Myth: dividends are only for retirees. My take: I started in my 30s, and I wish I started sooner. 💰 A dividend is just a company sharing its profit with you. $VDY pays monthly, yields around 3.1%, and costs 0.22%. $SCHD pays quarterly, yields around 3%, and costs just 0.06%. You do not need a fortune. You need a start. 🌱 Myth 2: small amounts do not matter. Reinvested dividends buy more shares, which pay more dividends. That snowball is the whole game. 🎯 Dividends are not retirement money. They are patience money. Start small, reinvest, and let time do the heavy lifting.read more
Would you rather receive $1,000 every month from your investments or wait until the end of the year to collect your income? For many investors, monthly cash flow is appealing. But here’s the catch: getting paid monthly doesn’t automatically make an investment better. Let’s talk about how to approach this strategically. 👇 🏗️ 1. UNDERSTAND YOUR INCOME GOAL Start with a realistic target. 💵 $500/month = $6,000/year 💵 $1,000/month = $12,000/year 💵 $5,000/month = $60,000/year Your target helps determine how much capital you may need. 📊 2. KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO INVEST Let’s use a $1,000 monthly income goal. That’s $12,000 per year. At different portfolio yields, the estimated capital required would be: 🔹 3% yield: $400,000 🔹 4% yield: $300,000 🔹 5% yield: $240,000 🔹 8% yield: $150,000 These are simplified illustrations before taxes. They assume the stated yield remains constant and do not account for changes in distributions or share prices. Notice something important? The higher the yield, the less capital you appear to need. But a higher yield can also come with higher risk. Never assume an 8% yield is as sustainable as a 3% yield. 📈 3. RESEARCH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ETFs You don’t need to rely on a single type of fund. 💰 Dividend growth: $SCHD, $DGRO Focus on companies with dividend-paying and dividend-growth characteristics. 🏢 Broad-market exposure: $VOO, $VT Useful for investors seeking diversified stock-market exposure rather than maximizing income. 📅 Monthly income strategies: $JEPI, $JEPQ These use options-related strategies alongside stock exposure and aim to generate income. Their distributions can vary, and their returns may differ from traditional index ETFs. Remember: these funds serve different purposes. Research their holdings, fees, risks, and distribution histories before investing. 🔄 4. REINVEST BEFORE YOU NEED THE MONEY If you don’t need the income yet, reinvesting distributions can help you purchase additional shares. Over time, those shares may generate additional distributions of their own. That’s one way compounding can work in your favor. However, distributions and share prices can fall, and reinvesting does not guarantee a profit. ⚠️ 5. DON’T FALL INTO THE HIGH-YIELD TRAP Before buying an income ETF, ask: ✅ Is the distribution sustainable? ✅ What has its total return been? ✅ Has its share price or net asset value declined over time? ✅ Does it use options or return of capital? ✅ How concentrated are its holdings? ✅ What are the fees and tax implications? Your goal isn’t simply to collect the biggest payout. It’s to build an income strategy that can support you over the long term. 🎯 MY TAKEAWAY Monthly dividend income can be a useful part of a financial plan, but the strongest approach depends on your goals, time horizon, risk tolerance, and overall portfolio. Build the plan around your needs not just the highest yield you can find. 👇 Let’s talk numbers: What’s your current monthly dividend income goal $500, $1,000, $5,000, or more? Educational content only. Not financial advice. read more
It’s hard to believe that this will be Brompton’s 4th split in a matter of 14 months. My accumulated shares and increase in distributions will be approx 58.7% or a YOC of 21% by just holding the asset. This will be a 12% share increase or 12 shares for every 100 (28/25) owned for Class A share holders. The split will be at the end of regular trading session on Nov 11th 2026. The NAV will be adjusted to the additional shares and trade the following day on Nov 12th 2026. I pinned the announcement to this post as well as my position below! Congratulations to all $LBS holders for a 4th time 👏👏👏🎉🚀 https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/life-banc-split-corp-announces-210900131.htmlread more
SCHD pays WAY more today. DGRO grows a little faster over 10 years. That is the whole debate. I get why people love SCHD. A 3.3% yield feels real, you see the money coming in. But DGRO is the slow build. Smaller paycheck now, bigger growth behind it, and the 10 year numbers back that up. Not financial advice. Where do you stand? $SCHD or $DGRO for your dividend money?
