– This article was written solely by Joseph Seifert

Clicking around on the computer was a fascination of mine.

It still is. But now, for different reasons. You see, back in the day, or about 3 years ago when I was 19, I wanted to expand my investment exposure.

I’m an avid stock enthusiast and a personal finance fanatic.

I was all over it if it had anything to do with Investing. And my start with stocks began when my cousin told me about something called a Roth IRA. Since then, I’ve maxed it out as a youngster, hoping to one day retire a millionaire.

But back to what matters.

The Dividend growth stocks (that’s why we’re here). The thing is, I was thirsty for more. I usually am. So, when I took my passion to YouTube (as I typically do), I found a couple of skinny savers that posted content on investing.

And, you guessed it, dividend growth stocks.

The Strategy

These weren’t just any companies.

These traders touted suggestions about businesses that increase their dividends over time. They call them dividend aristocrats and dividend kings. The difference?

Aristocrat companies have raised their dividend payout consistently for at least 25 years, and for the kings, that number is 50.

They’re both great, and essentially the whole idea is compounding on top of compounding. I’m sure you’ve heard all the finance bros preaching about this snowball effect and how it can change your life. I won’t say that they’re wrong.

After watching these videos, I began to select my own.

Searching for my personal squad was just about as fun as making the money, and I ended up with 24. I loved them so much; I even created a live spreadsheet that still runs to this day. I added cell columns for logos, P/E ratios, and just about anything else that concerns an investor. 

I even had them turn green or red using conditional formatting for when it’s a good or bad time to buy. Yeah, I’m like that. It was super extra (more like uniquely useful).

The process was more fun for me than the end goal. Don’t ask me why, I’m just a weirdo.

But Then I Bailed

Have you ever heard of cryptocurrency?

I know just pissed off at least one of you. Yup. I ditched it for crypto.

I’m not going to run the numbers, because I know I probably left something behind that would be a great asset for my future, but you could argue that the money (and the lessons) that I learned and earned in crypto are worth more.

I believe my original dividend growth portfolio started with about $2,000.

And don’t worry, I’m still only 22 so I have plenty of time to get back in. You must also consider the fact that these 24 companies all sit within my Roth IRA since I invest in total market index funds (for the long term).

Still, that specificity of shares would’ve been nice (I think they were good picks).

Just in case you want to check out the holdings, I’ll link the spreadsheet here. The shares aren’t accurate because I ended up just inputting 1 for all of them after I sold.

What’s Next?

The foundation of my investing knowledge came from one single novel.

“The Simple Path to Wealth” by J.L. Collins. That was the book my cousin suggested for me. And yes, I’ve thanked him graciously for pointing me in the right direction at such a young age.

The book instills the importance of diversification and investing for the long term.

Hence, it’s a simple path. And I like simplicity. I’m a simple guy.

I can’t really say that I regret bailing on my Dominant Dividend providers. I’m sure that my investments will increase in complexity along with the increase in my years on this planet.

That’s a funny way of saying “as I age.”

I think what’s next for me, is to just continue what I’m doing. Keep contributing to the Roth and retire. Although my investment decisions remain the same, my investment philosophy flourishes. Here’s what I mean.

I think about investing differently now.

I’m more focused on myself and investing in the things that will help me live a long and fulfilling life. That means investing in my health, mind, and my spirit. I think that’s a decent way to go about things.

Heck, that must be worth more than a couple of dividend stocks, right?

Right!? 

Hopefully, I haven’t made a fatal financial error. I’ll let you be the judge of that.

I’d also like you to judge my website! Hop on my newsletter if you want to invest in yourself and make money writing as I do!

https://www.josephseifert.me/

The post I Invested in 24 Dominant Dividend Growth Companies at 19 and Bailed first appeared on The Wealth Blog.