About

Hi, I’m Dividend Daddy

Unlike others, I didn’t come to a sudden epiphany one day about my personal finances. I didn’t undertake to move mountains through a relentless pursuit of debt reduction by squeaking out a meagre existence and saving everything I could. Not that there is anything wrong with that of course. It just hasn’t been my personal finance journey.

To be honest I just sort of stumbled into it and admittedly still haven’t figured it all out. Yet, I think I was F.I.R.E (Financial Independence Retire Early) before I knew it was even a thing.

How So? As an adult, I’ve always:

  • Spent within my means
  • Invested in equities and real estate
  • Avoided carrying credit card debt (ok I had some when I was a student)
  • Lived minimally
  • Bought quality so it lasts longer without needing to be replaced
  • Bought on sale whenever possible
  • Never owned a car
  • Had some good luck along the way with stock options
  • Worked to raise my income over my working years

So when I started reading about F.I.R.E, it set off a fire within me. One that was already burning within me, it’s just that I didn’t know it or have the nice acronym to describe it. What excites me the most about F.I.R.E isn’t the retirement thing necessarily (though on some days sipping a cocktail on a sunny shade covered patio sounds about right), it’s the control thing.

I like to be in the driver’s seat. I don’t like my job, I quit. I don’t want to work 12 months a year, I work 6 months. F.I.R.E. or at least the Financial Independence part of it means I control my destiny and that control and power to shape my own present and future is intoxicating.

My Investing Approach

Kinda like this blog: no frills and simple (though I’m still working on that part). I favour low cost Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and dividend paying stocks. I’ve avoided the scourge that has been Mutual Funds and their under performance and high fees. That about sums it up (for the most part). So I guess you could say I take a hybrid approach.

However, approaching middle age means I remember the world of fax machines and no internet. This also means that my investment portfolio is an amalgamation of approaches towards ETFs and dividend stocks that were possible at that point in time given my comfort and/or the technology and product choices available to me. Over the years, among other things, I’ve signed up to purchase Index Funds through paper and mail, used robo advisors (and still do), and purchased all-in-one ETFs (VGRO.TO) via an online trading platform.

My investing philosophy (in no particular order):

  • Active management statistically almost never beats the returns of passive investing over the long run. I am not Warren Buffett. I am not Warren Buffett.
  • Avoid Mutual Funds. Always.
  • Dividends rock! The thought of being able to live off of the dividends my portfolio produces annually is particularly enticing to me. Watching my dividend income grow over time is exciting.
  • Buy solid companies with a track record and hold.
  • Keep costs low through purchasing low cost ETFs
  • When the market is down, it’s a sale. Buy!
  • Being lazy is better than doing nothing: no shame in robo advisors as they create low(er) cost globally diversified portfolios on the easy.
  • Avoid gambling but life is too short not to put a little money on speculation (for me that has meant some crypto, marijuana, and psychedelics).

Keep in Touch

I hope this blog in some small way helps you on your journey, while keeping me focused on mine. I would love to hear from you. Email me at DividendDaddy1@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter @DividendDaddy1 and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thedividenddaddy/.

Oh and ever wonder what a Dividend Daddy looks like? Me too! So I asked AI to render me an image…

Disclaimer: All content posted on this blog represents my own personal views, opinions and beliefs. I am not a licensed financial or investment advisor. You should do your own research and consult with a professional before you make any financial decisions that may impact you and/or your family (including any furry friends).

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