Last month I decided to take a plunge and accept the Dividend Diplomats’ Savings Challenge which pushes us and any brave reader to save 60% of their monthly income! This month I am going to try a slightly different method of displaying my savings rate. Last month, I listed the dollar amounts for each category used to calculate my final ratio. However, this month I am going to experiment with a new format (much like Lanny’s) and list each expense category as a percentage of total income for the period. With that being said, it is time to calculate my saving’s ratio for the month!
2015 Year Goals – Geared up!
Wow — 2014 has come and gone fairly quick. We have roughly two months left of this roller coast of a year and to me that is reflection but also — looking forward. Typically between November 1st and end of December I meet with a few friends (you guys know who you are), where we establish life, financial and personal type goals. Goals such as traveling, improving your quality of life, portfolio of stocks, dividend income and other financial endeavors. This will be the first time that I will publicly discuss my 2015 year goals and see if I can make those happen with action beginning now, but theoretically – January 1, 2015. I will break down the 2015 year goals and show you what I can do to gear those up to the finish line by December 31, 2015.
Continue reading
Expected Dividend Increases in November
I can’t believe this, but there are only two months remaining in 2014. Holy cow has it been a great year. As October turns to November, we will once again review which companies we expect to announce dividend increases in November. For those of you who are new followers, each month we compile a list of Dividend Aristocrats that we anticipate will announce a dividend increase. Let’s review the results of our October dividend increases projections and take a look ahead to November!
Top 5 Foundation Dividend Stocks for ANY Portfolio [May 2023 Update]

Hey everyone! I was sitting at my kitchen table doing an intense round of push-ups, reading articles and had a thought. I would love to share my point of view on the top 5 foundation dividend stocks that every beginning investor should own. Also, this could work for anyone that is also transitioning from more of the “sexy” (i.e. complex) type of investing into something that we, dividend investors, feel – just makes more sense.
In order to bring the excitement up a notch, we have drilled down to FIVE dividend stocks to be the foundation to YOUR dividend portfolio. The five dividend stocks represent different industries and hold the mighty, “Dividend Aristocrat”, crown, as well.
Diplomat $500 Stock Purchases
Hey everyone! It’s been a fun and exciting day for the Diplomats. While Lanny has been actively taking advantage of the stock markets decline, Bert has been quiet and has sat on the sideline watching Lanny have all of the fun. Today, both Diplomats pulled the trigger and had stock purchases! Let’s see which companies we bought today!
Dividend Diplomats October Watch List
About a month ago we published our September formal Watch List. A lot has changed over the last month. We have received a ton of dividends, the S&P 500 has been on a decline of 4.33% through October 17th. With October nearly in the rear-view mirror, it is time to update our watch list for the end of October and creep into November.
Frugally Upgrading My Television for Less Than $100
My girlfriend and I are planning on upgrading my television in the near future and we have been discussing an upgrade since we moved in together in July. A few years ago I bought a flat-screen, non-smart LED television and I love the purchase. But as we all know, electronics evolve at a rapid pace and today’s latest and greatest becomes an antique within only a few years. To get the most out of our cable, tablets, and other devices, we decided that we need an upgrade. With our credit cards in hand, we set out on a voyage to frugally improve our “out-dated” television. Let’s see what we decided.



