134 - Exactly How Much Our High-Yield Portfolio Paid Us In Q4

This episode is our Q4 dividend update for the Vanning Portfolio—our main income engine as we transition into living off dividends full-time.

We share every number openly so investors can follow along, compare progress, and see how an income-first portfolio adjusts in real time to dividend cuts, bad news, market swings, and valuation changes.

Here’s what we cover:

• Q3 vs Q4 dividend totals
Q3 brought in $5,561.84, while Q4 delivered $5,497.18, a small dip mostly caused by weaker payouts from four weekly income ETFs (AMZY, CONY, USOY, YMAX).

• Full-year income
We collected $21,760.81, averaging $1,813.40 per month—right on target for our income plan as we prepare to scale using our condo sale proceeds next week.

• Portfolio moves this quarter
Sold: RWAY, RYLD
Started: BMY, ULTI, WPAY, WLKP
Adjusted DRIPs, shifted risk, and monitored payout sustainability.

• Valuation alerts
Overvalued: AB, BMY, CONY, JEPQ, NBXG, QQQI, QVCGP, UAN & WNTR
Deeply Undervalued (15%+): YBTC, WLKP, LFGY, KRP, IEP, CWH, ARLP

• The DRIP Strategy
We now have DRIP turned off on 14 investments, positioned to become pure profit within 24 months if trends continue.

• Stocks flashing turnaround potential
Yes, even IEP and MPW are showing early—and shocking—signs of recovery.

We also walk through:
 • How we track dividend trends to catch red flags early
 • When we pause a position, trim, or pivot entirely
 • How to align buys with value, safety margins, and 2026 macro trends
 • What we’re watching next as income becomes our primary paycheck

If you're building an income-focused portfolio you actually want to live off, this is the blueprint—warts, wins, pivots and all.

Dividend Spreadsheet

Buy-Up-To Price Spreadsheet

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**DISCLAIMER**
Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here.

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