Three ETFs. Twelve months. Not a month without a distribution.

Dividends feel different from price increases. A price gain is paper. A distribution is money in the account. This is not a discussion about optimization, this is psychology.

The trio:

🟢 Vanguard FTSE All-World Dist. (A1JX52) 3,600+ stocks, developed and emerging markets, ~1.26% div yield, TER 0.19% Distribution: March / June / September / December

🟡 Fidelity Global Quality Income (A2DL7E) Quality focus on industrialized countries, ~1.71% div yield, TER 0.40% Distribution: February / May / August / November

🔴 iShares STOXX Global Select Dividend 100 (A0F5UH) 100 top dividend payers from Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, ~3.83% div yield, TER 0.46% Distribution: January / April / July / October

Together: 12 out of 12 months.

The milestones (net after German taxes, Ø 1.85% net dividend yield):

📱 Digital lifestyle Netflix/Internet/mobile phone

80€/mo: 52,000€

Depot → €500/mo: 6.7 years | €1,000/mo: 3.8 years

☕ Daily coffee

120€/mo: 78,000€

Deposit → €500/mo: 9.0 years | €1,000/mo: 5.3 years

🚗 Mobility leasing and insurance

350€/mo: 227.000€

Depot → €500/mo: 17.6 years | €1,000/mo: 11.7 years

🏠 Warm rent

1,000€/mo: 649,000€

Deposit → €500/mo: 28.7 years | €1,000/mo: 21.2 years

🎯 Financial freedom

€2,500/mo: €1.62 million deposit → €500/mo: 39.5 years | €1,000/mo: 31.2 years

An important note that many people forget:

Dividends are not free money. On the ex-dividend date, the share price is reduced by exactly the amount distributed. The money is transferred from the securities account value to the account, not added to it. If you don't know this, you might wonder why your securities account falls slightly on the distribution date.

Honest classification:

This strategy is optimized for monthly cash flow and motivation, not maximum final return. An accumulating MSCI World benefits from tax deferral and almost always outperforms in the long term. But if you need the monthly confirmation in your account to keep going, you are doing absolutely everything right here. Discipline beats optimization.

PS: Why these three ETFs?

Yes, there are dividend ETFs with 4, 5 or 6% distribution yields. Yes, there are individual stocks that pay 8% or more. That's not the point of this post.

This trio was chosen because it does three things at once: pay out every month, be broadly diversified and not take extreme cluster risks. If you want higher yields, you take more concentrated stocks and bear more risk. Both are legitimate, both are a conscious decision. The aim here was to provide an example that works for as many people as possible as a starting point.

The TER correction:

The TER of the Vanguard FTSE All-World Dist. (A1JX52) is correctly 0.19% p.a., not 0.22% as stated in the chart. My mistake, thanks to anyone who reports it. The average of the trio thus drops minimally to approx. 0.35% TER. Nothing significant changes in the milestone calculations.

Sources: Parqet, DivvyDiary, justETF, extraETF (as of May 2026). Taxes: 30% partial exemption, 26.375% capital gains tax. No investment advice.

What is your next milestone? 👇

$VWRL (-0.27%)
$FGEQ (-0.04%)
$ISPA (+0.13%)

#getquin
#dividenden
#etf
#passiveseinkommen
#finanziellefreiheit
#investieren
#finanzen
#börse
#ausschüttend
#msciworld

The dip dribbled out perfectly! With bonus and tax refund, it's now cash flow season. 📈⚽

April showed that consistency is not a fair-weather project. While I was standing in thick fog in Saxon Switzerland and couldn't see the valley from the top of the rocks because of the fog, the depots reflected the turnaround in performance for the better. As soon as the sun broke through, the gray gave way to a lush green.

After a turbulent March, I seized the opportunity when my employer paid out my half-year bonus. I hit the low point very well and dribbled out. Broadcom did exactly what it usually does with my shares: be the engine of growth. The road to freedom is a hike through all kinds of weather. Sometimes the wind whips up, sometimes you enjoy the sunset at Leipziger Völki.

