iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): $2
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): $2
McDonald's (MCD): $2
WisdomTree Midcap fund (DON): $2
SJW Group (SJW): $2
Vanguard Total Market ETF (VTI): $2
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): $2
Coca-Cola (KO): $2
PepsiCo (PEP): $2
Realty Income (O): $2
Click here to open an E-Trade account
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): $2
Intel (INTC): $2
Exxon Mobil (XOM): $2
Chevron (CVX): $2
NextEra Energy (NEE): $2
Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU): $2
ConEd (ED): $2
Kroger (KR): $2
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): $2
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD): $2
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Mr. Thor breaks the previously established "Star Trek" pattern by delivering a fifth entry that is actually quite solid in a lot of respects.
Once again, Harvath has to stop some Islamic terrorists. It's a little sad to see the same group take center stage, but what can you do? Oddly enough, there's no mention of the vampire virus, the intra-faith coup or the play for world domination from the previous book. This group has their own objective, and they are quite determined to carry it out.
The first order of business is to blow up all the bridges and tunnels leading in and out of Manhattan. This early portion of the book was where it really shined. Thor was in the zone here as the passages describing the ensuing chaos and fear were as gripping and intense as the situation needed them to be. Even though this is one of those rare sequels that de-escalates, it still felt fairly big in scope.
The fact that Harvath is brought together with a full team of former military soldiers to tackle the problem, rather than partnering up with just one capable female, also lends credence to the idea that this is a "big one" in the Harvath-verse.
Sadly, the book can't carry the momentum. There is a noticeable drop in steam once you get past those portions. It's not bad, but it doesn't have the same pop as what came before.
The characters themselves don't have too much opportunity to distinguish themselves. Harvath was having lunch with an old friend when things started to go down and their banter helps him a little. The female soldier also gets a memorable scene where she helps Harvath get off of a booby-trapped chair that was wired to explosives. The others just kind of blend into the background and tag along to provide extra firepower.
One thing that holds this book back is the politics. This is very "early war on terror" stuff and it does age it a bit. It was a bit of a problem in this book's predecessor, but it remains here. There is quite an emphasis on "enhanced interrogation".
While the book does largely hue towards the "these terrorists are evil, lives are in danger and we don't have time to beat around the bush to get the information we need" both in terms of character dialogue and even the prose itself, the book actually does what a lot of writers can't seem to do and allows the opposing perspective to make valid points. There's even one point where the terrorists themselves are aghast and disgusted by what one of the interrogators put the captive terrorist through after they find him. I don't know if it hits the level of "thought provoking", but it at least put in the effort.
This is also the book that introduces the popular recurring character known as "the Troll". He plays a bit part here, but he is given a clear motivation and he does leave an impression. At one point, it seems like the book is going to paint him as a future adversary to Harvath, which would have been interesting, though it was undercut by the fact that I've read later books and know that he lives and isn't an enemy. The book itself shows that the two are moving closer to better terms, so it's a brief concept.
This book also marks the first use of a legitimate cliffhanger ending. The book does a great job of making you drop your guard before it happens too. Harvath gets a house, finds new love, and even gets a puppy! Then bam! A thing happens. Won't spoil it, though the dog gets out OK from what I can tell, so that's good. We don't know who's behind it, but it says an assassin from Harvath's past. Now, it's quite possible that it's an assassin we've never seen before. This series has done that, but I do like the idea of a returning enemy from one of the previous books making a play for revenge. I guess I'll just have to dive into "The First Commandment" to see what all the hubbub is.
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If you're an investor looking to reach financial freedom, you might find the weekends to be a vexing time due to markets being closed. Sure, you can put buys in that will register on the next business day, but it isn't quite the same thing. Still, though, there are other cards to play. The market isn't the only area where you can make progress towards the goal. On the contrary, you have a myriad of options that can be used to both move the needle and hopefully help scratch that itch until you can make stock buys again. Given that we are in the midst of a weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to rundown some of these options for your consideration.
