very low end of yield or the very high end. So that’s where I’ve been shopping. Of course, I’ve already filled out major positions like PEP and JNJ and the like, so there you go. Fortunately, there are still so many great companies out there to choose from. I can’t believe stocks like Colgate, Starbucks, and UPS are just now hitting my portfolio this late in the game. Just goes to show you there’s more than 20 high-quality names out there.

    As far as the cash flow and what’s going on with the blog, I discussed all of that recently here:

    https://www.dividendmantra.com/2015/09/an-exciting-new-beginning/

    Both the article and the comments (more than 400 of them) already explained as much as I can. 🙂

    Cheers!

  57. IP,

    Thanks so much. I honestly couldn’t be more pleased. I never thought I’d be in this position quite so soon, but it’s great to be ahead of pace. I can take it easy next year, which is what I plan to do. We’ll see, though. I sometimes put in 100% even when I don’t have to. It’s just in my blood.

    I hear you there on Starbucks. The one that’s within walking distance to my apartment does have wooden chairs that aren’t extremely comfortable. I imagine that’s a cost/durability thing. I have renewed understanding/appreciation for it as a shareholder. 🙂

    Congrats on the 4% move. 4% on top of 4% on top of 4%… you know what happens with that.

    Best regards.

  58. Lila,

    Appreciate that. Thanks so much.

    I’m definitely just a regular guy. Didn’t have a dime to my name or one piece of knowledge about any of this back in late 2009. And here we are six years later. 🙂

    I hope all is well for you!

    Cheers.

  59. T,

    I’m with you on POT. Doubt it’ll be something that turns around quick. But I’m about as patient as they come. Meanwhile, I’m all too happy to collect that hefty dividend. 🙂

    I hope 2016 is stellar for both of us. Every day is an opportunity. So 365 of them is just amazing to me.

    Best regards!

  60. David,

    Well, I’ve honestly put out about as much information as I can relating to the changes here on the blog. But I think anyone who’s been following along and sees the changes in what’s going on (and the changes that are yet to come) will easily be able to figure everything out. There are a lot of breadcrumbs I’m leaving out there. This update is an example of that. It really only takes a little reading between the lines and quick use of a calculator to see exactly what I’m doing. But, yes, the partnership has affected both my near-term cash flow and long-term cash flow. The former for the better and the latter for the worse. Help isn’t free, but it’s been totally worth it for me.

    As far as why I didn’t ride things out longer, it’s just one of those things. It’s like anything else in life. Why didn’t I stay another month or another year at the dealership? Why does someone divorce their partner on a Tuesday? It’s just one of those things where the timing is right. You just feel it when it’s there. Could I have made much more money by keeping on like I was all by myself? Absolutely. But was that really best for balance and happiness in my life? I’d say no because I’ve now experienced more than a month on the other side, and I’m very, very happy with the additional time and easier work schedule.

    In the end, this whole thing isn’t about money. It’s about time, happiness, freedom, flexibility, and just really being the best version of you. I was getting to a point where I was letting my writing and everything else I do online consume me. And that, in my view, just isn’t healthy, and it’s not what this is all about. But I’m still writing a lot and working pretty hard. And I’m still earning a very healthy income. Just a better balance now.

    Keep in mind as well that I’m not one of those guys that wants to accumulate millions of dollars. I don’t need a lot of money. I don’t need status. I just want to be free. So doing what I did allows me to have additional time while also converting near-term cash flow into dividend dollars that will buy me increasing freedom now and down the line. It’s all part of the plan. 🙂

    Hope that answers your questions.

    Thanks for dropping by.

    Take care!

  61. Jason,

    My fault, maybe I wasn’t clear

    I just noticed that you went from investing $3,000-$4000/month for many months (I have been a fan of yours for several years now) to all of a sudden investing $18,000 in one month. A really incredible jump.

    I read that link to an “exciting new beginning” right when it came out, and even read many of the comments as they came through. From that article, and those comments, I just never came across how you will be able to go from investing $3-4k /month to now an amazing $17-18k all in one month. I didn’t see how a partnership was gonna increase your cash flow that much

    Hope I’m not prying too much but pure curiosity from a long time follower.

    Guy

  62. Guy,

    The partnership was structured in such a way that was mutually beneficial to both parties. My short-term cash flow was positively affected at the expense of long-term cash flow, so my bump in investing activities will naturally slow here pretty soon (probably by the end of the year).

    But that’s all I can really say about it. As I noted in the linked article, there are some privacy requirements that I agreed to as part of the partnership.

    Someone below you asked a similar question and I did my best to answer. That’s about as far as I can go with it.

    Cheers!

  63. Hi Jason,

    You just tore it up in October. Well done! Can’t wait to see your December dividends! Your portfolio size is impressive and you are reaching critical mass.

    I just made a purchase of WFM in October with dividend income, buying 100 shares at $30.62. I feel like Buffett, can’t get my hands on enough capital. Just have to be a little patient.

    I wanted to ask your thoughts on GEO (The Geo group), an REIT that manages prisons. They seem to have a good track record and are trading at what appears to be a fairly low valuation. Can you look into them and let me know what you think? Yield is high as is their track record for growth.

    -Mike

  64. Mike,

    Thanks so much!

    Critical mass is indeed arriving now. It feels amazing. I’ve been pushing this snowball with everything I’ve got for more than five years now. I’m kind of looking forward to seeing it roll by itself. 🙂

    We might get an opportunity to average down on WFM tomorrow by the look of things. The quarter was, all in all, fairly disappointing. But the more that stock is driven down, the more I like the idea of adding another 5 or 10 shares. Don’t see it as a big position, though.

    Another reader asked about GEO a couple months ago. I looked into it a bit. The fundamentals are solid. The yield is high and the dividend is well covered. And the valuation appears really attractive. The debt load is a bit concerning, however. In my view, the big thing to consider is simply the business model. I’m not sure I want to be in that business, as I’m just not sure I see the growth trajectory looking out over the next 20 or 30 years. If anything, we have what could be described as an incarceration epidemic here in the US, and the potential for broad marijuana legalization could be the opportunity a lot of people are looking for to reduce that somewhat. So that’s something to consider. GEO has some international exposure, but it’s relatively light. Just my $0.02 on it.

    Keep rocking over there!

    Best wishes.

  65. holy toledo! I knew it was going to be big… after reading all the purchases…. but damn bud. You are absolutely killing it! I remember when your freedom fund passed 100K, and when it flirted with 200K; a little below, then above.. and then now… a lot above! Well done Jason! I’m absolutely in awe…

    This snowball has a life of it’s own. I know you know this already, but it’s worth repeating.. You can literally not invest another dime and just watch those dividends roll in, reinvest, and then let the organic growth do their thing. That is a wonderful thing to watch. I’m no where near where you are as far as portfolio $$ is concerned, but you’ve certainly motivated me.. again and again, and again.. with every post that comes on. Did you ever think 5 years ago that it would become this large? I mean I know you did.. but still… it’s just amazing.

    That said, I know that the December dividend income will break 4 figures. If you broke September with $1000 then given higher amounts and organic increases…. I’m looking at $1200! Sigh…. I’d like to get there someday…. Congratulations again Jason. I’m looking forward to the end of the year updates.

    j

  66. – Random question from audience: “Jason, how many stocks did you buy in October?”
    – Jason: “All of them..”