The key is to stubbornly continue investing. Intel is the best example. Anyone who wrote off the share too early missed the turnaround. Unfortunately, I was never invested in Intel. In any case, I don't know the future in five years' time, but I am securing my cash flow today. Time for a look back.

DISCLAIMER/RISK WARNING

Please remember that this article is for entertainment purposes only. At no point is it a buy or sell recommendation or professional legal, tax or investment advice. Don't just copy anything I do. I am merely describing what is happening in my portfolios, but in no way guarantee that it is up-to-date, correct or complete.

Investing in the capital market is always associated with risks such as loss of invested capital, price fluctuations, liquidation risks or market risks. In accordance with the current guidelines of ESMA and BaFin, I expressly point out that this review serves exclusively to document my personal investment strategy and does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of the WpIG. The securities presented by me are expressly not to be understood as investment advicebut are merely components of my personal portfolio at the time of reporting. Please also bear in mind that there is a conflict of interest, as I naturally hold the securities myself.

If necessary, seek professional advice and do your own research.

Overall performance

Intel shows it again. Just keep a broad base and stay tuned. Then your portfolios will turn out to be a rock in the surf.

My key performance indicators for my overall portfolio at a glance:

• TTWROR (month under review): + 5.29 % (previous month: -4.60 %)
• TTWROR (since inception): +88,98 %
• IZF (month under review): +87.17 % (previous month: -42.46 %)
• IZF (since inception): +11,49 %
• Delta: + € 4,935.78
• Absolute change: € +6,139.12

Data shown as "since inception" is valid since 31.05.2020

Performance & volume

After the fog lifted in April, the true strength of my allocation became apparent. My top of the class $AVGO (-1.86%) not only leads the green portfolio, but is actually marching ahead. In my top 5 $WMT (+1.63%) and $GOOGL (-2.2%) The $BAC, a stable financial anchor, moved back into the top group. Also $FAST (-0.13%) underpins my strategy of solid industrial stocks with consistency.

The highlight is the run at $TGT (+3.22%) My staying power is paying off massively, the minus has shrunk to just 8%. This is clear proof that discipline pays off in phases of weakness. Target seems to be regaining confidence through improved inventory management.

There are downsides to the current "problem children" $NKE (+0.85%) , $GIS (+1.88%) and $$CPB (+1.67%) which are feeling the headwind. But as long as the dividends flow reliably, I remain relaxed. I invest for the stable cash flow that finances my freedom.

Largest individual share positions by volume in the overall portfolio:

Share (%) of total portfolio (and associated securities account):

$AVGO (-1.86%) 3.26 % (main share portfolio)

$WMT (+1.63%) 1.87 % (main share portfolio)

$GOOGL (-2.2%) 1.67 % (main share portfolio)

$FAST (-0.13%) 1.37 % (main share portfolio)

$BAC (+0.76%) 1.35 % (main share portfolio)

$FDX (+1.27%) 1.29 % (main share portfolio)

Smallest individual share positions by volume in the overall portfolio:

Share (%) of the total portfolio (and associated securities account):

$GIS (+1.88%) : 0.40 % (main share portfolio)

$NOVO B (+0.69%) 0.41 % (main share portfolio)

$NKE (+0.85%) 0.44 % (main share portfolio)

$CPB (+1.67%) 0.44 % (main share portfolio)

$DHR (+2.58%) 0.55 % (main share portfolio)

Top-performing individual stocks

Shares with performance since initial purchase (%) (and the respective portfolio):

$AVGO (-1.86%) : +380 % (main share portfolio)

$GOOGL (-2.2%) +149 % (main share portfolio)

$WMT (+1.63%) +118 % (main share portfolio)

$NFLX (+0.47%) +93 % (main share portfolio)

$OHI (+1.56%) : +82 % (main share portfolio)

Flop performer individual stocks

Shares with performance since initial purchase (%) (and the respective portfolio):

$NKE (+0.85%) : -50 % (main share portfolio)

$GIS (+1.88%) -47 % (main share portfolio)

$CPB (+1.67%) : -43 % (main share portfolio)

$NOVO B (+0.69%) -32 % (main share portfolio)

$DHR (+2.58%) -27 % (main share portfolio)

Sector allocation of my individual stocks

My top 6 sectors are:

Consumer goods: 16.47% (previous month: 17.62%)

Miscellaneous: 16.40 % (previous month: 16.60 %)

Technology: 14.18 % [excluding information technology] (previous month: 12.07 %)

Financial sector: 11.55% (previous month: 11.39%)

Transportation: 9.57% (previous month: 9.13%)

Trade: 7.59% (previous month: 7.50%)

Asset allocation

Equities and ETFs currently determine my asset allocation, with ETFs growing steadily in recent months, which may be due to additional purchases.

