January 2016 Update

I missed a positive month by a mere $89!  On the bright side I did that with only 2 weeks of pay.  But DFG there are 4 weeks in January you say.  That is correct.  This was yet another crazy month in my world. 

A friend had called me up in November regarding a job opening where he worked.  You own your career is the mantra an old boss taught me.  It was 30 minutes less of a drive to/from work and I liked working with my friend in the past.  Another thing a friend of mine taught me is you should go on interviews or at least do phone ones even if you are not looking for a job.  You never know when the hammer will fall and you will be sitting at home without a job.  Just like public speaking, the more you do it the easier it gets. 

Long story short I progressed through the process and was offered a similar salary but with better health benefits and vacation.  All signs pointed to yes so I started 1 week into January.  I was paid for that final week and then my new job delays pay by a week.  I was scraping my savings and brokerage accounts for cash to pay off that hefty Christmas credit card bill.  By some miracle I was able to pay the entire balance off.  With no cash on hand my expenses were kept to a minimum and we pretty much broke even for the month.

There is nothing out of the ordinary on the 'ol pie chart below.  Owning a home still remains my number one expense.  Everything else was kept within the 2016 budget (which I still need to write a post on.)


 In other news I purchased a few shares on some price dips of Johnson & Johnson and Emerson Electric.  Both are long term dividend payers and I need more of them in my portfolio.  While my dividend collected in January are lower than 2015 I do hope to catch up with additional savings from the new job.  On the bright side my 2015 total dividends ended up higher than 2014.  This shows even saving what little I could and reinvesting those dividends still shows my income growing.

 I truly wish I had more time to write but I hope you enjoy this little window into my life.  

 Kind regards,
DFG





 Full Disclosure:  Long on EMR and JNJ

Comments

  1. Dividend LifeFebruary 25, 2016 at 9:54 PM

    Hi DFG,

    A 30 minute shorter commute means more time you can spend with your family, so that's a big win right there :) Plus less spent on gas etc.

    I'm glad your new job is working out for you. Most of my jobs have been because of who I've worked with in the past.

    Good job on paying the credit card off too! Hopefully now you can save some more. JNJ and EMR are always good buys I think; although I'm still wondering what EMR will come up with this year regarding their spinoff.

    I've not bought any stocks this month as I'm back focusing on funds; I may even sell some stocks this year to reduce the number of companies I'm holding as I realize now I have enough diversity in companies from VHDYX.

    Looking forward to your next update!

    Best wishes,
    -DL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyMarch 13, 2016 at 4:31 PM

      Thanks DL. Yeah time is money and the more time I have to spend at home the richer I am.
      Later,
      DFG

      Delete
  2. DivHutMarch 3, 2016 at 1:55 AM

    I think people underestimate the effects of a commute on their health and general well being. Shorter trip times is a win no matter how you look at it. Like the EMR pick up. I added some the last few months as well. Looks like they'll go ahead with a spin off later this year. Thanks for sharing and congrats on your new job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyMarch 13, 2016 at 4:33 PM

      Your absolutely right DH. I would find myself stuck on the highway getting stressed out (and that was before bad winter weather hit). Now the drive is easy and stress free.
      Cheers,
      DFG

      Delete

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This webpage is provided for general information only and nothing contained in the material constitutes a recommendation for the purchase or sale of any security. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at dividendfamilyguy at gmail dot com.