Making a living on dividend distribution: is the dream possible, like right now?

I had been quiet lately for several reasons. I had been laid off. And no, I won’t tell you more! I am looking forward at my options. I qualify for unemployment, so I will be applying for that soon. Where I am in New Brunswick, there are not too many jobs available in this desert of snow, I am in a little town and just to make things worst, Acadian Lines, the Maritime public transportation public, is on strike. This is helping a lot!

We’ll move on for now but I am really not stress. Want to know why? Ok, we’ll begin by checking over my budget and my monthly needs:

Minimum of the minimum living expenses:
Rent + Internet + other: 400$

DEBT:
Student Loan: 98$
RRSP Loan: 108$
Credit line: 50$
Credit card balance transfer: 30$
American Express at 0.99% for a year: 27$
Banking fees: 5.90$

Minimum debt payment total: 318.90$

TOTAL: 718.90$

The amount of 718.90$ over the minimum of the minimum, without car expenses, without any extra money to shop, no entertainment. But hey, I am the entertainment, right?

At this point, we know how much I have in debt, we know my net worth (84k), we know the value of my investment portfolio. But what about my dividend income? Can I support my minimum monthly expenses by relying on my dividend distribution?

Let’s check it out, without including any possible special dividend:

Non registered Investments:
Stocks and Units investment portfolio CAN$
Sprott Inc. (SII): 123.24$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 226.72$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 70.04$
Fortis Inc. (FTS): 129.60$
Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL): 714.48$
Just Energy Group Inc. (JE): 860.56$
Pengrowth Energy Corporation (PGF): 190.68$
Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc. (ENF): 416.64$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 68.40$
Davis + Henderson Corporation (DH): 264.12$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH): 514.48$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 164.80$
iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE): 113.96$
Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN): 192.70$
Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX): 108$
New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI): 179.71$
Exchange Income Corporation (EIF): 511.92$
Rogers Sugar Inc. (RSI): 31.96$
Student Transportation (STB): 117.02$
Colabor Group Inc. (GCL): 107.60$
TMX Group Inc. (X): 163.20$
Data Group Inc. (DGI): 443.88$
K-Bro Linen Inc. (KBL): 110.40$
Westshore Terminals Invest Corp (WTE.UN): 210.89$
WesternOne Equity Income Fund (WEQ.UN): 228$
Atlantic Power Corp (ATP): 267.26$
Kinross Gold Corp (K): 24$
TransCanada Corp (TRP): 44$
Canadian National Railway Co (CNR): 45$
Firm Capital Mortgage Investment Corporation (FC): 37.44$
Sprott Strategic Fixed Income Fund (SFI.UN): 30$
Enbridge Inc. (ENB): 31.696$
Agrium Inc. (AGU): 6.30$
Canadian Utilities Limited (CU): 37.21$
Veresen Inc. (VSN): 65.736$
Crescent Point Energy Corp. (CPG): 60.72$
Chorus Aviation Inc. (CHR.B): 90$

TOTAL: 7 007.76$
583.98$/month

I am missing less than 200$ per month before being able to “live” from my dividend income. I am in position to reinvest so I can increase my dividend income. And I could do so without too much trouble, without risking my margin account situation.

By the end of March, we should know if the Maple Group deal goes through. If it work out, each and single of my TMX Group Inc. (X) stocks will give me 50$ in cold cash. Once the transaction completed and the cash received, I could reinvest in a quality dividend stock.

Also, I hold close to 4k in First Majestic Silver Corp (FR). Fr is a good stock, but it doesn’t pay any dividend. Once I can make a little profit out of it, I will be selling FR and reinvested in a dividend stock.

What I hold in my TFSA and in my US account could be review. Just there, I could easily increase my dividend income.

However, there’s a catch. I should not reinvest in stocks that offer a super high dividend yield. I need to invest in a quality stock offering something like 7% in dividend yield. I should not consider investing in a stock offering like 10% and up in dividend yield. See what I mean? I need to keep a balance and what I will be investing next need to be of quality and the dividend yield need to be reliable and reasonable. And that can be tricky! I may check out Susan Brunner blog to search for quality stuff. I need to do my search. But for now, no rush, no need to sell overnight. I know how to deal with those kinds of things. I am a real New Brunswicker if you see what mean. So stay tune.

By the way, go check my Twitter account: Jully Black herself has read the Dividend Girl! (check out my Twitter account on the right column). After Raymi the Minx, now it’s Jully Black.

I am laid off, but I am a... superstar.

Or kind of. lol :)))))