    I’m that impressed. Nothing more to add.

  67. It is nice to see that you are making progress.

    My personal snowball has not yet start rolling fast, but I reached a personal goal this autum on the 500.000 dkk mark (app 78.000 dollar). If I take my employer and private pension into account then I have app 142.000 US dollar:
    http://myroadtofinancialindependence.wordpress.com/2015/05/11/portfolio/

    My personal goal is to be FI at age 50. So I still have some years to go (turning 33 this year and I started my journey around 6 years ago)

  68. Another inspirational post Jason, thanks!

    My portfolio is also at an all time high, but I wish it weren’t. As I’m still in the accumulation phase I’d prefer lower prices. I should finish November-December with $600+ months, highest ever. Seeking to hit $7k next year in dividends; looking forward to reading more about your progress next year as well.

    Best,

    Karl

  69. Jason, what are your thoughts on Shell? I might add to my position because it looks rather unrealistic to me that this company will cut its dividend, something it hasn’t done since World war II. But then again, if oil stays below $50 too long, I’m not sure it’ll last. Shell’s yielding 7% at the moment, so the market doesn’t seem to believe the dividend is sustainable. On the other side, oil is cyclical – so this might be the time when wealth is made. Enlighten me with your thoughts please.

  70. I’m not sure I’m understanding your post.
    Your post doesn’t make it clear if your purchases were this month, last month, or the last two months.
    How much cash were you able to deploy in the last 60 days to acquire these companies?

  71. You are right, WFM is down again today. Worth considering a few more shares.

    Thanks for your thoughts on GEO- I too have concerns with the long term growth of the underlying business. Fortunately there are enough other compelling companies out there- it’s a big universe.

    -Mike

  72. Nice work! I’m also excited about Whole Foods, as I mentioned in a recent blog post. I’m especially excited they recently announce a change in capital structure (i.e., increased dividends and share buybacks). At this substantially lower valuation, I think they could be a good acquisition target if nothing else. I think investors have reacted a little too sharply to low same store sales comps, which I think is probably more of a result of Whole Foods lowering prices than it is of encroaching competition. Great buy at 50% discount for a premium brand! Happy to hear I have another friend in the minority of us who think WFM is a good buy! Note: I am long WFM.

  73. Congrats Jason on living the dream , you earned it! May I ask why you’re not a huge fan of the telecommunications industry? I’m happy with Verizon’s dividend and comfortable with ATT too. But I value your opinion highly.

  74. Jason, congrats…. I have been following you since your portfolio was 148k, in no time it has grown to the size it is now. This is what consistent hard work does to us
    I added a few JnJ and BP last month. Regards

  75. Jason,

    Holy crap, what a month. I want to comment more, but there are just too many good moves made to really do that. I am sure changes with this site and everything else are pushing that snowball faster.

    – Gremlin
    Also long WMT, VFC, and AAPL

  76. Hello,

    First of all if I open your blog in the Netherlands I see 3 Dutch ad blocs, so you earn a little dollar cents from the Netherlands.
    Those dollar cents will become hopefully dollars in the foreseeable future.
    Okay having said or better written that.

    Wow !! you received during the month of September over $ 1000 in total dividends.
    Today, I read you invested in the month October over $ 15.000 in dividend stocks investments.
    Wow your site must have been in a turbo drive lately.
    Today or the coming days you Freedom Fund is worth “a quarter of a million Dollars” WOW !!!!!!

    82 stocks that you do have is too much for me to follow.
    I have only 20 stocks and I focus less on dividends and more on growth.
    My strategy is called: ” defensive growth stocks with low volatility and growing dividends”

    For example:
    EPS GROWTH LAST THREE YEARS AT LEAST 8 %
    EPS GROWTH NEXT YEAR AT LEAST 10%
    SALES GROWTH LAST THREE YEARS AT LEAST 5%
    DIVIDEND YIELD LESS THAN 4 %
    PAYOUT RATIO LESS THAN 60%
    P/E LESS THEN 21
    Low Volatility and over 70% trend correlation

    Stocks for example I bought many years ago are : Nike, Adidas, Starbucks, Aalberts Industries,McDonald, Philip Morris*, Altria Group, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners ( BIP ), Colruyt, Heineken, ASML HOLDING, BRK-B the cheap one.

    PM 6 YEARS AGO.

    Met vriendelijke groet.,
    Warm regards

    George T
    Nederland

  77. i’m taking full advantage of my age to someday be able to retire alot earlier than most of my peers, who needs to finance a new car at such a young age when you could retire 10 years earlier? thanks for the blog, and i also see you reply to every single comment which I’m sure takes quite some time!

  78. Now we at least know for how much you have sold the site (down-payment). Good that we know how much you spend per month the last 3 years, and since that is not going to change soon, the investment + the spend is your income. Thanks.

  79. Good Day Jason
    Holy cow that was a incredible month for you. all those new positions, and adding to your current positions. That was just incredible. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the year turns out. Congrats on the good work.

    Cheers

  80. j,

    Thanks for the support. I honestly can’t believe it. I always knew I was going to be financially independent by 40, outside of some kind of catastrophe striking me. But I didn’t anticipate being this far along at this stage. It’s a huge relief to see this thing start to take a life of its own. The last six years flew by on me, but it’s been a grind where I’ve been at it 100% every single day. So I’m very much looking forward to slowing down at some point here and just letting this monster go and ravage. 🙂

    But I do hope that this journal… this real-life journey documented in real-time… inspires others. I was working at a car dealership, just getting by. I didn’t know a thing about any of this. And I didn’t even really start all that early. I see some people starting at 19 or 20 years old, and that’s just incredible. I can only wish I would have started so early. However, I think my experience shows that even just a few years at this thing can radically change your entire life. And I think that’s really comforting.

    Hope all is well!

    Best wishes.

  81. Tauri,

    Ha! I wish I picked up all of them. I did pick up a pretty good chunk, though. I’m super fortunate. 🙂

    Hopefully, you had a fantastic October over on your end as well.

    Cheers!

  82. beers119,

    Congrats on your success and progress over there. That’s fantastic!

    We’re the same age, so it’s exciting to see our journeys play out like that. You might get there a lot faster than 50, though, with where you’re now at. Keep it up!

    Cheers.

  83. Wow your fund has really grown a lot since I started following your blog. But it is true that there is no hard number of good stocks to invest in. Why choose to stick to some arbitrary limit of stocks and forego potential greatness in stock number 81, for example.

    Lot’s of names that I like are included above. YUM, VFC and those health REITs are looking quite attractive these days too. Looks like I’ll be adding to the health REITs in November as many other names have come back quite strong recently. As always, inspirational and fun to track your fund’s progress and dividend income. Thanks for sharing.

  84. Karl,

    I totally hear you there. I also wish my portfolio value was about 10% lower, taking everything else by 10% or so with it. But we take what we can get. It’s funny because I’ve heard a few times now how lucky I am to be investing in today’s market, lifting my portfolio value and everything. As if that makes things so much easier for me. People don’t understand that investing right now is a huge headwind for my success due to those dividend dollars being more expensive to attain (higher prices = lower yields). But some people just don’t get it.

    Congrats on the progress over there. $7k in annual dividend income is really serious passive income. That’s more than most people will ever see in their lifetime, and you’re still building on it. Keep it going!

    Best regards.

