Dividend Stocks That Pay Me $1,200 a Month

How I Built A Passive Income Stream From Stocks Anyone Can Buy

🖥️ Reading time: 6 minutes

When I was teaching full-time, most of my paycheck went to cover my expenses: rent, food, and electricity. Every month felt tight. If I wanted more money? I had to work more. And honestly, I thought that was the only way. Turns out, I was wrong!

I discovered dividend-paying stocks, and it completely changed how I think about money, time, and wealth.

Today, I make over $1,200 a month from these stocks. No side hustle. No extra hours. Just income from companies I believe in. Prefer to watch the video? [Click Here.]

📈 What Are Dividends (and Why They’re So Powerful)

Let’s put on the teacher hat for a second. When a company earns profit, it can do three things:

1. Reinvest in the business (think Tesla and Cybertrucks)
2. Buy back its own shares (to increase value)
3. Share profits with shareholders — that’s called a dividend

Dividends are payments you receive just for owning stock. It’s the most passive form of income I’ve ever found. No side hustle. No rental property. No boss.

Just getting paid to hold great companies over time. If you want to start today, first, sign up for my next FREE Beginners Investing Master Class.

🧺 Why I Started With ETFs — Safer, Smoother, and Still Profitable

If you’re new to investing, think of ETFs like baskets. Instead of betting on one company, you own small pieces of dozens — sometimes hundreds — of them at once.

That means lower risk and built-in diversification.

✅ 1. SCHD — The Dividend Workhorse

Steady. Predictable.

SCHD is my go-to ETF for consistent dividends. It includes reliable names like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Verizon — brands people use every single day, and businesses that have stood the test of time.

• Dividend yield: ~3.5%
• Paid quarterly
• Includes dividend aristocrats (long-term payers)

It’s the kind of ETF that lets me sleep at night. Nothing flashy — just steady, growing payouts. And that’s the kind of wealth everyone wants to build.

🇺🇸 2. SPY — Own a Piece of America's Best

Big brands. Big power. Small but steady dividends.

SPY gives you a slice of America’s biggest and most influential companies. It tracks the S&P 500, so you’re owning a piece of the economy’s backbone.

• Dividend yield: Just over 1%
• Price per share: ~$500
• Alternative: SPLG (same companies, lower cost)

It’s not a high-yield pick, but it’s battle-tested. Through crashes, recessions, and market chaos — SPY just keeps going.

Pro Tip: Has this piqued your interest? Sign up for my next FREE Beginners Investing Master Class. 

💻 3. QQQ — Growth Over Dividends

Tech-heavy, future-focused, and still pays a little on the side.

QQQ is where I lean into growth. It’s packed with tech powerhouses like Nvidia, Tesla, and Amazon — companies that reinvest most of their profits to fuel growth.

• Dividend yield: Under 1%
• Average return over 10 years: ~16%
• Alternative: QQQM (cheaper version)

Over the last decade, QQQ has averaged around 16% annual returns. That’s why it’s in my portfolio — not for the payout, but for the long-term growth. The dividend is like a pickle on the side of a burger. It’s not the reason you ordered it, but it’s nice to have.

🟢 4. Waste Management (WM) — Own What People Can’t Live Without

Trash isn’t sexy — but it’s always in demand. Even during a recession, people still pay to have garbage picked up. People need it, businesses need it, and WM has paid out through every bear market, recession, and economic disaster for over 20 years.

• Dividend yield: Around 2%
• Track record: 20+ years of consistent payments
• Bonus: Investing in recycling and biofuel

WM is one of my most boring — and most reliable — holdings. It’s grown from $30 to over $200, and it’s paid me the whole way up.

🛠️ 5. Lowe’s — Build Wealth From Repairs & Renovations

When the economy’s booming, people renovate. When times are bad, people repair. Either way, Lowe’s wins. And when Lowe’s wins, I win. That’s why Lowe’s has been a staple in my portfolio.

• Dividend yield: ~2%
• Recession-resistant
• Strong long-term growth

When my parents first moved to the US, we couldn’t afford to hire contractors. So we went to Lowe’s, figured it out, and fixed it ourselves. Today, I still invest in them — and they pay me back.

💸 6. Visa (V) & MasterCard (MA) — Profit From Every Swipe

Every time someone swipes a credit card in America, a little fee gets tacked onto that transaction. And guess who collects those fees? Yep—Visa and MasterCard. And, you’re probably asking, “Where does that money go?” Well, some of it trickles back to me as a shareholder. 

• Dividend yield: Under 1%
• Annual return average: 17–19%
• Reason to own: High growth, global reach

I don’t love credit card debt, but if it’s going to exist, I’d rather be on the side getting paid. Visa and MasterCard offer the best of both worlds: a small quarterly check and a stock that keeps going up.

📊 How Much Do I Actually Make?

Last year, these dividend stocks (plus a few others) paid me over $1,200/month — and I didn’t lift a finger to earn it. I didn’t flip houses. I didn’t build a business. I didn’t even open my laptop half the time.

I just bought great companies, held them, and let the market do its thing.

🚀 Want to Start? Here’s What to Do Next:

1. Learn the basics — Take a beginner investing class (I offer a free one)
2. Start with ETFs like SCHD or SPY
3. Reinvest your dividends — Let them grow on autopilot
4. Stay consistent — Time > timing in the stock market

👋 Final Thoughts: Build Wealth Slowly. But Surely.

You don’t need to be rich to invest. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start. What to know how?

The earlier you begin, the more time your dividends have to grow. And in the world of compounding, time is the real cheat code.

These aren’t get-rich-quick stocks. But they are the exact ones I trust to pay me again next quarter — and for years to come.

✅ Join my FREE Beginners Investing Master Class

✅ Take advantage of my FREE Financial Freedom Faster eBook

✅ Get in touch

By diversifying your income, you can achieve financial independence and create a secure future. What’s stopping you from getting started today?

- Steve

Disclaimer:

The following article is strictly the opinion of the author and is not to be considered financial/investment advice. CTL Community LLC and the author of this article do not claim to be a registered financial advisor (RIA) or financial advisor. Please visit our terms of service and privacy policy before reading this article.  "Call to Leap may earn affiliate commissions from the links mentioned. Call to Leap is part of an affiliate network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites such as ImpactRadius, CardRatings, MyBankTracker, and more."