Presented By: The Early Bird from MarketBeat

Hello again, investor!

It's become my December tradition (three years running!) to reread one of my all-time favorite finance books: The Richest Man in Babylon, written in 1926 by publisher George S. Clason.

It's a fictional story set in ancient Babylon that teaches a timeless lesson about becoming wealthy or "curing a lean purse."

The storytelling is top-notch, uses fun "old-timey" language, and feels like reading from an ancient document.

So, I went to grab my copy of The Richest Man in Babylon but couldn't find it and spent almost 90 unsuccessful minutes looking for it. Does that ever happen to you, too?

Holy smokes, is that frustrating!

So, I just ordered my second copy from Amazon for $5 because I love to mark it up and highlight important ideas. But, if you're a cheapskate who won't spend $5 for a 90-page life-changing book, here are a few free options:

• Read it for free from your local library
• Read the free e-book​
• Listen to the audiobook version free on Libby or Hoopla with a library card

But, if you don't want to read the book, I will leave you with its lesson of "The Five Laws of Gold (money):

1. Save at least 10% of your income, period. The book says, "Gold cometh gladly" to those who set aside this much. I love how they phrase this: Money comes "gladly" when you make saving a habit.
2. Put your money to work. Think of investments that grow over time, like their example of "multiplying flocks in the field."
3. Only invest in what you understand, and get advice from people who know their stuff. The book calls these "men wise in its handling" - basically, don't take investment advice from someone who just discovered TSLY last week.
4. Don't throw money at businesses or schemes you don't understand. Money will "slip away" when you invest in things outside your expertise.
5. Beware of get-rich-quick schemes and "too good to be true" opportunities. The book warns explicitly against chasing "impossible earnings" or falling for the advice of tricksters who promise overnight riches.

It's a speedy read and helps act as a guardrail reminder for what we do - accumulate wealth to live the life we want.

Have you read The Richest Man in Babylon? Hit reply and let me know your favorite part of the book.

😁THANK YOU to everyone who responded to the last newsletter!!

Check out the portfolios and podcasts, or see what’s cooking on YouTube.

And now, here is this week's portfolio activity...

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Dividends Received This Week ~$103.24

• Lockheed Martin (LMT) | $33.00
• Vanguard Total Stom Market ETF (VTI) | $22.59
• Main Street Capital (MAIN) | $45.00
• Tesla 2X Short Daily ETF (TSLQ) | $2.65

Dividends Received Year to Date~

$7,098.41

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Stocks Sold (AVERAGE)

None

Stocks Bought (AVERAGE)

• 5 VICI Properties (VICI) | $28.99
• 1 Global X MLP & Energy ETF (MLPX) | $59.45
• 1 Harrow Inc. (HROW) | $33.25
• 8 Nike (NKE) | $76.52
• 1 Agree Realty (ADC) | $69.45

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Notable Ex-Dividends This Week + SSD Score

• 12/31 Agree Realty (ADC), 4.32% | 70S
• 12/31 First Industrial Realty (FR), 2.94% | 60BS
• 12/31 Illinois Tool Works (ITW), 2.34% | 81VS
• 12/31 Mondelez (MDLZ), 3.12% | 66S
• 12/31 Lincoln Electric (LECO), 1.58% | 98VS
• 12/31 Amdocs Ltd (DOX), 2.23% | 90VS
• 12/31 Rexford Industrial (REXR), 4.31% | 81VS
• 1/2 Realty Income (O), 6.02% | 80S
• 1/3 Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), 2.85% | 70S

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🎙️Podcast of the week🎙️

TIP686: Big Tech Stocks w/ A... Dec 27 · We Study Billionaires -... 59:49   ​

The best part of this interview might have been "Where the money is" author Adam Seessel talking about how he wants to invest in companies whos best days are ahead of them. Something that resonated with me and I'll be thinking about...

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🎦If you missed it, all our dividend and option income in 2024 and the #1 stock we're buying into 2025!

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🎶Random music from the Dapper Dividends Jukebox🎶

Peter Schilling - Major Tom (Coming Home)

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🎙️Check out the Dapper Dividends Jukebox!🎶

Are you cursed with too much money? Consider my TIP JAR as a last resort before lighting it on 🔥!

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Congratulations!

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That said, have a WONDERFUL week, and I'll see you in the next one.