  85. Ayrton,

    I added to my Shell position back in September. All in all, I’m lukewarm on the company. Fundamentally, it’s one of the worse supermajors out there. But that’s why the stock is where it’s at. I look at it like a yield play. I wouldn’t expect much dividend growth or share price growth absent some kind of major development for the company or oil/gas spiking. Operationally, they can improve a lot, so I’m hopeful that materializes and drives some upside to the numbers.

    I view the dividend as secure. Again, I wouldn’t expect much growth on it. But they have enough FCF to cover it and they have a very healthy balance sheet. I think it would take a major calamity (something similar to what happened to BP a few years back with the spill) to put the dividend in danger.

    Best of luck!

    Cheers.

  86. FV,

    Definitely. Paid to wait on that one. Could be quite a while before fertilizer recovers… or not. Either way, they have healthy FCF down here and a great balance sheet. I expect that dividend to continue rolling in the account. 🙂

    Cheers!

  87. lifetimeandmoney,

    Nice! Looks like you have a good-sized position there in Whole Foods. I’m not quite as sanguine about the quarterly report, but I don’t think they’re in major trouble or anything. Just a different growth trajectory, which is why you see that big P/E ratio contraction. But the accelerated buyback is nice.

    The thing I’m most disappointed about is the dividend raise. I think it’s great they raised it because they don’t have that lengthy track record you can count on, so it looks like they’re committed there. At the same time, that kind of dividend growth combined with that low yield doesn’t make sense for me, so I’m hoping next year is a lot better. I modeled in much higher dividend growth when I valued the stock. Hopefully, that averages out looking forward.

    Let’s hope they pick it up for us! 🙂

    Cheers.

  88. Freddy,

    Thanks so much. I really am living a dream come true these days. I’m so incredibly fortunate and grateful. I honestly have to pinch myself sometimes. I tell you, hard work goes a long, long way. And you have to believe. Confidence in the plan through thick and thin is huge. 🙂

    I discussed some of my concerns with telecom stocks here:

    http://dailytradealert.com/2015/10/02/these-23-dividend-growth-stocks-go-ex-dividend-next-week-2/

    To sum it up: You have intense competition, high fixed costs, and the penetration rate for smartphones is already really high domestically. So there are limited growth prospects. Moreover, you had this explosion over the last decade for smartphone adds, and yet the results for some of these big players aren’t that great. So if they can’t knock it out of the park with that kind of transition, you have to wonder what’s ahead.

    That all said, the dividends for companies like VZ and T are secure here. They’re seeking out growth because they know their core businesses have limited opportunities. That’s why you see the acquisitions and consolidation attempts there (DTV, AOL, etc.).

    Hope that helps!

    Best regards.

  89. SY,

    Thank you!

    You’re absolutely right there. I’ve consistently worked my butt off for years and years to get to this spot. It’s not easy. But I can say the rewards are absolutely worth it all. 🙂

    Keep it going over there. The snowball will just continue to roll and roll…

    Cheers.

  90. Gremlin,

    I had a crazy month, that’s for sure. There’ll be less to digest with future updates, unfortunately. 🙂

    Keep it going over there!

    Cheers.

  91. George,

    Thanks for dropping by from the Netherlands! 🙂

    Sounds like you have a great strategy there. We think very similarly. I personally don’t find it particularly difficult or time consuming to follow a big portfolio like this, but it’s certainly not for everyone. Even 20 stocks is too much for some people. But the more, the merrier for me. Too many high-quality companies out there for me to limit myself. For instance, Nike (one of your holdings) is a stock I still don’t have (but wish I did), and I’m 82 stocks deep now.

    Keep it up over there. We’ll get there, slowly but surely.

    Take care.

  92. Kruezz,

    Well, my short-term cash flow was positively affected at the expense of my long-term cash flow. I’ll be looking at slower-than-usual activity in early 2016, but I’m definitely fortunate to stay busy right now.

    Take care!

  93. michael,

    Thank you very much. I had a lot of fun with it. The odds of it ever happening again like that are somewhat low, but it was incredible while it lasted. Now I know what Warren Buffett feels like for, what, one second of his life. 🙂

    Hope you had a great month as well!!

    Best regards.

  94. Keith,

    I’m with you all the way. Arbitrarily and artificially limiting oneself is silly if they don’t find following a big portfolio burdensome. I really don’t spend a lot more time with it than I did when it was half its current size. And there are still a lot of really great stocks out there I still don’t own.

    It’s funny because a lot of people who wouldn’t recommend running a big portfolio like this will instead buy ETFs. But they generally own hundreds of stocks via those ETFs. So it’s just so funny to me. “Hey, bud, you do know you own about 500 stocks when you buy the S&P 500, right?” But it’s not like you’re following all 500 stocks every single day or something. Same goes for this portfolio. The world is so funny.

    Thanks for dropping by. Best of luck finding those deals you’re looking for. 🙂

    Cheers!

  95. A 17.4% increase in a month is massive! Congrats on the awesome progress – looks like you have a lot of purchases and you are putting a lot of your money to work. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing and inspiring the rest of us.

    Best wishes
    R2R

  96. R2R,

    Thanks so much. It was a really great month across the board. Added some nice “pieces” to the “collection”. 🙂

    Keep it up over on your end as well!

    Best regards.

  97. Thanks’ for the extra info on MAIN. I always enjoy and appreciate your posts. I wish I would have discovered the Dividend path much earlier, but better late then never.

  98. Congrats DM! on closing on $250K in assets and building a portfolio of 82 paychecks. At this rate, you will have close to 1/2 Million in total assets and a guaranteed millionaire in few years 🙂 Keep racing!

  99. Jason,

    Wow! Talk about an incredible month. I can’t believe you added nearly four freaking figures to your dividend income this month…truly amazing. You bought some high quality companies this month. I love HCP. However, since I already have a high stake in the company I continue to look elsewhere. The important thing is you keep adding and building this income stream so you can continue to pursue and chase financial freedom. Although you may be able to make an argument that you are already there!

    Keep up the great work and keep on inspiring others like us!

    Bert

  100. Highlandfool,

    It’s never too late to start. 🙂

    MAIN just reported a great quarter. I wish I would have initiated a position when it dropped a bit below $30 not long ago, but there are only so many opportunities I can chase at one time. I’m sure I’m missing out on some even now with all the extra activity. Never enough capital to go around. 🙂

    Cheers!

  101. Bert,

    I can’t believe it, either. It’s been really crazy over the last few months. I’ve made some changes that simultaneously improve my schedule while also allowing me to take a big leap toward financial independence in the short term. My long-term active income prospects aren’t as great as they used to be, but I don’t think I’ll need to worry much about that. I’m super fortunate to be in this position. 🙂

    You and Lanny are doing great over there as well. We’re achieving freedom one day at a time. That light is getting brighter and brighter!

    Best wishes.

  102. Thanks, seems to not have gotten through. Same deal for Facebook, unless I’m doing something wrong. Maybe you can email me at the address associated with this comment?

  103. My savings rates is much lower than yours. I think it is around 30% but I have never calculated it. I am not living as Frugal as mr Money Mustache. And since I like my job (at least right now) yhen I think I will continue working even when I become FI.

    A lot of my colleagues think it is a bid funny that I have an expensive bike ( around 2.500 dkk) insted of a normal bike. But they dont take into the account that I save a lot of money via biking instead of buying a car. And since I am a person who NEEDS to exercise then it is a greaat way to save up.

