Building Passive Income From Dividends: Real Numbers From My Portfolio

"Passive income" gets thrown around a lot. Let me share actual numbers to ground the discussion.

My current situation:

• Portfolio value: ~$180,000

• Annual dividend income: ~$5,400

• Average yield: 3.0%

• Monthly average: $450

Is $450/month life-changing? No. Does it cover my car payment and phone bill without me doing anything? Yes.

How I got here:

Started 6 years ago with $10,000. Contributed consistently ($500-800/month when possible). Reinvested all dividends until last year. Focused on dividend growth stocks, not yield chasers.

The snowball effect is real:

Year 1: ~$300 in dividends Year 3: ~$1,400 in dividends Year 6: ~$5,400 in dividends

Compounding + consistent contributions + dividend increases = accelerating income.

My next milestone: $10,000 annual dividend income. At current trajectory, roughly 4 more years.

Where are you on your dividend income journey? Always motivating to hear others' progress.