Monthly Income With Dividends In May 2025

Hi readers, 👋

General sentiment

Not much was going on in the markets this May. Well, maybe the usual tariff drama. But at this point, it feels like many investors aren’t taking the announcements all that seriously anymore. Sure, stocks still flinch when US President Donald Trump threatens new tariffs, like the fresh round aimed at the EU earlier in May, but the reactions are getting more muted. It’s as if the markets have learned to price in the bluster and discount the likelihood of these measures actually being implemented in full. And they might be right: the announcement of a 50% tariff on EU goods was followed just days later by a statement saying the tariffs would be delayed by 90 days.

That delay sparked a decent rebound. The S&P 500 was up 6.2% in May. That was its best monthly performance since November 2023. The Nasdaq Composite was up 9.6%, also its best month since November 2023. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.9%, its biggest monthly gain since January. In Europe, the DAX hit a new all-time high, seemingly relieved that the trade axe didn’t fall just yet.

Overall, the vibe among investors is one of cautious optimism, not because everything looks great, but because nothing terrible actually materialized.

Still, not everyone’s popping champagne. Some analysts warn that tech valuations are running hot, and if the AI momentum stalls or macro data disappoints, we could be in for a cold shower.

For now, inflation’s low, consumer sentiment is holding up, and earnings haven’t fallen off a cliff. So while the political theater continues, markets are doing what they do best, moving on and betting on the next thing.

Elon Musk withdraws from the US government – what remains?

Elon Musk has officially stepped away from his role leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), just four months after its high-profile launch. According to Musk, his team managed to slash $160 billion in federal spending through aggressive cuts to agencies and programs. Sounds impressive if you don’t look too closely.

Critics have questioned the number from all sides. Some say the savings were counted twice. Others point out that a big chunk of them came from programs that were already being scaled back before DOGE even got started. One independent analysis even suggests the cuts may have cost the U.S. economy a net $135 billion when you include lost revenue and long-term knock-on effects. In short, the math doesn’t add up.

And that’s the bigger issue. For all the noise and hype, there was very little real reform. USAID had to gut humanitarian projects. Thousands of federal workers were shown the door. Programs were disrupted, confused or frozen. But at no point did DOGE deliver a clear strategy or lasting value. It was all built around BS slogans like “do more with less” and “disrupt government.” That might play well online, but it’s not how you run a country.

This kind of thing also reveals something more troubling. Democratic societies are increasingly vulnerable to big personalities selling big promises and lofty dreams. When a tech celebrity like Musk shows up in Washington, a lot of people get excited. They think he’s going to clean house, fix everything, and get things moving.

When outsiders come in, the outcome is often rather crappy. In most cases, they talk big, blow everything up, and then leave. Sometimes, the outcome is just a waste of time. But more often, unfortunately, it feeds a sense of disappointment that weakens public trust. People start to believe democracy itself is the problem. That maybe the whole process should be skipped. That someone should just step in and take control. That’s how you end up sliding toward authoritarian thinking, even in places that pride themselves on being free and open.

So what are we left with after Musk’s brief political experiment? Some demoralized agencies, some confusing budget claims, and a reminder that showmanship is not leadership. Democratic systems don’t need rockstars. They need responsible people who do the hard, boring work in the background. And they need fewer self-styled saviors who crash the party, promise the moon, and leave others to clean up.

My monthly income with dividends in May

My investment approach is simple and consists of three pillars:

  • Active income.
  • Passive income.
  • Conversion.

Dividends fall into the last two categories. They are passive because they provide a cash flow without me going to work. Additionally, they are an essential pillar for conversion since they can be reinvested to generate even more income in the future. That is the Theory. Now, let’s get down to practice.

This month, my cash-flow approach generated the following income through dividends (including YoY growth):

My dividend income in May
My dividend income in May

So overall:

  • the total monthly income with dividends in May (after taxes) was: €2,040.80 / appr. $2,326.52
  • compared to last year, the dividend growth was excellent (+ 25% YoY),
  • monthly dividend income (ttm): €639.37 / appr. $725,
  • monthly dividend income (ttm) compared to the previous month: + 5.7 percent.
Dividends per month are coming in with a sunny yellow in May
Dividends per month are coming in with a sunny yellow in May

The rest of the article is accessible on my Substack. It contains an overview of the stocks I purchased in May, the stocks I will buy in June, and a deep dive into my portfolio performance.

As this report contains valuable insights, I want to restrict access to paying subscribers only. I invest a lot of time and effort into writing these pieces – not to get rich, but to provide meaningful content.

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Best,

wealth management

 

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