Wow, December already, look at where we at now at the last month of the year. There are still grim news on the Covid infections and deaths, but there is also a bright sign of hope with the release of the much awaited vaccine. The spirit of Christmas is certainly there but there are also limitations and constraint to its festive atmosphere. At any case, i know we can still celebrate it our own way, with safety in mind.
I don’t blog as much recently but i’ve been busy and productive on side hustle ventures. I also peek on the Stock Market news regularly but do not participate as actively on options, day and swing trade, which is a blessing really because i now realize how stressful and intense it is to research, wait and expect a winning play, and sometimes see for yourself a losing bet.
If you invest early, i mean anytime from March to September at least, or you did not touch your investment the whole time we are on the pandemic, then you must be smiling proudly for being a patient and also smart investor. Pat yourself on the back for the year-end all time highs on the three big stock market indices. The current high valuations of many companies on the stock market is just one factor why i am just leaving my stock portfolio on its place. I am talking about my dividend portfolio here. Knowing my original thesis that i am investing for dividends and capital gains, i am quite pleased with the performance gain for now, and is not actively looking to add more at the moment,
On the other hand, my retirement account thesis remains unchanged as I still do the auto deposit and DRIP on my Betterment and Fidelity account, because i know it is the consistent investing (and not timing the market) that will propel me to early retirement.
If there’s anything i’m on the look-out and monitoring lately, it is the rise of Energy stocks. With the covid vaccine just administered in the UK, i think it is just a matter of time before the whole world follows through, and that means the onced restricted economy will move more freely and globally again. I have my eye on oil, airline, transportation, entertainment and travel stocks, just to name a few.
Earlier i told you about my side hustles; i am happy to report i am now earning passive income out of it. My blank book publishing is less than a month old, but i was able to produced 20 submissions already. I currently have 11 on Amazon KDP, 18 on Barnes and Noble, and 20 on Lulu Bookstore. Amazon KDP is still the biggest producer with its huge marketplace but it is also the longest review period before the book get published. I only recently gotten my first sale on Barnes and Noble, and hopefully i will get more as my books fall on their algorithm. The important detail here is that this is all organic, and i don’t have to spend anything on ads.
Anyway, please allow me to present my most bought blank book:
On my other POD biz, i felt inclined to run an ad on Etsy because i know i need more eyeballs on my product especially for Q4. Although i have made a few sales, i still think i could do better with it, so i am planning to run the ad until the end of the year. According to Etsy, the ads need to run for 30 days so Etsy can direct its algorithm properly with its target audience, so i’ll evaluate soon if it’s worth it. If you have a succesful Etsy store, do you have some pointers on how i can improve my sales? Please hit me on the comment or reach out to me.
So this is me for now. I hope you are all doing well this holiday season. Till next time dear friends, Peace be with you all.
Jay
The Middle Rule 