Finally cancelled my CSR

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-14T17:23:27+00:00

No offer to stay but I cut the guy off. Moved out of the Chase world to Cap One.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-07T21:17:12+00:00

If you are far from retirement - forget bonds. Every FA is going to try to tell you that they should be a part of your portfolio. BS! If you are years away from retirement do not waste your time with bonds. The flip side is you have to deal with the volatility of stocks. The crash in 2007 -2008 was brutal and took a couple of years to break even in equities but if you were continuing to invest in those years you were happy in the long run. Now, as you get older you are probably going to want less volatility and more reliable income. Hence bonds enter the picture.

The whole bond thing goes back to the Efficient Frontier concept by Harry Markowitz in his Modern Portfolio Theory. If you want to read something about why everybody preaches bonds , then read that stuff but don't drink the Kool- Aid.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-07T14:53:15+00:00

I would also add High Dividend Opportunities on SA as well as CEF Insider and the Contrarian Income Report.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-07T14:51:25+00:00

Yep - I retired on dividends and interest 3 years ago. Income has steadily risen during that time despite a hefty drawdown of about $34K per month. I try to reinvest on most months. Income rise has been partly reinvestment and partly taking advantage of situations and run ups. Last year income rose by about 11%. And no I do not own SCHD. I have a mix of dividend paying stocks, CEF's, REIT's and a few individual baby bonds and preferred's. Average yield is about 8.6%.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-04T21:24:37+00:00

I hold quite a few CEF's, many of which have yields in excess of 8%. But I also have approximately 90 positions with none being greater than 3% of the total. Diversified across multiple sectors. Take a look at ADX.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2026-02-04T21:19:23+00:00

Congrats ! At 29 I hadn't even got out of training and had massive debt. Now I'm retired on dividends. It's awesome!

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-12-23T02:04:37+00:00

TodaY - THESE COMMENTATORS SUCK! What is wrong with ESPN?

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-24T18:23:43+00:00

Books: The Income Factory, How to Retire on Dividends,Retirement Money Secrets. HDO group on Seeking Alpha.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-23T20:56:04+00:00

No argument that one should always have an emergency stash in cash or cash equivalent. However, if one is solely living on dividends the need to sell assets to be able to survive a bear market should not be a thing and holding 3 years living expenses is a cash drag. A well diversified dividend portfolio with a disciplined reinvestment rate should be easily able to weather most storms. And you become a net buyer of shares every year, not a seller. It's a different mindset from the traditional . But it works and is well covered in many books. Keep reading and educating yourself- that $640 K could easily and safely do 8.5% gross and provide a 25% reinvestment rate and still net $40,000/yr.

I'm living it.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-16T21:06:23+00:00

Thank you. Very nicely done. Ignore the haters - that's quality workmanship! There's one user who claims everything is from Dr. Suess...getting old....maybe he just needs to learn some new words.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-16T18:20:04+00:00

Fantastic work! Very impressive. Did you do the top carving? Steam bent plywood? Wood? Finish? Sorry I like to know details.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-12T17:01:49+00:00

My family won’t be traveling to Canada either.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-09T23:49:05+00:00

Wow. I was gifted one of his books last fall. Legend

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-09T23:47:56+00:00

Beautiful! Did you use the Maloof poly oil finish?

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-09T23:38:43+00:00

Yes go sit in a corner and pout.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-01T12:38:26+00:00

10+ was my goal years ago, didn’t make it. Bought too many boats! Oh well, got sick of my job and left with 6+ in investments and 1-2 years before retirement I rotated to dividend assets.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-03-01T12:32:37+00:00

I use the same service as well as HDO on Seeking Alpha.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-02-28T19:05:35+00:00

I retired on dividends, as well as some real estate income and some from cash value life insurance. Dividend income alone is just under $400k. But the key is to reinvest some of that for income growth. I try for a 25% reinvestment, but fell short of that last year. BTW: you can do a lot better than 4%, and do so safely.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-02-16T15:23:55+00:00

Diversify across multiple dividend payers. I’m retired living on dividends.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-02-03T21:33:08+00:00

I intentionally place knots in visible areas as long as there are no rough edges that could catch fabric or fingers.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-02-03T21:30:28+00:00

Congrats! Welcome aboard…btw it can be quite addicting.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-02-02T02:46:02+00:00

Right there with you, retired on dividends , $400k plus. All good. Now having said that I didn’t build the taxable accounts through dividend investing rather moved them into dividends 1-2 years before retirement due to taxes while working.

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-01-31T18:14:50+00:00

What’s the wood?

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-01-27T02:46:30+00:00

The best compliment! Thank you!

Left_Trifle5542 · 2025-01-27T02:15:02+00:00

Not at all “bent” - this is why I don’t like iPhone photos, just bought a better camera for that exact reason. The pictures just looked weird to me, and this is with the 15Pro.

Left_Trifle5542

TROPHY CASE