1. Crypto
Now, I don't do crypto...yet. I have been giving serious consideration to dipping my toe in that water. Whether I use it as a way to kick things up a notch next year or get started sooner is really the only thing I'm unsure of at this point, but that's neither here nor there. Unlike "stonks", crypto can be traded all day every day. You can nab yourself some Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, or any other coin you can think of. It might not be a passive income generator, but it does seem to get results.
2. Debt
While building assets is good, there's nothing wrong with attacking liabilities as well. Doing both is a great way to strengthen your balance sheet, as you see growth with less baggage. Deploying some capital to help pay off a high interest credit card balance is certainly an option but aiming your money at a debt that you can eliminate altogether, thus removing a payment from your monthly budget might be more beneficial in the long term. Something like your car or student loan, heck even the mortgage. I know some don't sweat debt because they feel like market returns are higher than the burden of loan interest, but it really is a "can't miss" money move regardless of what the market is doing. It is a step towards a much less stressful life, which is really its own kind of dividend. Plus, with inflation being what it is, this could soak up those excess dollars floating around and help achieve that "soft landing". OK, that's conjecture on my part (though I think it makes sense,) but the "can't miss money move" part is totally true regardless.
3. IRA's
The market may be closed, but you can still move capital into your retirement account(s) to fund future stock buys. These have the added perk of tax benefits. Throw some money into a traditional IRA and you've created some "pre-tax" dollars even before you've used them. Funding a Roth is also a solid play, especially in the long term, though in the short term it might not create the same rush. Still, pumping money into either one should satisfy that desire to make a money move, or at the very least, help hold you over until Monday.
4. Savings accounts
If there is one perk to this fiscal fiasco, it's that savings accounts are actually somewhat useful again. True, the rates on high yield savings accounts are still losing to inflation, but they've increased enough where I didn't feel the need to put the term "high yield" in quotes...like I just did there. You know what I mean. Capital One is paying 1.9%, which is comparable to some dividend stock yields and a huge leap up from the 0.4% it was paying earlier this year. Of course, Current is also an option with its 4% rate. That's not to say that you should abandon stocks, but you can bolster your emergency fund or even build up savings for more general day to day things. Having a little extra liquid capital does, like clearing debt, provide a certain degree of peace of mind that transcends mere numbers on a spreadsheet.
5. Fundrise
I've been using this real estate investing/crowdfunding platform for a few months, and I like it. It's a fun addition that is not only outperforming the market, but also provides diversification as well as another stream of income.
So, there you have it. If you feel restless waiting for the market to open. Consider making a move on one of these fronts. It'll help get you to your goal and help take the edge off. There's no reason why you have to twiddle your thumbs and wait for the opening bell when there is still progress to be made in the meantime.
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Stag Industrial (STAG): $2
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): $2
Intel (INTC): $2
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG): $2
McDonald's (MCD): $2
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): $2
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): $2
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD): $2
Exxon Mobil (XOM): $2
Target (TGT): $2
Click here to open an E-Trade account
Stag Industrial (STAG): $2
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): $2
Intel (INTC): $2
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): $2
Realty Income (O): $2
Invesco High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD): $2
McCormick (MKC): $2
Kroger (KR): $2
Vanguard Total Market ETF (VTI): $2
McDonald's (MCD): $2
Got a couple of positions that are ooh so close to that full share threshold. Thought I'd cross today, but not quite yet. Soon, though, fewer digits. I'm looking forward to it.
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Another month has come to pass. Before we go forward, let's take a glance back at what the month prior delivered in terms of dividends. The mid-quarters are my powerhouse month, so this should be interesting to see.