ETFs: 42.8 % (previous month: 42.3 %)

Equities: 57.2 % (previous month: 57.7 %)

Investments and additional purchases

I have invested the following amounts in savings plans:

Planned savings plan amount from the fixed net salary: € 1,070

Savings ratio of savings plans to fixed net salary: 50.20

Planned savings plan amount from the fixed net salary, incl. reinvested dividends according to plan size: € 1,190

In addition, there were the following additional investments from returns, refunds, cashback, etc. as one-off savings plans/repurchases:

Repurchases/one-off savings plans as cashback annuities from refunds: € 85.00

Subsequent purchases/one-off savings plans as a cashback annuity from bonuses: € 774.97

Subsequent purchases from other surpluses: € 75.00

Automatically reinvested dividends by the broker: € 3.99 (Function is only activated for an old custody account, as I otherwise prefer to manage the reinvestment myself)

Number of unscheduled additional purchases: 7

Passive income from dividends and ETF distributions

Passive income in the month under review

I received € 192.02 in distributions in the month under review (€ 152.82 in the same month of the previous year). This corresponds to a change of +25.65 % compared to the same month last year. The growth can be explained to a small extent by the new positions in the crypto successor portfolio, the majority comes from continuous investing through savings plans, reinvestment of dividends and other surplus funds.

Number of dividend payments and ETF distributions: 33

Number of payment days: 13 days

Average dividend per payment: € 5.82

average dividend per payday: € 14.77

Passive income YTD

YTD I have received dividends in the amount of € 450.34. If you put this in relation to my annual dividend target of € 2,100, the target achievement of the distribution is 21.44% (target 25.00%). This puts me just below the target, but this will be reversed in the coming months with high dividend payments.

The three calculation methods result in the following distribution yields:

YTD distribution yields: 0.70%

Distribution yields since inception: 4.87 %

Distribution yields YoY: 2.25 %

The slightly falling distribution yield since inception and YoY shows the underpinning price increase. At 0.7% YTD, it shows that my asset accumulation is still comparatively a young project.

The distribution yield fell by 0.87% YoY, while the relative fluctuation was 21.88%. This shows that the distributions are constant, but still fluctuate quite strongly.

My top payers

The top 6 payers in the month under review were:

$VWRL (-0.27%)

$VHYL (+0.2%)

$ISPA (+0.13%)

$HSBA (-1.48%)

$VUSA (-0.27%)

$GSK (+1.25%)

FIRE Number & Runway

Even though I don't want to sell shares later, I also calculate my FIRE number for comparability with investors who run an exclusively accumulating strategy.

My FIRE figure based on my 12-month spending (TTM) of €12,156.86 was €303,921.50 (previous month: €305,512.00).

This is the minimum volume my portfolio would need to reach in order to theoretically cover the expenses via a 4% withdrawal. And this figure has fallen slightly.

Of course, this figure fluctuates every month. But it's not the only metric to determine how long my assets could support me in an emergency (without taking taxes into account).

The rolling spending range (runway) expresses how long I could live off my assets.

On an annual basis, this is currently 7.92 years (previous month 7.41 years) or the equivalent of around 94.98 months (previous month: 88.86 months). Compared to the previous month, it is 0.51 years increased.

So I am effectively about half a year more "free", due to the recovery from the current global political events.

Compared to the same month last year, this is an increase of 2.80 years is available. I am still 17.08 years away from my runway target (25 years), which corresponds to the FIRE multiplier. 17.08 years away. So there is still a long way to go to financial freedom, assuming that everything continues as before.