  104. Jason,

    I’m in shock! Like in S-H-O-C-K! Looking forward to seeing future updates.

    Congratulations!

    Raymond

  105. Awesome progress DM! Some big increases you’ve been pumping out lately, keep it up! Looks like you are on track to easily hit 300k in 2016! Im hoping to hit my first 30k by the year end, markets and cash flow willing 🙂

  106. Sharon,

    Thanks. Appreciate it. 🙂

    I”m really glad to see this snowball start to take off and accelerate. Looking forward to doing less pushing here at some point. It’ll pretty soon be able to roll faster than I can push it. 🙂

    Hope all is well!

    Cheers.

  107. Raymond,

    Ha! I felt the same when I added it all up. I highly, highly doubt this will ever happen again for the rest of my life. I can already tell you that November is shaping up to be considerably slower. And December probably slower still. But that’s okay. I’m getting closer and closer to ending the accumulation phase and letting this thing go. 🙂

    Hope you had an outstanding October as well. Love days like today with big drops on some of my favorite names. Shopping time!

    Best wishes.

  108. DW,

    Seems like every year gets better than the last. Although, that’s what compounding does for you. You just put yourself in that situation where money starts to make money. It’s really wonderful. 🙂

    You’re doing great over there for your age. Just keep at it. Success begets success.

    Best regards.

  109. Jason, you invest more than 20 000$ in one month ! Your blog is an incredible money machine. Please, make an IPO, I want buy shares of DividendMantra !!

  110. Eric,

    Ha! I wish the blog were making that much money per month. Nowhere near that now, but you never know. The opportunities/possibilities online are pretty incredible. 🙂

    Cheers!

  111. Hi DM,

    it seems you had a strong month! Crazy all these buys. I think I will go for max 50 positions as long as I have a day job. But once I’m FI I might end up with some more. The magic of compounding is awesome when you see it happen in your brokerage account.

    Cheers,
    G

  112. WOW!!!!

    You’ve just added a strong September’s dividend income to your annual dividends. Jason, how does it feel to have essentially created a thirteenth month?

    That snowball is starting to roll faster than you can keep up.

    Sincerely,
    ARB–Angry Retail Banker

  113. ARB,

    Ha! I think that wins the “Comment of the Year Award”. 🙂

    A thirteenth month. I like that. I guess that’s just what I did here.

    I wish every month were like this. I’d be financially independent inside a year at that rate. But I’m super fortunate. And I’m ahead of pace. I’m so grateful.

    Hope everything is turning out just as well for you!

    Cheers.

  114. Can you indicate in your updates how much new money was invested so we can see what derived from existing investment alone?

  115. Hi DM,

    This month you added quite a few great names to your Freedom Fund. The massive $962.76 increase to annual dividend income is very impressive! The diversification from 82 holdings provides not only regular cheques but also some safety in case one sector has a rough patch for an extended period leading to slow dividend growth. I like the idea that it should not matter whether the latest pick is your 50th idea or your 80th, they’re all screened and selected based on your analysis. I also believe there are many top-quality dividend stocks out there so keep up the great work!

    Cheers

  116. Wow! 17% increase is fantastic! Your graph is very impressive. Great list of dividend stocks too. I will keep your list in mind when we have a little extra cash to invest.

  117. Barry,

    That would be a great suggestion if every month were like this. But I’m usually investing a much smaller sum of money, resulting in far less transactions. So at that point, that curiosity is solved by adding up a few numbers real quick. It’s never really come up before (probably because it’s not hard to add up $2,500 or so worth of transactions), but I think it would be helpful to know that information if I were typically investing this much money across a similar number of transactions. Unfortunately, things will be back to normal here pretty quickly.

    Take care!

  118. dn,

    Thanks for all the support. I’m just so fortunate to be in this position, and fortunate as well to have the support from the community. Always doing all I can to live up to that and provide as much value and inspiration as I can. Amazing things are still yet to come. 🙂

    Hope you’re having a great weekend!

    Cheers.

  119. Joe,

    Thanks!

    I definitely think there are some great candidates up here. It’s especially nice when you can get that “just right” mix of yield, quality, growth, and value.

    Best wishes!

  120. Hi Jason,
    I really appreciate your articles and ideas.

    I’m a fellow shareholder in OKE. I’m considering buying more but I’m concerned about the dividend coverage. Earnings seem much lower than the payout, yet they are projecting to continue growing it. Is this sustainable?

    Thanks,
    Nick

  121. Nick,

    ONEOK operates under the MLP structure. It’s the general partner of OKS. As such, you shouldn’t really be looking at earnings. Rather, you should be looking at cash flow. If you looked at the most recent earnings report, you’d see the dividend coverage ratio improved YOY from 1.12 to 1.34. Still tight, but not uncommon for MLPs. I’d recommend becoming more familiar with the stock you own and how MLPs operate. 🙂

    Take care!

  122. Hey Jason, how do you keep track of all your positions? My main concern is that a buy might make perfect sense today but within a few months or years perhaps they lower divided or stop paying all together. That goes against everything the freedom fund stands for… how do you make sure you have no dead wight? Has that happened to you already? And if so would you just close the position? Thank you so much for this site. Future me really appreciates everything you inspire me to do today!

  123. Jesse,

    A large portfolio like this isn’t for everyone. But it’s not that difficult to keep track of these stocks. It’s just like if you own an ETF or something – you’re not tracking every stock every day. However, I’ve discussed that already here:

    https://www.dividendmantra.com/2014/11/is-managing-a-large-dividend-growth-stock-portfolio-time-consuming/

    As far as dividend cuts, I’ve only experienced them a couple times now. ARCP eliminated its dividend after an accounting scandal was announced. I sold my position there due to trust issues. And then more recently, Baxter’s dividend (when combined with BXLT) is less now than what it was with the legacy company. That’s not a traditional dividend cut, however. Rather, the new (combined) dividend is just lower after restructuring. But I continue to hold because I like the businesses and I’m hoping outsized dividend growth makes up for that. If the dividend growth isn’t significant, I’ll probably move on.

    So I haven’t really experienced what someone might think of as a “traditional” dividend cut in the sense that a company is falling on hard times or something and the dividend is cut due to problems with fundamentals. That really doesn’t happen all that often if you keep tabs on these businesses. But if it were to happen, I’d just look at it on a case-by-case basis.

    Hope that helps!

    Cheers.

  124. Where’s the rabbit ear post? I’m glad that was taken down. What a total disaster.

    Save those type of posts for April 1, 2016 🙂

    -Mike

  125. Jason,
    No doubt, you had a great month!!! I think you will agree, great months or much better than bad months? The market is all over the place, looks like that gave you an advantage to pick up some good stocks!! You have a great following and they have some good comments.
    I picked up some Plum Creek (PCL) and it has gone up pretty good! It has a yield of 3.78%. Wish I could pick some of your nice bargains?
    You talk about having free trades? Would you mind sharing how you go about getting free trades? Also, what stock broker or company do you use? As you are aware of, every little bit helps! Pennies add up to make dollars!
    Thanks and keep writing!
    Nut501

  126. Lol! Did you guys seriously delete that guest post. Jason, I guess you owe an explanation and what direction this blog is going to take. There are a lot of us who are very disappointed!