Publix: $20.36
Armanino Foods of Distinction (AMNF): $0.60
AT&T (T): $3.37 (+$0.09 QoQ, -$0.76 YoY)
Campbell's (CPB): $0.22 (no quarterly change, +$0.07 YoY)
Verizon (VZ): $0.68 (+$0.10 QoQ, +$0.49 YoY)
General Dynamics (GD): $0.25 (+$0.05 QoQ, +$0.19 YoY)
AGNC: $1.25 (+$0.62 QoQ, +$0.80 YoY)
Sprague Resources (SRLP): $8.16 (+$0.35 QoQ, -$2.77 YoY)
GlobalXSuperdividend (SDIV): $0.14 (no quarterly change, +$0.10 YoY)
Apple (AAPL): $0.01
Hormel (HRL): $1.26 (+$0.05 QoQ, +$0.46 YoY)
Kinder Morgan (KMI): $2.51 (+$0.08 QoQ, +$0.47 YoY)
Omega Healthcare (OHI): $4.17 (+$0.10 QoQ, +$1.00 YoY)
Proctor & Gamble (PG): $4.99 (+$2.94 QoQ, +$3.94 YoY)
Realty Income (O): $3.54 (+$2.25 QoQ, +$2.44 YoY)
Tanger Factory Outlet (SKT): $1.04 (+$0.02 QoQ, +$0.68 YoY)
Main Street Capital (MAIN): $0.12 (+$0.05 QoQ, +$0.10 YoY)
Stag Industrial (STAG): $0.10 (+$0.02 QoQ, +$0.08 YoY)
Westrock (WRK): $1.33 (+$0.01 QoQ, +$0.32 YoY)
Paychex (PAYX): $1.96 (+$0.06 QoQ, +$0.50 YoY)
Starbucks (SBUX): $0.30 (+$0.18 QoQ, +$0.21 YoY)
Papa Johns (PZZA): $0.14 (+$0.03 QoQ, +$0.09 YoY)
Nasdaq Covered Call ETF (QYLD): $0.20 (+$0.17 YoY)
Wisdom Tree (DON): $0.05 (+$0.02 QoQ, +$0.03 YoY)
That brings the sub-total to $56.75, which is up $7.82 from last quarter and up $29.17 (though Publix's pay date shift has more to do with that than anything).
IRA buys boosted some positions pretty nicely. A lot of bloggers compartmentalize, but since it's all the same position, I figured I might as well lump it all together. Although, now that I mention it, I have been compartmentalizing Publix's dividend (we still have the 401K payments, remember). I could just end up lumping that altogether too and save myself a little bit of trouble. I mean, the line between retirement dividend and taxable is already blurred anyway, right? We'll see.
Speaking of the 401K, those numbers are thus
Publix: $7.97 (+$1.32 QoQ)
Baird Aggregate Bond Fund: $1.86 (+$0.34 QoQ, +$1.00 YoY)
That sub-total comes to $9.83, up $1.66 from last quarter and up $5.01 from last year.
Grand total comes to $66.58. Can't complain about that, not at all.
Interest clocked in at $0.94.
Current is chugging along nicely. It's starting to pick up steam and will hopefully negate the drop that was caused by the IRA shift.
Fundrise is also coming along. It is paying dividends, but I'm not including that here, as I have ideas as to how to incorporate those numbers going forward.
This was a quasi-light month as far as buys go. I only had two rounds of buys on Robinhood (which you can read about here and here.) On E-Trade, I made single share buys of Omega Healthcare and VF Corp. That's...it.
Most of my stock activity took place in the IRA's, where I continued to redeploy old capital at a pretty solid clip. I added 8 shares of SJW, 10 shares of Hormel, 2 shares of Hersheys (HSY), 5 shares of VYM, 1 share of VOO, 3 shares of VTI, 3 shares of Lowe's (LOW), 2 shares of Sherwin Williams (SHW), 2 shares of Home Depot (HD), and 4 shares of T. Rowe Price (TROW).
Quite a few new positions, but they were ones I was planning to add eventually, and they are a bit pricier. I didn't really want to deal with more fractional positions on Robinhood, so I figured I'd get a dose of them here.
Oh, and the portfolio has been updated, though a majority of the changes were negligible this time around (excluding the IRA buys, natch.)
All in all, this was a solid month. With the IRA buys, the quarter ends might start becoming a powerhouse in their own right. It would be more in line with how most investors end up operating. It's definitely going to be fun to watch how the next few months play out, though. Should help a rough year end on a slightly higher note and maybe build some positive momentum for 2023.
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