The runway stability of 97.46% indicates that my system is in a solid position despite the market turbulence. Although the price fluctuations have advanced my theoretical range by a minimal 0.51 years, the high stability ratio proves that the core of my strategy remains unaffected.

Performance comparison: portfolio vs. benchmarks

To see where I really stand, I regularly compare my portfolio with the major market ETFs. This allows me to see immediately how well my performance (TTWROR) has done in the current month and since the start compared to the overall market.

My portfolio: -4.60 % (since I started: +88.49 %)

$VWRL (-0.27%) -5.55 % (since my start: 62.19 %)

$VUSA (-0.27%) -4.05 % (since my start: 53.23 %)

$IMEU (-0.34%) -6.87 % (since I started: 74.05 %)

Data shown as "since I started" is considered to be since 31.05.2020

Key risk figures

Here are my key risk figures for the month under review:

Maximum drawdown:

Since inception: 17.17 %

Month under review: 0.67

Maximum drawdown duration:

since inception: 702 days

Reporting month: 7+ days

Volatility:

since inception: 28.66

Month under review: 2.64 %

Sharpe Ratio:

since inception: 0.41

in the month under review: 41.68

Semi-volatility:

since inception: 21.26

Month under review: 1.59

The maximum drawdown in April of just 0.67 % clearly shows that the dust has settled. While March was still characterized by a correction, the impact in April was minimal. The Sharpe ratio of an impressive 41.68 in the month under review underlines the excellent risk-adjusted performance in this recovery phase.

With a monthly volatility of 2.64% and a semi-volatility of 1.59%, the fluctuations remain far below the historical average of over 28%. This confirms once again that my system is stable. While the long-term key figures are barely moving, I am using the calm to further consolidate my foundations. The focus remains on cash flow, while the risks remain absolutely controlled.

Outlook

After the implementation month of April, I look back with deep satisfaction. The employer bonus and the tax refund have been a real turbo boost for the market. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be able to fully invest such sums in order to massively broaden my passive income base.

Privately, April was the calm after the storm. A balanced month, characterized by stability and little hustle and bustle. Like hiking in Saxon Switzerland, the fog has lifted and allowed me to focus on the essentials. This calm is also reflected in my sport. My workouts and running sessions are now so ingrained, it's as if they've been automated. Without much motivational debate, I stubbornly and steadily follow my program, allowing my strength and endurance to grow almost automatically. And the words "stubborn" and "steady" are an important basic rule for us investors that we have internalized for investing. So you can see that these words dominate many areas of life.

I conclude this review with a feeling of serenity. When the foundation is right and the habits are in place, the noise on the markets loses its terror. Those who know their course will not be swayed by the wind.

Thank you for reading. Here's to May continuing to be a constant merry month! ☀️

👉 My related Instagram Carousel posts for the review will be published as follows:

08.05.2026: Portfolio review (Key performance indicators, share performance, allocation, sectors, additional purchases and performance comparisons)

09.05.2026: Budget review (Income, expenditure, cash flow, ratios, budget compliance and citizen's income check)

10.05.2026: Cash flow review (general, YTD and actual vs. target comparison of passive income, my top spenders, FIRE figure and capital reach)

📲 There you can find @frugalfreisein on Instagram and YouTube with regular videos, shorts, reels and carousel posts.

Please pay close attention to the spelling of my alias. Unfortunately, there are too many fake and phishing accounts on social media. I have already been "copied" several times.

👉 How do you personally feel the stock market year has started? (No investment advice!)

My path to my goal:

My securities account has just cracked the €30,000 mark. What looks like a round sum is the result of a tough decision: I radically restructured my portfolio and sold 58 individual shares in order to focus on the essentials.

Why I sold 58 shares:

My portfolio used to consist of a "zoo" of over 50 individual stocks. But I have learned two things:

Time is money: as a shift worker, my time is precious. Tracking 50+ companies, reading quarterly reports and following the news was pure stress.

Focus beats dispersion loss: Many individual stocks neutralized each other. I wanted to move away from being a "hobby analyst" and become a strategic investor. The sale was the liberating blow to swap complexity for efficiency.

