Cashflow Engineering
// CHAPTER 1: THE YIELD TRAP
Many novice investors look for "High Yields" (10% or 12%). This, in engineering, is called "Structural Failure".
An excessively high yield usually indicates that the stock price has collapsed because the market expects an imminent dividend cut. True wealth is built with Dividend Growth (DGI) companies.
Prefer a company that pays 2% today but increases that payment by 10% annually, over a company that pays 8% but does not grow. In 15 years, the former will be a money-printing machine; the latter will likely have gone bankrupt.
// CHAPTER 2: DRIP MECHANICS
The DRIP (Dividend Re-Investment Plan) is the eighth wonder of the world. It converts simple (linear) interest into compound (exponential) interest.
Without DRIP: You have 1000 shares, you get paid dividends, you spend them on dinner. You have 1000
shares forever.
With DRIP: You have 1000 shares. You get paid dividends. You buy 20 more shares. Now you have 1020
shares. The next dividend is larger. You buy 21 more shares...
It is a snowball that feeds itself, regardless of whether the market goes up or down. In fact, if the market drops, DRIP is more powerful because you buy more cheap shares with the same dividend.
// CHAPTER 3: THE FREEDOM COEFFICIENT
Most people work to earn money to buy things. The DGI investor works to buy Sources.
- Level 1: Your dividends cover your Netflix (15€/mo).
- Level 2: Your dividends cover your electricity bill (100€/mo).
- Level 3: Your dividends cover your rent/mortgage (1000€/mo).
- Level 4: Absolute Freedom.
When your dividends cover your fixed living costs, you are uncoverable. Your boss ceases to be an authority and becomes a client.