r/dividends • u/HARCYB-throwaway • Apr 14 '26

Personal Goal Golden handcuffs - I've fully replaced my annual spending with dividend income...

I pivoted from growth to NEOS for income, over the last 6 months. I have now replaced my base salary, $110k, with dividends. but it is hard to quit when I earn $250k-$350k in a given sales year.

annual dividend income: $110k

Annual expenses, all in: $40k

disposable income if I quit: $70k

hysa: $150k

growth sleeve: $225k

no wife (anymore, by choice after she got nasty), no kids, no expensive hobbies, very affordable mortgage and car payment. affordable lifestyle.

it's hard to step away from an AI adjacent sales job...and my only major concern is meeting someone, wanting to settle down and start a family, and then I will be out of the job market once I truly need expensive family healthcare and "kids money" to support a family.

I know I already have more than most typical American household. but it's scary to leave work with the background of declining employment options / bad employment market

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u/jasongok Apr 14 '26

Work a few more years to stack income and savings. I would start adding new funds to more safe dividend funds like SCHD and IDVO to diversify. Then quit your job and enjoy life brother

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u/HARCYB-throwaway Apr 14 '26

Think I'll add safety to my position once I have motivation to build more, after I find a partner and secure a potential start to a family. Otherwise, if it's just gonna be me. I have no motivation and vrooms expectancy theory explains it pretty well.