  127. Whoa now, Jason doesn’t “owe” us anything. He’s given us so much over the years, sharing intimate details of his life story in order to teach and inspire us. I’m with you, Harry, that this transition has been disappointing, and I’m sure the events of this morning were dismaying to him as well. But he deserves our patience, and continued gratitude, after all he’s done for us. Jason is the man!

  128. I consider this a mutually beneficial relationship that we are all profiting from. But ya, that guest post was wack – although the comments were hilarious to read.

  129. Meanwhile, in dividend news, McDonalds (MCD) announced a dividend increase of 5%. That is a 5% pay raise from my passively owned MCD shares.

  130. Hi Jason,

    Great work!

    Im just at the start of investing in UK, have £12k in vanguard life funds at mo.

    To get my head around some very rough future forecast with dividend growth investing I’ve put together a 15 yr forcast of likely income/returns.

    Do you have something similar? If your interested see attached link! I think the maths is right.

    Basically it calculates each years dividend income by isolating each years investment, so yr 1 is just the money invested + standard yield. Yr 2 is the same calc for the new money invested that year (yr 2) + yr 1 original invest but with the increased div yield i.e.: ( investment + (the yield x div growth %) and so on through 15 years adding it all up along the way.

    See link below if your interested, or if I’ve got this completely wrong!! Just to note my calcs are assuming no cap gains on stock price as this is impossible/ hard to predict and i guess sort of included in the div growth? – i have assumed static capital value except for growing the div.

    http://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Tth8kddlolfrzsEZFUc-WGUnna73_mSd2PCQuIsSvw/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true

    Any thoughts, or if you have different way of forecasting your future income?

  131. True dat! he doesnt owe us anything and I am so grateful for the tips the last couple of years that Jason shared with us.

  132. just one more thought!

    What is the implication on return of stock turnover. What i mean is if some of the stocks disappear, bankrupt, stop increasing dividend etc etc? Obviously then the rollover effect of growing div yield is destroyed for that part of your portfolio – obviously one reason Jason has +80 stocks, but surely more stocks just means more probability of that happening as well….?

  133. Just take the average.. as long as you have buy quality with mostly dividend aristocrats u will be fine.

  134. Love the old site Jason. Sorry you sold out. New owners only in it for the revenue. Can’t blame them but this will be my last visit due the lack of interesting content. Anytime you have to delete content due to negative comments,you have a problem. Good Luck Jason. Regards Jeff Greenhalgh

  135. @Jeff Greenhalgh.

    x2, the cost of selling out is in full force for us all to see. Why? Can understand why Jason was feeling overwhelmed, but there are many paths Jason could have chosen to walk.

    Ease back on the throttle, don’t feel the need to respond to every comment. Most bloggers allow their articles do the talking for them, comment section is for the readership.

    This didn’t have to happen. It is a disappointment, as a first time commentator and long time reader. I’ll continue to watch, and hope that things turn around.

    David

  136. X3. I am also a first time poster but a long time reader. I used to get excited when I got an email that there was another article on the blog. However, the site has changed and unfortunately, not for the better. I felt I shared a lot in common with you and the other readers but now, not so much. Good luck Jason.

  137. Good to see your progress here, Jason! Is your Freedom Fund intended to provide some specific level of income, ala FI/RE (financial independence / retire early) thinking? If so, why not also (or instead) visibly track income progress?

  138. I am really sad that Jason is stepping down, or got let go or whatever happened…..THIS HAS BEEN MY INSPIRATION!!! I have followed jason since the beginning and just recently started dividend investing and am tracking my journey on thedividendkid.com. hopefully I can someday have the portfolio of Jason, that really excites me!

  139. wow your portfolio is quite impressive! You went from a market value of 50K to 250K in 4 years! I am 25 and I hope I can achieve this in 5 years or so.

    You’re really an inspiration! I wish you would post more like before… Almost all the blogs that I have visited have you as their inspiration.

  140. Hi Jason,

    and great work growing your dividend machine!

    What are you throughts about limiting the number of holdings? If I´m not mistaken you have about 80 different hodlings which (I asume) would make it difficult to track them in regards to sales, profits and dividend payouts.

    In other words my question is: In your mind what are the pros and cons in having a stake in 80+ companies compared to less like 25 to 50?

    Best regards,

    Stefan

  141. Hi Jason, thanks for sharing your experience. Please, which site do you use to study stocks? I just start studying by morningstar, I think it’s very good to do this by morningstar or guru focus. Do you think it’s reasonable to buy a membership at morning star just to study stocks? Google finance or yahoo finance I think it’s not so good.

    I always read your blog and recommend it to my friends, sorry about my english I’m not native english.

    Thanks,

  142. Hello Jason,

    I usualy came here read your blog but today i have a question for you.
    With so many companies in your portfolio isnt easier to buy an etf like VOO from vanguard?

  143. Jose,
    Jason has said throughout his blog that is not his end goal. He wants to own individual companies to get the most out of the dividends. Also what would be the fun in just putting it in a etf instead of doing it yourself? haha

  144. Dude seriously this has been up for almost a month and now you say something? Really?! Lol

  145. OK, then I won’t tell you. Good job putting your link in there again 🙂
    However, I refuse to visit the site! I absolutely, steadfastly, 100% refuse to do so and you cannot induce me to look. Furthermore, I encourage others to follow my lead!

  146. Hello! This is a great website and i admire you. Please keep posting, more often if possible:=)!

  147. Has anyone noticed the owners of this website deleted the last blog post that contained over 800 comments? Also Jason is now going full retard on his Twitter account, going after high yielding BDCs.

    This whole drama is as bizarre as his marriage to a woman who is old enough to be his momma.

  148. Can’t say as though I blame them. Certain rogue elements seem to have ruined things around here!

  149. You guys are doing a great job at keeping this site updated. To bad you took down the other post.

  150. What was the point of buying this website without adding new relevant posts? Maybe they figured the traffic would remain strong enough to turn a profit off advertising on old posts?

    And why was the post with 800+ comments deleted??? This website sucks now!!

  151. Good job this site is ruined now. Was nice following your blog but this will be my last visit here. Thanks for everything Jason.

  152. I wonder if the comment sections here will get deleted if it continues like the last one. And then the same thing will happen to the next post until the site eventually becomes empty…

  153. First time commenting. Read every post from Jason and have been big fan from the start of this blog. For past 2 years I opened this blog everyday to whether Jason had published new interesting post. Seeing a respected and honest-seeming blogger like Jason treating his fanbase like this just sad and pathetic. Loved the blog, loved Jason. Ok, I understand buck is always a buck and selling blog might have been financially solid decision. Still shame on you Jason, leaving your lifework on a hands of these new puppets! My first and last comment and last visit on this site. Even if this site would turn out alive later on, I still cant return here, feeling like betrayed. At least we would have deserved proper explanation, that’s not too much to be asked. Greetings from cold Finland and keep you folks (readers, no Jason nor new puppets) head calm in recent market turbulence 😉 Good luck on your investments!! 🙂

  154. Guys,
    I’m sure this was part of the long-term plan from day one. This is the goal of many independent financial blogs. Back in the day well established blogs used to sell for HUGE money. I am very happy for Jason. He seems like a really nice guy and was cool to interact with online. And his blog was most interesting.

    Of course he doesn’t owe us anything but the web is weird because without readers no one would have purchased the blog or have generated bluehost revenue.

    Blogs like this though rely on the very personal posts of the originator.

