Hello, Everybody! It’s been a wild year for me – Mr. WRI proposed at the end of January, and we went to have a blast in Cozumel, Mexico.
While I was having fun on my vacation, my dividend payouts didn’t take any vacation, instead it increased +124%. Let’s look at the numbers:
February Dividend 2018: $107.67 vs February Dividend 2019 $241.38
2/26/2016BMO – BANK MONTREAL QUEBc$13.64
2/26/2016COF – CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORP $16.00
2/26/2016C – CITIGROUP INC$5.00
2/24/2016RY – ROYAL BANK CANADA MONTREAL QUE$5.74
2/23/2016HCP – HCP INC$5.75
2/22/2016CAT – CATERPILLAR INC$26.95
2/16/2016KMI – KINDER MORGAN INC$10.00
2/12/2016OKE – ONEOK INC $12.30
2/4/2016POT – POTASH CORP$7.60
2/1/2016T – AT & T INC$14.40
2/1/2016DRI – DARDEN RESTAURANTS$5.00
2/1/2016DE – DEERE & CO$6.00
2/1/2016VZ – VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS$113.00
Total: $241.38
This reason why I love to publish articles updating my dividend income is because it’s pure numbers. It’s hard to argue the success of long-term dividend growth investing when you can slowly and surely see dividend income rise over time. While $241.38 is not very much, but I could cover 5 weeks of grocery with it.
The progress of dividend growth investing is real and tangible. The market can decide to take major swings day by day, but the dividends will still roll into my brokerage account like clockwork. Dividends are reliable just like my expenses, and that’s one of the reasons I plan to use this strategy as my secondary income generator through early retirement. I either use dividend income to continue to reinvest to offset old age expenses or if one day I’m tired of managing property, dividend income will serve as my main source of income. It’s funny when my income is now come from 13 businesses rather than just relying on one company (my job). My job which there is always a risk of getting fired or layoff at anytime, but with pay checks coming from 13 different sources, even if I don’t receive pay from 1 or 2, I’m still largely unaffected. That’s the beauty of dividend investing strategy.
I have achieved one of my goals to generate $6,000 in dividends during the year. I’ve now received a total of $375.92 in dividends for the year of 2016. It is 6.6% of the set goal. I’ll add February into my dividend page to reflect the changes.
It’s been a month since the proposal, so we’re planning our wedding. It’s kind of stressful for me to just think about it. I’d like a big and frugal wedding. I’ll see how’s everything will work out. Our big plan include (a traditional wedding in the Midwest where my family is living with a reception (paid by my family), a church wedding, and a reception (I’ll see if Mr. wants to contribute). I’m thinking of having it at a public park, and catering from food truck?! hehehe That way we can invite 1000 guests??!! What do you think?
How’s your February dividend income?
That is a nice income to go on holiday! Well done.
I looks like you already know where to spend the money. I like the idea of a food truck. in the park. It creates a nice relaxed atmosphere for a wedding reception.
My crazy idea also includes a good DJ who can make people dance, and maybe a dance instructor who can get everybody on the floor to do mop dance. Hehe but I’m extremely frugal and it’s getting complicated and stressful. I’ll create a checklist and negotiate my way through.
It’s a good thing that my family is paying for the traditional wedding in my hometown.
I’ll be paying for the reception here. 😛
I will not send paper invitation, electronic works :p it might save me a few bucks. No flowers, no decor, maybe $99 wedding dress. Mr. Is probably spending $700 on his suit as he only wears Hugo Boss. That way he can use it for work also.
On a wedding, I think you can splurge a little bit. We did (we were not aware about FIRE at that time, but already a little frugal). A DJ sounds nice to have
Most people advice me to spend money on photography because you can preserve The memory. But right now, I’d like to go through the pre-marriage counseling with Mr. WRI first. We never live together, so I’d be nice to work out some of the problems that married people can run into. I don’t want to invest too much time on the wedding planning, some girls might make her wedding like a career, … I’m not going to be that way. Hehe
Congrats on proposal!
Thank you! It’ll be fun when we start living together.
Congrats on the dividend increase and wedding Vivianne!
You’re exactly where I want to be, financial freedom and having an excellent partner. 🙂
Aww! Brother, you’re well on your way to FI, any girl would be thrilled to be the one behind all of your success.
I’m blessed to have a super sensitive partner on my side.
Keep up the great work Vivianne. Slow and steady and it’s only gonna get better. Cheers on the new chapter!
For sure patience is the key to passive income success. Most people would spend $20/month or a week on lottery ticket hoping for a slim chance to win 100k, 1m, 100m, 500m, I mean it gets crazy when the pot get huge. Their accumulated loss would exceed my investment, but my investments are preserved in the number of shares with the cash flow coming every month. It took me awhile to learn to be patient and get away from the “getting rich fast” mentality. 🙂
Always love seeing these inspiring results and our collective dividend income results. Happy to see a few names in common paying us as well. You have to love those Canadian banks which are delivering during these tough economic times. Thanks for sharing.
Canadian banks have rewarded me big time, the dividend yield for most of them are >4%, and all of them raised dividend this year even when the Canadian dollar depreciated against the dollars. I can’t wait to see when Canadian dollar is 1:1 to usd again.
Hi Vivianne
Wow you rock there with a more than 100% increase year on year. Only time will tell if those are worth the effort which obviously speak for itself. Compounding has just landed on your planet!!!
Doing well in school and being good at math is one thing, but having the gut to take some risks and put the money to work is another. It takes time for me to realize the concept of compounding. Right now we are in the bear market, it’s hard to see the paper loss, but the passive income keep flowing in, so I’m feeling good about it.
Hi Vivianne
Keep the snowball rolling, even in holidays we all DGI can make money 🙂
Sharon – Divorcedff
It’s magical, really! I didn’t realize I could use money to keep producing income while I’m on vacation. Passive income is great!
Great job Vivianne. Your YoY February dividend income increase is awesome!
It’s amazing what a year of growth do to dividend! I can’t wait to see what it’d be next year.
Great dividend month for you! A lot of good payers in there. Love the diversification too. Makes KMI’s cut a bit less painful.
Scott
Solid dividend income! Solid YOY increase too!
I’m thankful for finding your website and other financial blogger to inspired me to go with the the dividend growth. Even when the stock market was down, focusing on the growth in dividend was keeping me calm.
Hi Vivianne,
That’s a huge YOY growth, wow, nice job. The park and food truck sounds like a great idea..that way pretty much no-one can be annoyed about not being invited..1,000 people! Amazing that you even know that many people.
Whatever you decide to do..just make sure that you enjoy it, so often with weddings the bride & groom spend all their energy making sure other people enjoy it when ultimately the day is about them! If you go frugal on the wedding you can go for an all-out honeymoon..if you wanted to 🙂
Tristan
Mr. knows a lot of people, but probably not 1000, 1000 counts the spouse and kids. Most people focusing on food, alcohol, venue, pictures, video and decors, but I’d like to have a day of fun. Everybody would root for us, children means prosperity. I’m hoping everything would work out.
Congratulations, Viviane, on your growing income stream and, more importantly, on your engagement! It is a fun time to look forward to, though it could be stressful doing wedding planning, marriage counseling, and living together. Take care and enjoy the ride!
Cheers
FerdiS, DivGro
Thanks for words of encouragement. It’s a lot more fun now having 50-60 companies that are paying dividends.
I’m buying another property so I’m going to make some hard decision of selling some of my best position. :(. Hopefully, everything go well so the income stream will growing again after I take over the property.
Best of luck to you on growing your own dividend empire.