That’s a wrap! 🎉 October dividends came in at $5,829.41 I’m now averaging $7,506/month, or $90,079 annually. Next milestone: $8k/month, which would put me at $96k/year in dividend income. One step closer. 📈💵 $CDAY$IWMI$TDAQ$TSPY$EQCL$QQCL$USCL$PAYG$HDIV
I'm team cash in hand, and I know that's not the popular answer. $SCHD pays about 3.00% right now. $QQQM pays about 0.45%. On $10,000 that's roughly $300 a year vs $45. But plenty of people would rather let growth do the work than chase the payout, and $QQQM is built for that side of the bet. So it comes down to what you actually want your money to do: pay you now, or compound quietly for later. Where do you stand, cash now with $SCHD or growth with $QQQM ?
I use the iShares Core MSCI Canadian Quality Dividend Index ETF — XDIV as one of my favourite broad indicators for the health, valuation, and price appreciation of Canadian dividend stocks. It is not a perfect indicator. But because XDIV owns many of the classic Canadian dividend sectors — banks, pipelines, telecoms, utilities, energy, insurance, and other mature cash-flow businesses — it gives a useful real-world view of where Canadian dividend valuations are trading. The important thing I will argue with dividend stocks is that yield is not just income. Yield is valuation. When the yield is historically high, the market is usually pricing in fear, recession risk, higher rates, earnings pressure, or some combination of all of the above. When the yield is historically low, the market is usually pricing in optimism, lower risk, higher valuations, or future growth. That is why I watch XDIV closely. At the 2020 COVID panic low, XDIV traded down to roughly $13.74 CAD per unit in March 2020. At that time, the ETF’s annual cash distribution for 2020 was $0.864 CAD per unit. That means the yield on that panic-level price was 6.29%. That was the opportunity. Not just a cheap price. Not just a high current yield. But a chance to buy quality Canadian dividend stocks at a historically depressed valuation and lock in a very attractive yield on cost. Since then, XDIV’s annual distributions have grown substantially. Actual annual distributions per unit were approximately: 2020 - $0.864 2021 - $0.984 +13.9% 2022 - $1.032 +19.4% 2023 - $1.120 +29.6% 2024 - $1.274 +47.5% 2025 - $1.452 +68.1% So someone who bought XDIV in 2020 at panic-level prices did not just get capital appreciation. They also saw their annual income per unit rise from about $0.864 in 2020 to about $1.452 in 2025. That is an increase of 68.1%. That is the power of buying dividend stocks when yields are historically high vs their average long-term yield. You are not just buying income. You are buying future income growth at a much better starting valuation. --- Example: $1 Million CAD Invested in XDIV Near the 2020 Panic Low Assume an investor bought $1,000,000 CAD of XDIV at approximately $13.74 CAD per unit in March 2020. The number of units purchased would have been approximately 72,780 shares. Annual income in 2020 Using the actual 2020 annual distribution of $0.864 per unit, the investor would have collected approximately $62,882 CAD in annual distribution income based on the 2020 distribution rate. Annual income in 2025 Using the 2025 actual annual distribution of $1.452 per unit, the annual income would have grown to producing approximately $105,677 CAD in annual income. That is an increase of $42,795 more annual income than in 2020. --- Capital Appreciation The income growth is only half the story. If that same investor bought XDIV at approximately $13.74 CAD in March 2020 and the ETF is now trading around $45.82 CAD, the capital value of the position would be the original $1,000,000 CAD investment now worth approximately $3.34 million CAD, excluding dividend reinvestment. The capital gain would be approximately $2.34 million CAD. So from the March 2020 panic low to today, the ETF price alone has appreciated by roughly 233%, before counting distributions. That is why buying dividend stocks at historically high yields can be so powerful. You get paid well to wait. Then, if the cycle turns, you get both: 1. Rising income 2. Capital appreciation That is the magic combination. --- But That Also Creates Today’s Problem The same math that made XDIV attractive in 2020 makes me more cautious today. In 2020, and again in 2022 the market was handing investors historically high yields because prices had collapsed. Today, after a massive recovery in price, yields have compressed. When yields compress, investors have already captured a lot of the upside. That does not mean XDIV or Canadian dividend stocks must crash. But it does mean future returns are now much more dependent on continued earnings growth, dividend growth, lower interest rates, or further valuation expansion. And that is where I am becoming much more careful. We are no longer in a world where interest rates are pinned near zero. We are in a post-COVID world of larger government deficits, persistent inflation risk, higher refinancing costs, and a long end of the bond market that can still reprice violently. Dividend stocks do not trade in a vacuum. Telecoms, utilities, pipelines, banks, REITs, and other dividend-heavy equities compete directly with the