  155. What will happen is you’ll see “Your comment is awaiting approval” of course they’d be shooting themselves in the foot.

  156. Dividend Miracle – just checked your site. You are another young dumb DGI investor. A lot like those that followed this guy. I give you credit, you do give your performance. Having fun with BBEP, BBL, FRO, almost all of your portfolio is underwater….how the heck do you lose on PG?? Let me guess, you buy HIGH and tell everyone you don’t try to time the market…Cuz you have years ahead of you. Right?

    Go to SA and check out Chuck’s new article. Its all about value. Learn something. I will check back when you are in your late 30’s 10 years from now. Oh wait, you won’t have a blog then, and will have been utterly frustrated with investing and say the stock market is a gamble. Well, it is the way you are using it.

  157. Looks like they took that down now too. It’s too bad, much of my best work was in that post.

  158. Yeah, what a way to waste the potential of this website! I’m assuming that the there must have been some type of term in the sale contract preventing Jason from starting another competing financial website for some length of time, which would explain why we haven’t heard from him.

    Maybe Jason got a big payout. For all we know, he’s sitting naked on a pile of cash rubbing one out while reading the comments posted here!

  159. I would stop contributing to these people Jason. This website is dead since they took over and treated our concerns as a joke. They’re not willing to put in the hard work like GRS editors and writers did after they bought out from J.D. Roth.

  160. Looks like discussions with Jason have finally broken down. I’m guessing they own his book too, since that is staying up.

  161. Wow, what a disaster. Jason, are you happy now? Look what you did all because you were chasing the buck.

    This is such a shame. I’ve lost all respect for Jason.

  162. It’s over! Even Dividend Miracle seems to have stopped spamming us with his site link. Shut the site down!

  163. I’m willing to wager that Jason is going to team up with that guy Kraig from young cheap living and start their own thing. They’ve posted their photos together on twitter with some other people and it looks like they’re producing a show behind the scenes (one post mentioned a video shoot).

  164. So, most mentions of Jason have been removed from the site and even on the book page it admits he’s not here anymore. There’s also a “contribute” section that is begging for third party articles.

    The guys who bought this site are absolute garbage clowns and have completely ruined, in the space of a couple months, a site that was somewhat vibrant and popular. I just can’t imagine what they were thinking. “Hey guys, let’s buy the site, do nothing at all other than put up a couple of poorly thought out articles, remove them when the community backlashes, and then do nothing again!”

    I suspect advertising revenue has been quite good as people watch the implosion but that’s going to dry up now that people will stay away in droves.

    I, for one, will not be back to Dividend Mantra again. I absolutely, steadfastly, 100% will not return! I can not be induced to do so under any pretense and I suggest that you all follow my lead!

    Rather, I’ll now be spending my time at, and participating in comments at, Dividend Miracle!

    http://www.dividendmiracle.com !!

    Good day to you!

    Goodbye!

    Jobo

  165. Yes, they shot a video on Mike and Lauren’s YT channel. Be interesting to see Jason working with Kraig – I enjoyed their podcasts – hopefully something big happening behind the scenes.

  166. So do I. I suspect it’s because I’m not using any words that might be banned or viewed as suspicious. Having said that, I did have a couple that were automatically moderated but they were entirely innocuous. It appears as though they’re basically asleep at the wheel.

  167. Who do you think owns all of this content now? If the new owners, then Jason really shot himself in the foot. Intellectual property is worth its weight in gold and seems like Jason simply handed the keys to both his blog posts and his book for a pittance.

  168. IBM getting smacked today. So much for the “mantra” of dividends and mimicking the investments of the “oracle” Warren Buffett.

    Jason must be getting his a55 handed to him today. I have some KMI I can sell you…

  169. Well since you have KMI shares to sell, it looks like you are a “Jason Sheep” and bought every stock he wrote about without doing some homework yourself. The same goes for IBM. Who is dumber now?

  170. Mike,
    Thanks for letting me know and yes the 3 you have above are getting smacked as is all of oil as you know. I started last year around when the market was at an all time high so yes all of my companies should be down as the market is at (15900). I started when it was at 18K, so yes it should be down if its not then something would be seriously wrong.

    Thanks for the help and I will continue to add while its down. so I won’t be frustrated as you have said. Thanks again

  171. Wow. I kindly throw traffic towards dividend miracle and he complains!

    Never again!

    I’m out and I won’t visit his site again! I urge all of you to do the same and refuse to fall victim to his nonsense. I absolutely, steadfastly, refuse to be involved any further and nothing can induce me to change my mind.

    Goodbye!

  172. I will watch you gut it out DM. I am rooting for you. I hope you make it. When you do, I will be a follower. Brave all this, go all in, and we will see how it comes out. Thanks for the comment back. I provoked you –but you didn’t bite. Good for you.

    Let’s watch your story. Post your buys and sells regularly and you have a fan. Keep updating your portfolio and you will be the new DM (Mantra) when its all over. Go thru the bad times and be a success.

    The biggest issue with Dividend Mantra is that he started at the floor or the bad times and sold at the top of the good times. There is no way to judge his performance. He got lucky and cashed in. Ride a bull market an sell out. Great timing for a guy who hates market timing!

    I will watch you–the new DM, prove yourself. Bad times, good times. Jason never faced a bad time. You can.

  173. Mike,
    Lol. Thanks and I will try to push as hard as I can! I need to work on the buys and sells posts but it should come around. Also its funny you say that about Jason because when I first found his blog I was thinking the same thing about him starting near the bottom. haha my daughter could have picked any stock and made a come up.
    Thanks again and hopefully 2016 won’t be so bad? lol

  174. Jason/Jobo/Dividend Miracle….We get it, ok? Good luck with your new little fake site over at Dividend Miracle. “Jay” instead of Jason? Dividend Miracle instead of Dividend Mantra? New life story? Responding to almost every post? Censoring critical, revealing comments? Really? It’s all a bit obvious, don’t you think? Kind of sad and pathetic.

    Good luck with your latest scam. Remember, it’s hard to lie constantly without contradicting yourself.

  175. Thanks Newman.
    Except I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and currently live in DC with my wife and daughter. Just got back from Jamaica for a week after being married. So No I am Not Jason. Lol (Also born in 1987) So please get your facts straight unless your like Mike above at which he was very helpful and kind after our exchange. Thanks again

  176. How dare you try to lump me in with Dividend Miracle! I am not affiliated with him or his site, in anyway. Furthermore, i am absolutely horrified at so much as even a hint at an association, however tenuous and casual.

    How dare you, sir!

    I will not read any more of your posts! I simply cannot and will not be induced to do so, by any means! I steadfastly, resolutely, 100% object to your slanderous accusations and reserve the right to defend myself vigorously in a court of law!

    Goodbye!

  177. Jason/Jay/Jobo/Dividend Mantra/Dividend Miracle,

    Why wouldn´t you create a new narrative? That was the only way to keep the scam going. Why do you censor comments? Yes, you know I´ve tried to comment a couple of times. But time is on your side. Soon the old readers will be fed up with this childish nonsense, and you´ll have new readers who aren´t aware and won´t be aware of what´s happened, because you censor comments, and after a while nobody gives a shit anyway. So they´ll be easy to fool. You’ll also probably have a nice income from your blog. Everything according to plan! How you tolerate yourself is beyond me, though, but maybe you have some psychopathic traits and just don´t give a shit.

