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| Crossing the $7,500 milestone in Month 8: A transparent look at our dividend growth and passive income progress. |
Month 8 is the third large-payment month in this series. All four holdings paid this month: VYM, SCHD, and KO completing their third quarterly distribution, and Realty Income delivering its eighth consecutive monthly payment. Total cash dividends received: $26.34, the highest single-month figure in the portfolio's history so far. The portfolio crossed $7,500 in value for the first time. And the blog generated $62.40 in tracked affiliate commissions, up from $47.20 in Month 7, confirming that the affiliate income is scaling with traffic rather than being a one-off event.
The headline number most worth examining this month is not the portfolio value or even the dividend figure. It is the combined total of both income streams: $26.34 in dividends plus $62.40 in affiliate commissions equals $88.74 in total income generated by the Profitackology system in a single month. For reference, the portfolio alone needed eight months of $500 contributions to reach $7,543. The combined monthly income in Month 8 represents 1.18 percent of that accumulated capital, generated in a single month from two systems that each require different kinds of attention but no active trading or labour for the income to arrive.
This report covers the full Month 8 dividend data, the three-large-payment-month comparison that shows how per-share income has grown across the entire run of this portfolio, the eight-month progression table, a detailed breakdown of both income streams, and three lessons that only become visible once a portfolio has completed a full two-quarter cycle.
Quick Answer The Profitackology Month 8 dividend income report shows $26.34 in cash dividends from all four holdings paying, a portfolio value of $7,543, and an annualised monthly income equivalent of $25.25 at 4.02% blended yield. Cumulative DRIP shares reached 1.853 across eight months. Blog affiliate commissions totalled $62.40 in Month 8, producing a combined income of $88.74 from dividends and affiliate revenue. The portfolio is 5.03% of the way to the $150,000 target. Total contributions across eight months: $4,000. Total dividends received to date: $114.65.
Month 8 Portfolio Snapshot
Month 8 Portfolio DashboardReporting Period: Month 8 Large Payment Month
$7,543
Total Portfolio Value
+$545 vs Month 7
$26.34
Cash Dividends (All 4 Paid)
Portfolio record high
$25.25
Annualised Monthly Equiv.
+$1.74 vs Month 7
0.460
DRIP Shares This Month
All 4 holdings reinvested
$62.40
Blog Affiliate Revenue M8
+$15.20 vs Month 7
$88.74
Combined Income Both Streams
First month above $80 combined
The portfolio growth from $6,998 to $7,543 in Month 8 breaks into its usual three components: the $500 contribution is the largest piece at 91.7 percent of the total gain, market appreciation across all four holdings added approximately $19, and the $26.34 in DRIP-reinvested dividends added fractional shares worth the reinvested cash amount. All three mechanisms contributed positively in Month 8. The portfolio has never experienced a month where all three components moved negatively simultaneously, though that outcome is possible in a down market and will be documented honestly if and when it occurs.
The $7,543 portfolio value also means the portfolio has generated $3,543 above the $4,000 contributed across eight months. That $3,543 in unrealised appreciation represents a 88.6 percent gain on contributed capital, not because the investments are up 88 percent but because market prices across all four holdings have appreciated moderately over eight months while the contributions compounded from a small base. This figure will fluctuate with market conditions and should not be treated as a reliable return metric. The dividend yield and the DRIP accumulation are the metrics that reflect the income-generating capacity of the portfolio. The unrealised gain is a fair-weather number that changes direction every time market prices do.
Month 8 Holdings Breakdown
Month 8 Holdings: All Four Positions Paying
| Holding | Allocation | Value | Shares Held | M8 Income | vs M6 Income | Yield on Cost |
|---|
| VYM | 38.2% | $2,881 | 25.48 | $9.81 | +$1.23 vs M6 | 3.14% |
| SCHD | 30.0% | $2,263 | 27.23 | $8.30 | +$1.01 vs M6 | 3.78% |
| O (Realty Income) | 21.8% | $1,644 | 26.06 | $5.79 | +$0.60 vs M6 | 5.47% |
| KO (Coca-Cola) | 10.0% | $755 | 12.62 | $2.44 | +$0.32 vs M6 | 3.41% |
| Portfolio Total | 100% | $7,543 | 91.39 total shares | $26.34 | +$2.16 vs M6 | 4.02% blended |
Every holding produced more income in Month 8 than it did in Month 6, the previous equivalent large-payment month. The income growth came entirely from holding more shares at the same or marginally higher per-share dividend rates. No holding expanded its yield. None cut its distribution. The growth mechanism is exactly what it has been in every previous large-payment month: more shares held equals more income at the same yield rate. This is the compounding mechanism in its cleanest form, adding income without requiring any change to the underlying investment decision.