My strategy: the "two-pillar model"

I now invest stubbornly and automatically in two highly efficient ETFs:

#etfs

$VWRL (-0.27%)

Vannguard FTSE All-World (Growth): My engine. Maximum world diversification. This is where I build the foundation for my assets.

$LDGL (+0.06%)

L&G Quality Dividend (cash flow): My harvesting machine. This is where I secure a growing monthly cash flow that shows me today that my money is working for me.

My goal & outlook:

My current interim goal is to reach €40,000 by the end of the year. In the long term, I plan to save until I retire in 2048.

Savings rate: 500 to 1000 euros per month

1,000 is paid into a fixed deposit every month, covered by my basic salary.

The turbo: Every allowance from my shifts is invested to shorten the time to financial freedom.

The vision: At some point, I will shift the weighting in favor of cash flow in order to live off the dividends.

My motto: While others are still pondering the perfect individual share, I am already invested. The market never sleeps and neither does my portfolio now.

Remains boring, but we share it :)

Only €2,500 could be invested this month as we are flying to Japan next week and provisions of €1,000 were made. Once again, €1,500 was invested in the $VWRL (-0.27%) and 1.000€ into the $TDIV (+0.63%)

Only €2,500 could be invested this month as we are flying to Japan next week and provisions of €1,000 were made. Once again, €1,500 was invested in the $VWRL (-0.27%) and 1.000€ into the $TDIV (+0.63%)

Still agree with the people who said it before.... Sold my shares of covered call ETFs worth +-€10,000 today. $JEGP (+1.32%)
$JEPQ (-0.03%)

In their place:

• €1000 $BTC (-0.37%)
• 
  €3000 $SMH (-0.41%)
• 
  €3000 $VWRL (-0.27%)
• 
  €1500 $TDIV (+0.63%)
• 
  €1500 Cash

Reason: I am 22 😅.

$VWRL (-0.27%) Payday was on April 1. Still not there yet. A few days is ok, but now I think 6 days is cheeky. They are robbing me of interest in my eyes.

I already have TR, it arrives on time, but I don't necessarily want to have the entire deposit there either.

I'm not interested in the fees, as I don't buy anything anyway. And if I do, it tends to be something small with TR. It's simply about the punctual payment of dividends.

Any suggestions?

TLDR: Increasingly antifragile due to the March storm and focus on turnaround candidates. 😊

March showed me once again that consistency is not a fair-weather project. While I was out and about on the Baltic coast between sleet showers and sunshine, a storm of its own was raging on the markets. Geopolitical tensions caused red signs and a drop of 4.6% in the portfolio. A cause for concern for many, but for me an important test run for my system, which becomes a little more anti-fragile with each of these setbacks.

On the pier in Graal-Müritz, I realized that the road to freedom is long and sometimes the wind whips you in the face. But if you keep your focus and don't let short-term waves in the TTWROR or IZF get in your way, you'll get there. This month, heavyweights like Alphabet and FedEx flew out of the top 5, while Exxon moved forward as a defensive anchor and my Target position is increasingly proving to be a turnaround machine.

Are you ready to dive deep into the numbers and see how my portfolio is gaining strength in the storm? Then grab a warm cup of tea and join me on the pier. Because no matter how much it storms. Mien Kopp is clear and de Kurs steiht! Time for a look back.

DISCLAIMER/RISK WARNING

Please remember that this article is for entertainment purposes only. At no point does it constitute a recommendation to buy or sell or professional legal, tax or investment advice. Don't just copy anything I do. I am merely describing what is happening in my portfolios, but in no way guarantee that it is up-to-date, correct or complete.

Investing in the capital market is always associated with risks such as loss of invested capital, price fluctuations, liquidation risks or market risks. In accordance with the current guidelines of ESMA and BaFin, I expressly point out that this review serves exclusively to document my personal investment strategy and does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of the WpIG. The securities presented by me are expressly not to be understood as investment advicebut are merely components of my personal portfolio at the time of reporting. Please also bear in mind that there is a conflict of interest, as I naturally hold the securities myself.

If necessary, seek professional advice and do your own research.

Overall performance

Let the others panic. If you are broadly positioned, your portfolios will turn out to be a rock in the surf.