    You seem extremely immature, Jason.

  178. Can we please hear from the new owners of this site? What is the focus of the site and when will they freshen it up and give it direction.it seems many followers are leaving. Did they kill the goose that laid the golden egg?

  179. Jason killed the goose because he didn’t understand (or just didn’t care) the difference between getting back end help and selling his site.

  180. Again, how dare you, sir! I am deeply and grievously offended to be lumped in with Dividend Miracle in any way! I’m now seeking out legal representation to ensure that any further slanderous comments don’t go unpunished!

    You seem extremely slow-witted, Newman.

  181. They got ride of Jason’s PORTFOLIO. Glad I copied it when i did a few weeks ago!! They are not subtracting big items that made this website so popular in the first place!

  182. Godaddy whois lookup no longer lists Jason as the owner of this site. It’s now owned by Maria Laura Viquez and Gustavo Saenz.

  183. I googled the new owners, looks like they’re a flashy looking power couple that pitches financial coaching. Their webpage is in spanish: liber.la

  184. So let me get this shit straight: Jason basically lied to everyone about recruiting help with “managing” the backend of this website, when in reality he cashed in with some digital marketing firm headed up by some glamorous latino couple who happen to participate in bodybuilding contests.

  185. Jason Fieber is one talented LIAR! Don’t fall for his scheme. He’ll be doing the same thing again this year as he promised his twitter followers another blog. He’s buying and selling his readers like a bunch of penny stocks.

  186. He posted “012916/CM,TH” on Twitter.

    A quick google search – moving to Chiang Mai, Thailand?

  187. Moving to a 3rd world country that can’t go more than 2 years without a political coup….. Any idea whether he’s taking the misses or will he cut and run on her again?

  188. If he does move to Thailand, I wouldn’t doubt that him and Claudia split up — if they haven’t already, after that one guy posted her mug shot on this website. There’s no way she’ll leave her job and sons behind to follow some cheap bastard to a third world country.

  189. Did a quick search on Sarasota county marriage records. There is no record of him and Claudia getting married. Searched both names. The guy is a LIAR! No proof he was married. And now moving to Thailand? HAHA!

  190. Hello people, put 2 and 2 together??? Guy sells his site, claims there was a fallout with new owners, then packs his bags and moves to Thailand. Hmmmmmm…..

    Said it before, say it again: Jason Fieber is a LIAR!

  191. He used the term “bittersweet,” same thing he said when he dumped her and moved to MI. I believe he dumped her again. Why else would it be “bittersweet?” Here is his tweet:

    “Less than a week out until the next phase begins. Bittersweet, exciting, scary. We’ll see how it goes…”

  192. My first inclination was that you were just BSing, but I searched all of FL, no marriage license for Jason Fieber. No luck. As a control, I searched for a friend of mine who I knew got married in FL (I was at the wedding).

    Of course Jason could have gotten married in another State. But he did state that he went to the courthouse… Damn, this guy’s life gets sketchier every day.

  193. No I’m not B-S-ing. I know someone else that was married in Sarasota and was able to look them up. But neither him nor Claudia’s name came up. On the other hand, if you do a criminal records search, you’ll see Claudia’s DUI case from 2009.

    The guy is a LIAR.

  194. I think Jason really wanted out of blogging but he dressed it up into a story of him entering a “partnership” and then later played victim in the whole dispute between him and the new owners, thus gaining sympathy from his current fan base. I highly doubt that the new owners had any intentions of ridding this site of Jason, and Jason can’t play naive when he knew what he signed up for when he sold the site.

  195. Post from retire by 40 site

    http://retireby40.org/retiring-in-a-bear-market/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

    Jason Fieber January 26, 2016, 1:11 pm

    Joe,

    Good stuff.

    I agree it’s tough to retire right as a major correction or bear market sets in. Selling off assets on the cheap is getting things started off on the wrong foot. That’s why, like a few others, I focus on dividend growth stocks. Those that think you need to save too much or work too long are really incorrect. My portfolio yields about 4% right now, so that’s right in line with the generally accepted 4% SWR, except I don’t need to worry about selling off assets.

    The good news for many of us, though, is that a lot of this is a moot point since it’s not terribly difficult to make a few extra bucks from some type of work (online or otherwise). Those retiring rather early are in even better shape in this regard. Work and financial independence aren’t mutually exclusive endeavors.

    “I would love to take a few years off and go live in Thailand or Ecuador. ”

    I’m feeling that idea, Joe. Especially Chiang Mai, Thailand. It occurs to me that my projected dividend income for 2016 (about $10k or so) could just about cover a pretty modest lifestyle over there. Hmm… 🙂

    Cheers!

  196. I like how this character Jobo no longer hangs out here. Must be busy packing his bags for his upcoming trip…

  197. So he travels all the way to El Salvador to visit Claudia’s family. Then I’m guessing by his tweets decides to dump her and move to Thailand. I highly doubt she’s dragging her autistic kid with her to a foreign country. Claudia was suspiciously absent during his BBQ dinner with Kraig (that guy has always struke me as a creepy bastard). If that’s true, then Jason is one major tool.

    All this on the vague hope that his dividend income, now overburdened with many stocks at risk of a dividend cut, doesn’t blow up in his face.

    Did he think any of this through? Does he have a place to stay? Does he speak any Thai at all? Does he know anyone living there who can show him around?

  198. It’s really sad to see what has come from this site in the recent months. This site inspired me to start my own blog but ever since then I’ve seen absolutely nothing coming from this site (except to remove the portfolio and replace it with a contribute tab… wth?). It’s sad to see but I hope to see it turn around. Googled the owners and they don’t look too bad. It’s definitely a pretty sketchy situation. You’ve got to believe in the best in people and hope that it turns around and finds a good revival.

  199. Believe the best in people? Nonsense! All people are like Bart unless proven otherwise!

    Good day to you!

  200. He’s definitely connected with the couple behind the tieland to thailand blog. He inquired about Chiang Mai over twitter. And he has mentioned in the past that he was seriously considering moving to Thailand.

    But remember, there is NO PROOF that he and Claudia ever got married! Don’t take my word for it, go lookup Sarasota county records.

  201. Oh you’re back again, spewing nonsense from your corn hole. Go troll around on your buddy’s website, Dividend Miracle.

  202. Indeed there was more, Jason was very clever at deceiving everyone. When you think of how things went down, it all comes together pretty clear. He was MIA for over a month, not responding to anyone on this site, nor saying anything on twitter. Pretty callous if you ask me.

  203. Not sure about stars losing their shine, but I can certainly say that everyone fell for Jason’s fools gold!

  204. Oh and, yes, I agree, no way in hell can I see Claudia moving to Thailand, with her two sons back in the States, and her job keeping her happy.

    Again, Jason used the term “bittersweet” when he went back to Michigan, and he used the same word on twitter recently when he mentioned the new phase in his life. Why is it both bitter and sweet?

  205. This site is just an abandoned city. No hope for revival, it’s dead.

    Which is why it’s so important to understand the illogical way events unfolded after this website was sold. Why would owners give Jason such a hard time that it ends up going bust so fast?