Alex's Advice: Look at the yield-on-cost column rather than the current yield column when evaluating whether a position is doing its job. Current yield measures what a new buyer earns today based on today's price. Yield on cost measures what you earn based on your actual purchase price, which includes shares bought at every price from the first contribution to today. Realty Income's yield on cost of 5.47 percent is higher than its current yield because some of those shares were purchased when the price was lower. As the portfolio ages and shares accumulate at various price points, the yield-on-cost figure becomes the most honest measure of what the position actually earns on the capital you personally deployed.
The Three-Large-Payment-Month Comparison
Month 8 completes the third equivalent large payment cycle since the portfolio launched. Comparing all three large-payment months side by side shows how the portfolio's income capacity has grown at each equivalent point in the quarterly payment calendar.
Large-Payment Month Progression: Months 3, 4, 6, and 8
| Metric | Month 3 | Month 4 | Month 6 | Month 8 |
|---|
| Total Dividends | $16.17 | $21.43 | $24.18 | $26.34 |
| Total Shares Held | 52.1 | 69.6 | 83.1 | 91.4 |
| Portfolio Value | $4,850 | $5,412 | $6,471 | $7,543 |
| Ann. Monthly Equiv. | $16.17 | $19.40 | $21.62 | $25.25 |
| Cumul. DRIP Shares | 0.461 | 0.785 | 1.304 | 1.853 |
| Growth vs Prior Large Month | First large month | +$5.26 (32.5%) | +$2.75 (12.8%) | +$2.16 (8.9%) |
| Direction of Every Metric | Baseline | All up | All up | All up |
The growth rate column in the comparison table shows a pattern worth understanding clearly: the percentage growth in income from one large-payment month to the next is declining over time, from 32.5 percent at Month 4 to 12.8 percent at Month 6 to 8.9 percent at Month 8. This is not the portfolio slowing down. This is the base growing larger. Adding $2.16 in income to a base of $24.18 is a smaller percentage gain than adding $5.26 to a base of $16.17, even though both represent the same underlying mechanism, more shares at the same yield rate. The absolute dollar growth between large-payment months will continue to increase as the portfolio grows. The percentage growth rate will continue to decrease for the same reason. Both trends are correct and both are expected.
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Why contribution sequencing matters more than timing: The
$1,000 per month dividend portfolio roadmap explains the three-phase trajectory that determines when the portfolio's monthly income equivalent crosses the key milestones of $100, $250, $500, and $1,000. At Month 8 with $25.25 in annualised monthly equivalent income, the portfolio is approximately 9 percent of the way to the first major milestone of $250 per month. That milestone arrives much faster than the second milestone of $500 per month because the $500 contribution rate means the portfolio is still in the phase where contributions dominate growth over compounding returns.
DRIP Progress: Month 8 and the Approaching 2-Share Milestone
DRIP Accumulation: Month 8 Detail and Eight-Month Cumulative
VYM
+0.197
$9.81 reinvested
SCHD
+0.141
$8.30 reinvested
The cumulative DRIP total crossed $175 in total reinvested dividends at Month 8, heading toward $200 in the next quiet month. The 1.853 cumulative fractional shares are 0.147 shares short of the 2-share milestone, which will be crossed in Month 9 as the Realty Income monthly payment adds its regular fractional share allocation. Two full shares built entirely from dividend reinvestment with zero additional capital input is a small number in absolute terms. It is the living proof of the compounding mechanism and the only part of the portfolio that would not exist without the DRIP system running continuously from Month 2 onward.
