Friday, May 29, 2015

Hello My Name Is




Well, It has been a few days since opening up and building the actual blog so I figured it was time to say hello to any of you who may be reading. Reader-ship is small right now, but maybe that is an opportunity for me to practice my blogging skills. Hopefully though, it won't be too long until I get a few commenters stirring up discussion!


I am the infamous Dividend Kid. As my description states, I am a 21 year old kid who seeks to create a life of financial independence  via passive income. The accumulation and growth of quality dividend yielding stocks will be the main source of income and this is my journey. But thats kinda boring isn't it? While for the purposes of this blog, my name shall remain "Dividend Kid" thats not to say my life is shrouded in secrecy.

I am a full time student who is studying Business Marketing and Business Management at Arizona State University. I love school. It is such a great opportunity to not only to learn about yourself, but to invest in yourself in more ways that you could imagine. I am a member of more than a few clubs on campus and couldn't be happier entering into my 3rd year of schooling. Club involvement is a large part of my life. I believe very strongly that college is a time to accrue experiences. So far this has been a very large part of my time at ASU and will continue to be in the near future.

I am an athlete (or so I would like to think). Multiple years of soccer, basketball, football, track, crew rowing, and sand volleyball litter my athletic record. After leaving for school I found maintaining my active lifestyle was an absolute necessity to staying on track. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, and some truly aggressive games of ultimate frisbee are enjoyed during my free time. It wouldn't be college if you didn't enjoy yourself, hell if you don't enjoy it, you are doing it wrong! A few of these things such as hiking, are completely free. A word you will come to love as someone living frugally.

I am fortunate. First and foremost I will say that I would not be where I am today without the help of my parents and grandparents. The value of a dollar was taught to me by my grandfather in my early childhood. Many years ago, around the age of 6 or so, I was paid twenty whole dollars to stack a load of firewood. I have been told I was quite exited to spend that money on candy or the like but was promptly dissuaded. My Papa (grandfather) told me that if I leave the money with him in the old ash tray it would grow. He did not know it, but right then my grandfather had created a financially responsible 6 year old. Just like that I had made my first twenty dollars and learned about compounding interest. When I returned my grandparents had "deposited" their left over change in my "account". I was ecstatic. All I had to do was wait a little and 'BOOM' more money. I did not do anything to earn that extra money (does this sound like a dividend yet?). That first twenty dollars is my earliest memory of earning money and I would like to think that has helped me get to where I am today just as my family has.

I am frugal. A cheap ass as many of my friends would say, but I disagree. Whereas many of my peers have no problem spending $100 on a night out I just can not waste money in such irresponsible ways. In a normal work day of eight hours at a wage of $12.5/hr you make $100. Was that night partying worth a full day of work? These are questions you have to ask yourself when you make decisions. Is that new toy I want worth 'X' hours of my life? Thats the question that normally gets me. Every purchase in life is a decision. Do you need it? YES/NO, often times being frugal and saving money is that simple. This though, as you might imagine is often times at odds with the idea of accruing experiences as experiences often times cost money. I will definitely go into this topic more in a future article though so don't worry if you want to hear more.

But you call yourself the Dividend Kid, what about all the dividends?

The Dividends are coming, you'll just have to check in next week.


I am a 21 year old kid who seeks to create a life of financial independence via passive income. The accumulation and growth of quality dividend yielding stocks will be the main source of income and this is my journey
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5 comments:

  1. Hey Div-
    I can tell just by reading your first post and what you believe that you will be successful at finances and in life. You already see the what so many your age are missing and your frugality is evidence of your maturity. I had a very similar upbringing, but it wasn't until my mid 30's that I really kicked it into overdrive. You have the benefit of knowing all of this at 21 (I'm now 20 years older than you). If I could go back and talk to my 21 year old self, I would tell him to WORK HARD, spend as LITTLE as possible, SAVE as much as you can, AVOID debt like the plague, INVEST as much as you can and IGNORE your friends and society's naysayers that tell you that you are doing something wrong. Also, choosing a spouse that is on the same page as you financially is a big key. If you kick it for the next 10 years, you will have total control over the rest of your life. This concept may seem only of minor important now, but it won't later on after you have had to work to earn a living for you and your family. (Maybe I should start a blog)

    Good start to your blog. I'll keep reading.

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    1. Well like you said I have have the benefit of knowing all of this now. That really is the most important aspect of this entire journey. My parents never sheltered concepts of money from me and wealth was an open conversation in good times and bad. Its going to be quite the accomplishment the day I retire from the normal working life. More so knowing that I decided one day when i was 18 to learn how to become financially independent and followed through with what I was told was an impossible goal.

      Thank you for the encouraging words, Ill keep it up!

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  2. See, this is the kind of thing I want to pass on to my kids. I think I'll try some of the compound interest wizardry your grandpa showed you with each of my kids. Actually seeing money multiply rather than just seeing it in an Excel spreadsheet or on an online bank account balance has much more impact I think.

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    1. I can say unequivocally that the experience I wrote about above set my financial success in stone. Mr. Money Mustache just wrote a great article about what he will be teaching his child in regards to money. In his article he describes a 'bank' he has set up for his son. Its a great article, I would recommend going over it with your children.

      Its never too early right?

      http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/05/20/what-im-teaching-my-son-about-money/

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    2. Ha. I'd have to agree with you. I've got three test subjects, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

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