  206. Just recently on twitter, in response to someone asking about his cryptic tweet:

    “Indeed. The date I’ll be detailing it and actually undergoing it. :)”

    I’ll leave the rest of the blanks for you to fill in…

  207. Amegalo with the first decent post in recent memory, other than mine. I’ll join him!
    I won’t return to this site again in the future. I refuse to read any further posts!
    I will not post or reply on this site again!
    I’m out and I absolutely cannot be induced to be involved again! I absolutely, steadfastly, 100% won’t be back and I urge everyone to follow my example.
    If Dividend Miracle is the best to be had out there then I’m closing the browser forever and will boycott the web!

    Goodbye!

  208. You’ll be back, because you can’t stay away, Jason. It’s a little compulsion of yours. You read every post, you little narcissist. How about spending some of that dividend money on a shrink?

  209. How many times have you told us that you won’t be back here?

    You contribute absolutely nothing in trying to solve this mess–at best! Worst case is you’re really Jason and you have this perverted sense of enjoyment in teasing your former readers.

  210. Jobo,
    Thanks for the shout out with my site http://www.dividendmiracle.com haha

    Also I will have to go with Bart with this one, will you really be gone for good? Only time will tell lol and my blog is just my journey and I want people to be aware(at which people have found out about stocks through the blog) hardly the worst and hardly the best. Thanks again!

  211. Meh, I may come and go, who knows. The laughable thing is that you feel there’s something to “solve” here. It’s a dead site whose former owner is gone. Nothing for you to solve or do, other than complain.

  212. What!?!?

    You’re still spamming us with your site link!

    Well, I, for one, refuse to visit! I will not do so for any reason and I thoroughly hope others will do the same. I am grievously disappointed in your continual efforts to derive traffic in this way!

    I steadfastly, absolutely, resolutely, 100% for sure will not ever visit your site again! Nor will I ever come back here again!

    I’m out and I won’t be back!

    Good day!

  213. You can’t be back because the link is now gone from the site and you proved Bart right. Lol Lol

  214. Thats cool but others still like it sooooo that was a waste of a comment. Besides Bart was right again! My man

  215. Supposedly Jason wrote up a description of what happened to DM. Anyone friends with him on FB who can share the highlights here?

  216. It was actually one of the better comments on this site. (lol lol LOL)
    I’m doing a public service and helping people to avoid going to sites they will regret clicking on.

  217. Looks like they have now disabled the comments link on areticles but you can still manually come in and comment.

    I will not be stifled!

  218. On his facebook he states that the deal went sour – doesn’t give specifics. That he is no longer moving out of FL and plans to stay there with his partner and her kid. He plans to set up another site in the future but doesn’t give a date. That’s about all that came out of it. Lots of comments on it though.

  219. That’s it? The deal went sour? There is no way I believe that he didn’t know he was selling his site, and was planning to grab the cash and screw the new owners. And now he’s staying in FL? So what was the move to Thailand? Another temporary Fieber flake out?

  220. He changes his direction more often than me changing underwear.

    At first – I look for dividend growth and don’t like companies that don’t growth their dividend.
    Today – a dividend cut means the stock bottomed out. So go and buy it.

  221. Jason, have you ever considered Limited Partnerships like CG, KKR, and NGLS? What are your thoughts on LP’s?

  222. Never!!!

    I would sooner die than enter any sort of partnership with Dividend Miracle (lol lol LOL lol)
    This impostor is making libellous and scandalous statements!

  223. We’ve devolved into a world of imitation Jobos, all besmirching my good name and devaluing my brand!

    I, for one, will absolutely, steadfastly, 100% not accept it! I’ll fight for my rights!

  224. hey there! newbie question here. you mentioned above you’d rather see your stocks’ value (capital gains) decrease rather than increase because you’d see your income rise if that were the case. how does this inverse relationship between stock price increasing causing dividend income to decrease work exactly?

    appreciate your help

  225. Everybody ignore Jobo. Don’t get too worked up over someone who trolls this site via dial-up connection at some internet cafe in Thailand.

  226. Dividend Miracle, how dare you come back and continue to try to spam us with your link once again!

    How dare you!

    I will not stand for this – in fact, I will fight against it with everything I have.

    Good day!

  227. I can now conclusively state that bart is also all fake jobos, DM, and several other “different” posters in the last several threads!

    In the words of Dividend Miracle, lol lol LOL LOL haha LOL lol

  228. I may, in fact, be. However, it’s interesting that of all people, you would be the one to point it out. Your behaviour is extremely odd and disturbing, to the point of psychopathy!

  229. Maybe he is also one of the Jobos…

  230. Mmm hmm, yeah, riiiiiiiight…..

    I’ve enlightened more people on the truth of what’s going on, while you pepper your poop all over this site. Who’s the psychopath?

    Good day to you, jackass!

  231. No, I have nothing against Thai people, but I don’t care for their food or their country, let alone their cheap lady boys, although if you’re looking for one, Jobo can guide you.

  232. “How dare you, sir!”

    HAHA! I love how you act so proper, Jason. We all know that deep down inside, you’re still a punk.

  233. How dare you, sir!

    I refuse to read any more of your posts! I absolutely, steadfastly refuse to do so! I will remain resolute in my conviction to avoid your frequent toxic piles on this site!

    I encourage others to follow my lead!

    Good day!

  234. For someone such as yourself, I can see how anything beyond a grade 8 education might seem elitist and Ivy League. Don’t worry about it too much, though, you can improve. I suggest just reading a couple of books a week (get your mom to help if you need it) and then make sure you practice your writing skills on a regular basis.

    You’ll get there eventually, bart 🙂

  235. So basically someone with a much higher level of education would behave like you, a LOSER that trolls around the carcass of a dead website and repeating the same canned response to anyone trying to hawk a crappy blog? Is that how you’re employing your literary skills?

    You’re just a sad sack of cow manure.

  236. It’s quite unlikely I’m any more educated than you, though you do seem to harbour some sort of deep inferiority complex related to your level of education, having brought this up unprompted.
    The reason I troll here, aside form the fun of it, is to point out the ridiculousness of people such as yourself becoming extremely angry and carrying out public bullying and ridicule of someone whose real story you are only guessing at, likely incorrectly.
    As I have mentioned before, it makes me wonder what personal stake you had in this site for it to cause such vitriol when it flamed out.

    and……

    Good day to you, sir!

  237. Latest tweet from Jason: “My brokerage account has around $225 more today than it had yesterday. Dividends love me and I love them. Happy Valentine’s Day to me. :)”

    What a narcissist. He should be wishing Happy Valentine’s to his “wife.”

    Just goes to show that Jason only cares about his money and no one else.

  238. How nice that you posted this in both threads to make sure nobody would miss it! Thank you, Bart, for bringing forth this important information. I’m sure I, like all other readers, will consider it carefully and come to our own conclusions about these shocking new allegations!

    Good day to you, sir!

  239. Bart is now to the point of saying good day to himself. This is not a good sign for his mental health!

  240. I see many jobos posting here. You should try to keep your laptop away from your lady boy companions.

  241. How dare you, sir!

    I refuse to be involved in thsi site for even one more second. i won’t read any more posts by bart – I just absolutely refuse to do so!

    I’m going and I will not be back!

    Good day!
    Goodbye!

  242. He most certainly is not welcome and you’re also not welcome to be posting under my glorious name!
    My strong brand is being diluted and I will not stand for it. Legal action is imminent!

    Good day to you, sir!

  243. Jason is a modern day Jesus, sent here to teach us to collect dividends from sketchy companies and bed old ladies…. thank you Jesus er Jason!

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