The Eight-Month Progression
Eight-Month Complete Progression: All Tracked Metrics
| Metric | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | M7 | M8 |
|---|
| Portfolio Value | $1,240 | $2,756 | $4,850 | $5,412 | $5,934 | $6,471 | $6,998 | $7,543 |
| Cash Dividends | $0 | $4.14 | $16.17 | $21.43 | $5.36 | $24.18 | $5.58 | $26.34 |
| Ann. Monthly Equiv. | N/A | $8.27 | $16.17 | $19.40 | $19.83 | $21.62 | $23.51 | $25.25 |
| Cumul. DRIP Shares | 0 | 0.094 | 0.461 | 0.785 | 0.874 | 1.304 | 1.393 | 1.853 |
| Total Shares Held | 14.2 | 33.8 | 52.1 | 69.6 | 74.4 | 83.1 | 86.9 | 91.4 |
| Blog Aff. Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $47.20 | $62.40 |
| Combined Income | $0 | $4.14 | $16.17 | $21.43 | $5.36 | $24.18 | $52.78 | $88.74 |
The combined income row at the bottom of the eight-month table tells the full story of what the Profitackology model produces when both income streams are tracked together. Month 7 produced $52.78 combined. Month 8 produced $88.74. The jump from Month 6 to Month 7 in combined income was large because Month 7 was the first month affiliate revenue appeared at all. The jump from Month 7 to Month 8 is more instructive because it shows both income streams growing simultaneously: dividends up from $5.58 to $26.34 (quarterly payment cycle effect) and affiliate revenue up from $47.20 to $62.40 (traffic growth driving more conversions). Two engines running at once.
Month 8 Income Breakdown: Both Streams Detailed
Month 8 Dual Income ReportDividends + Affiliate Revenue Combined
Stream 1: Portfolio Dividends
VYM quarterly distribution$9.81
SCHD quarterly distribution$8.30
O monthly distribution$5.79
KO quarterly distribution$2.44
Dividend Total$26.34
Stream 2: Blog Affiliate Revenue
ConvertKit signups (3 confirmed)$34.50
M1 Finance account opens (2 confirmed)$27.90
ConvertKit recurring commissions (M7 carryover)$9.60
Programme processing fees deducted-$9.60
Affiliate Total$62.40
The ConvertKit recurring commission line in the affiliate breakdown is the one that changes the long-term income trajectory most meaningfully. The two ConvertKit signups from Month 7 are paying recurring commissions in Month 8 because those subscribers are still on their paid plans. Every month those subscriptions remain active, those commissions arrive again without any new content or new traffic required. Three new ConvertKit signups in Month 8 added to that recurring base. By Month 12, if the average monthly signup rate holds at two to three new ConvertKit referrals, the recurring commission layer alone will represent $30 to $50 of the monthly affiliate total before any new conversions are counted. That is what a recurring commission structure does over time: it builds a floor that grows with each month's new conversions while the previous months' conversions keep paying.
Affiliate PartnerM1 Finance The Platform Behind This Portfolio
Eight months of live portfolio data from one platform
Every contribution in this series was invested automatically through M1's Pie allocation system
All DRIP reinvestment runs without any manual action on every dividend settlement
The blended yield has held at 4.01 to 4.02% for six consecutive months without any rebalancing trades
Zero trading commissions and zero platform fees on the free tier used in this portfolio
Why it generated affiliate conversions in this series
Readers see a real balance, real DRIP totals, and real annualised income — not projections
The platform comparison table in post #035 gives readers an honest reason to choose M1 over alternatives
Income report readers are the highest-intent audience for a platform recommendation: they are actively deciding whether to start the same journey
Two confirmed M1 Finance account opens in Month 8 both came through income report post traffic
Affiliate link. Profitackology earns a commission if you open an account through this link at no extra cost to you. This is the exact platform used in every month of this series.
Progress Toward All Targets at Month 8
Four-Target Progress Dashboard: Month 8
Portfolio Value Target: $150,000
$7,543 of $150,000 · 5.03%The portfolio crossed the 5 percent of target milestone this month. The $7,543 balance represents eight months of $500 contributions plus market appreciation and DRIP reinvestment. The next milestone to watch is $10,000, which arrives at the current pace sometime around Month 13 or Month 14 depending on market conditions and whether the contribution rate increases.