risk-free rate. When 10-year, 20-year, and 30-year government bond yields rise, highly astute professional investors naturally ask: Why take equity risk for a 3% to 4% dividend yield if safer bonds are offering competitive returns? That is especially true for interest-rate-sensitive dividend stocks and “bond proxy” sectors. - Telecoms. - Utilities. - Pipelines. - REITs. - Infrastructure. These are wonderful take or pay businesses when bought at the right price. But they can become vulnerable when valuations are high and long-term bond yields rise as they have done recently. --- My Investing View I do not pretend to be able to time the market on any given day, week, or month. But I do believe investors can make intelligent medium- to long-term decisions over 3, 5, 10-year cycles. That is where yield matters. That is where valuation matters. That is where patience matters. Dividend stocks should be analyzed like bonds: what yield am I getting today, what growth am I likely to receive, and what risk am I taking to earn it? When dividend stocks trade at historically high yields, I want to be a buyer. When they trade at historically low yields after a major price run, I want to be much more cautious. This is not day trading. It is cycle awareness. And the XDIV example shows exactly why. A $1 million investment near the 2020 panic low could have grown to roughly $3.34 million in capital value, while annual income rose from about $62,882 to over $105,000 at the 2025 distribution rate. That is an extraordinary outcome. But it happened because the starting yield was high, the price was depressed, and fear was everywhere. Today feels much closer to the other side of that cycle. I have made good money having converted my portfolio in the aftermath of 2022 and inflationary impact to dividend stocks completing the transition at the end of 2024. That was 2 years of painfully waiting for inflation and interest rates to fall. But I earned incredible dividends along the way. But when yields compress materially, prices rise substantially, and the macro environment becomes less forgiving, I think it is prudent to take some profits. Not sell everything. Not abandon dividend investing. Not abandon Canada. But trim. Rebalance. Raise cash. And keep only the highest-conviction names. For me, that means holding a core of the strongest, most regulated, most systemically important Canadian businesses — companies with essential services, durable cash flows, wide moats, strong balance sheets, and sustainable dividend growth. The “too important to fail” type businesses. - Banks - Energy - Pipelines - Utilities But even great companies can become expensive. Even great dividend stocks can underperform if bought at the wrong yield (note I didn’t say price). If I have learned one thing over 30 years of investing, it is that having a strategy matters — but patience matters even more. Markets can stay irrational for a while. But over full cycles, valuation still matters. Dividend yields mean-revert. Bond yields matter. Inflation matters. The cost of capital matters. And eventually, markets self-correct back toward long-term valuations. For that reason, I am now looking to trim some dividend stocks that have had tremendous outperformance versus the S&P 500 and the TSX, while keeping a core position in the highest-quality names I still want to own for decades. I am not bearish on dividends. I am not bearish on Canada. I am not bearish on dividend investing. I am simply recognizing that the best time to buy dividend stocks is usually when nobody wants them — when yields are historically high, prices are depressed, and fear is everywhere. Today feels much closer to the other side of that cycle. So I am taking some profits, staying patient, and waiting for the next opportunity when yields once again tell me the odds are back in my favour. Note: This is not investing advice, but my personal experience and views on dividend stocks. Do your own research and due diligence.read more
I’ve been looking closely at Enbridge lately as a potential long-term investment. I’m interested in building a portfolio of established Canadian blue-chip dividend stocks that I can hold for 20–30 years. Enbridge caught my attention because of its dividend history, strong pipeline business and relatively attractive yield compared with some other Canadian blue chips. However, I’m wondering whether it’s actually a good entry point right now or if the stock is still fairly valued or even overpriced. I’d love to hear opinions from investors who follow Enbridge closely. I’m particularly interested in hearing both bullish and bearish arguments. I’d rather understand the risks before committing significant money. Thanks! $ENBread more
OCTOBER DIVIDENDS TOTAL= 2,473.43 HDIF is in my RRSP so I don't include that in my monthly dividends MOVES: Took $1000 of my dividends from my TFSA to pay off my PLC and reinvested the rest SOLD: RS- my worst performing stock of the last 3 yrs and I couldn't justify holding it any longer. Wiith dividends had a capital loss of $-525. The canadian real estate market continues to do me dirty. Honestly just held onto this to stay more diversified poured what was left into HYLD Onto November stay grinding yall 💪🏽 $HHIS$HYLD$HDIV$HDIF read more