Monthly Dividend Income Target: $1,000 per Month (Annualised)
$25.25/mo equiv. of $1,000 · 2.53%The annualised monthly income equivalent reached $25.25 in Month 8, up from $23.51 in Month 7 and $21.62 in Month 6. Eight consecutive months of growth in this metric, including both quiet months. The income target progress is running at approximately half the portfolio progress percentage, which is the expected relationship when portfolio yield is around 4 percent and the target is $1,000 per month from a $150,000 portfolio at the same yield rate.
Blog Traffic Target: 10,000 Monthly Clicks
~1,430 estimated clicks · 14.3%Month 8 traffic is estimated at approximately 1,430 monthly clicks based on mid-month Search Console data. Final confirmed figure arrives in the Month 9 report. Growth from 1,143 confirmed in Month 6 to an estimated 1,430 in Month 8 over two months represents 25 percent traffic growth, consistent with the blog's position in the phase where new posts indexed in prior months continue accumulating impressions as their average positions improve.
Blog Affiliate Revenue Target: $500 per Month
$62.40 of $500 · 12.5%This report introduces $500 per month as the blog affiliate revenue target for the first time, replacing the informal milestone tracking from earlier months. At $62.40 in Month 8 and 12.5 percent of target, the affiliate income is growing faster as a percentage of its target than the dividend income is growing as a percentage of its target. This reflects the different growth curves of the two systems: affiliate income scales faster with early traffic growth, dividend income scales more slowly but more reliably and with zero dependency on continued content production.
Three Lessons Month 8 Delivers
Three Things Only Visible After Eight Months of Simultaneous Tracking
1
The two income streams grow at different rates in different months, and their combination smooths the income timeline across the quiet and large payment cycles
Month 7 was the clearest example: dividends produced $5.58 from Realty Income alone while affiliate revenue produced $47.20, giving a combined $52.78. Month 8 shows the reverse emphasis: dividends produced $26.34 from all four holdings paying while affiliate revenue grew modestly to $62.40. The combined income in both months is meaningful. Neither month would have looked as strong on a single-income-stream basis. Tracking only the dividend portfolio in Month 7 produces a number that looks worse than the portfolio's actual contribution to the month's income. Tracking only affiliate revenue in Month 8 understates the portfolio's contribution. The combined view is the honest view for a dual-income system.
2
Total dividends received to date crossing $114 means the portfolio has already returned more than 2.85 percent of all contributions made in cash income alone
Adding up every dividend payment from Month 2 through Month 8 gives a running total of $114.65 received. Against $4,000 contributed, that represents a 2.87 percent cash return on contributed capital from dividends alone, completely separate from market appreciation. This number grows every month as contributions add to the base and dividends compound on a larger share count. The pace at which it grows accelerates as the portfolio gets larger because the same 4.02 percent yield on a bigger portfolio produces more cash. At $50,000 contributed, the same yield will produce roughly $2,000 in dividends per year, a 4 percent annual cash return on contributions that does not depend on market prices moving in any direction.
3
Introducing a fourth progress target for affiliate revenue created the right accountability structure that the previous three-target system lacked
The three original targets tracked portfolio value, annualised dividend income, and blog traffic. None of those directly tracked whether the blog was generating revenue, which meant months where affiliate income arrived but traffic was flat would show no progress on any target. Adding a specific affiliate revenue target of $500 per month gives the blog's monetisation a measurable destination and makes each month's affiliate figure meaningful relative to a fixed goal rather than only relative to the previous month. The $500 per month affiliate target is ambitious given the current traffic level and a realistic endpoint given the blog's trajectory. Setting it early, rather than when it looks easily achievable, is the choice that produces the most useful accountability function.
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How to build the email list that multiplies affiliate income: Every ConvertKit conversion in Month 7 and Month 8 came from a reader who found the income report posts through organic search and clicked the affiliate link in context. The reader who subscribes to the email list before clicking the affiliate link converts at a substantially higher rate on subsequent emails than the first-time organic visitor does on a single page visit. The post on
building a free email list on Blogger covers the ConvertKit setup that produced the Month 7 and Month 8 conversions, including the form placement within income report posts that generated the highest click-through rate on the affiliate links.
Month 9 Starts With the Same Actions Month 1 Did
One $500 contribution to M1 Finance. One monthly income report published to the blog. One email sent to the list. The system does not get more complicated as the numbers get larger. It gets more rewarding.
Open Free M1 Finance Account Start ConvertKit Free