Thoughts on MSTE? Saw the crazy drop again after work tonight, Wanted to know how the community is holding on this almost 1 year journey of continuous dropping Currently -$115k and I know I am not the only one taking a heavy hit $MSTE
to start, last week i lost $1000!!! but im not panicking since we’re in it for the long term right!!! lots of school work to do this week. lots of studying and preparing for exams as well. th grind never stops let’s all do so good this week. gym is already crushed this morning what a good start to the day. since it’s a new week lest invest!! what did i buy?? $100 - $XEQT in my FHSA of course! i cant wait until i get my TFSA room back in january. let’s have a great week let’s keep buying!! read more
Hey everyone, I know I’ve been on and off since I started school back up in September. I’ve been dealing with some things that have taken the life out of me recently but now I'm starting to get back on my feet. I've been going to the gym everyday but that's been the most productive thing I've mostly been doing over the last few weeks. While dealing with this, I've been trying to keep up with school and work at the same time and it has been a lot. I'll never fall behind on school work - trust me its the last thing that'll ever happen. It was a forced break I had to take away from blossom be I physically couldn't bring myself to post - I was just trying to keep myself afloat over the last few weeks. Finally, I'm feeling better now and I'm so excited to be back. Don’t worry, I’m still investing. Minimum $100 a week while I’m in school ;) Today I’m feeling really good, the best I’ve felt in about two months, and I’m excited to start posting again. Very soon I’ll be posting my first bloom!!!! Lets go over what I've been buying since my last post 15 days ago! Total buys so far: $477.89 CAD XEQT: $472.00 (FHSA) $25.00 and $187.00 on Oct 2 $100.00 on Oct 6 $160.00 on Oct 13 VFV: $5.89 bought $0.12 in TFSA $5.77 in RRSP Dividends reinvested: $46.92 total VFV: $40.65 (TFSA) ZEB: $6.27 (TFSA, $1.95 and $4.32) From the last picture you can see my wealthsimple portfolio peaking at $51,400, add in my blossom of investment of $500 that makes $51,900! Market has been rough these last few days I hope it bounces back! Again to end, I just wanted to say I'm super thankful for the community I have built on here and I hope to continue to grow and grow to inspire more people everyday to start investing. Thank you to all who continue to stick by me. read more
MSCI just finalized new index rules that put Strategy ($MSTR) at real risk of being kicked out of its global equity indexes. Here’s what actually happened today (Oct 15): MSCI adopted a new framework to identify and exclude “non-operating companies.” These are firms whose value comes mainly from holding assets (like Bitcoin) rather than running a traditional operating business. The rules use a two-step test: 1. Does the company have substantial operating assets? 2. If not, it gets measured against five financial ratios (operating asset intensity, expense intensity, cash flow, fair-value changes in non-operating assets, and dependence on external financing). Companies that fail the operating-asset screen and at least four of the five ratios become ineligible for MSCI’s Global Investable Market Indexes. Timeline: • Final list of companies affected drops November 11 • New rules take effect at the close of November 30 • Existing index members (like Strategy) get a buffer — they generally need to fail the screen across two consecutive annual filing periods before actual removal Earlier simulations (using May 2026 data) already flagged Strategy, Japan’s Metaplanet, and uranium-holder Yellow Cake as likely candidates. Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink was also mentioned as potentially at risk. The money at stake: JPMorgan has estimated that if Strategy gets cut, index-tracking funds could be forced to sell roughly $2.8 billion of MSTR stock. That’s pure passive, mechanical selling — not discretionary. Strategy has pushed back hard, calling the approach discriminatory against digital-asset treasury companies and arguing that index providers should reflect the market, not decide what assets companies are allowed to hold. They’ve said any removal would have no meaningful impact on their actual business model. This isn’t a surprise — MSCI previously floated (and then paused) more crypto-specific exclusion rules earlier in the year. The new version is broader and asset-class neutral on paper, but it lands hardest on pure Bitcoin (and similar) treasury companies. Watch November 11 for the final list. That’s the next real catalyst.read more
JUST IN: Strategy shareholders just approved daily dividends on their preferred stocks with 99.3% support. $STRC moves first — first daily payment lands November 2. $STRF, $STRK, and $STRD follow on January 4. Strategy becomes the first company to offer preferred stock dividends that accrue every single calendar day (weekends and holidays included). Same annual rates. Same total payout. Just much higher payment frequency. This is a big structural upgrade for the preferreds. $STRC$MSTR When will there be a canadian version of STRC?read more