My key performance indicators for my overall portfolio at a glance:

• TTWROR (month under review): -4.60% (previous month: +3.47%)
• TTWROR (since inception): +79,83 %
• IZF (month under review): -42.46 % (previous month: +55.90 %)
• IZF (since inception): +9,91 %
• Delta: -4,407.47 €
• Absolute change: € +2,428.28

Data shown as "since inception" is valid since 31.05.2020

Performance & volume

My class leader $AVGO (-1.86%) is taking a breather after the rally, while a slight correction is noticeable in the tech sector as a whole. This makes room for the defensive. For the first time ever $XOM (+1.13%) made it into my top 5 by volume. The energy giant serves as an important anchor of stability in the current market environment and offsets the fluctuations of the growth stocks.

It also $FAST (-0.13%) is consistently making its way back into the top 5 and underlines my strategy of focusing on solid industrial stocks when the markets become more turbulent. Meanwhile $GOOG (-2.04%) and $FDX (+1.27%) are leaving the ranks of the highest-volume positions for the time being.

Particularly motivating is the development of $$TGT (+3.22%) . My staying power with this turnaround candidate appears to be paying off. The minus has been reduced from 35% to just 13%. This is proof that consistent buying during periods of weakness pays off in the long term. The problem children at the end of the chain such as $NOVO B (+0.69%) , $GIS (+1.88%) and $CPB (+1.67%) are currently facing a strong headwind, but as long as cash flows remain stable, I can sleep soundly, despite a minus of 40%.

Largest single stock positions by volume in the overall portfolio:

Share (%) of the total portfolio (and associated securities account):

$AVGO (-1.86%) 2.61 % (main share portfolio)

$WMT (+1.63%) 1.92 % (main share portfolio)

$FAST (-0.13%) 1.51 % (main share portfolio)

$NFLX (+0.47%) 1.40 % (main share portfolio)

$XOM (+1.13%) 1.37 % (main share portfolio)

Smallest individual share positions by volume in the overall portfolio:

Share (%) of the total portfolio (and associated securities account):

$NOVO B (+0.69%) 0.36 % (main share portfolio)

$GIS (+1.88%) 0.45 % (main share portfolio)

$CEU (-0.36%) 0.49 % (main share portfolio)

$NKE (+0.85%) 0.56 % (main share portfolio)

$HTGC (+0.15%) 0.58 % (main share portfolio)

Top-performing individual stocks

Shares with performance since initial purchase (%) (and the respective portfolio):

$AVGO (-1.86%) : +264 % (main share portfolio)

$WMT (+1.63%) +110 % (main share portfolio)

$NFLX (+0.47%) +103 % (main share portfolio)

$GOOGL (-2.2%) +92 % (main share portfolio)

$FAST (-0.13%) +75 % (main share portfolio)

Flop performer individual stocks

Shares with performance since initial purchase (%) (and the respective portfolio):

$DHR (+2.58%) : -23 % (main stock portfolio)

$CPB (+1.67%) -40 % (main share portfolio)

$NKE (+0.85%) -42 % (main share portfolio)

$NOVO B (+0.69%) : -42 % (main share portfolio)

$GIS (+1.88%) -44 % (main share portfolio)

Sector allocation of my individual stocks

My top 6 sectors are

Consumer goods: 17.62

Miscellaneous: 16.60

Technology: 12.07 % [excluding information technology]

Financial sector: 11.39

Transportation: 9.13

Trade: 7.50

Asset allocation

Equities and ETFs currently determine my asset allocation.

ETFs: 42.3 %

Equities: 57.7 %

Investments and additional purchases

I have invested the following amounts in savings plans:

Planned savings plan amount from the fixed net salary: € 1,070

Savings ratio of savings plans to fixed net salary: 50.20

Planned savings plan amount from the fixed net salary, incl. reinvested dividends according to plan size: € 1,190

In addition, there were the following additional investments from returns, refunds, cashback, etc. as one-off savings plans/repurchases:

Subsequent purchases/one-off savings plans as cashback annuities from refunds: € 0.00

Subsequent purchases/one-off savings plans as a cashback annuity from bonuses: € 160.00

Subsequent purchases from other surpluses: € 29.99

Automatically reinvested dividends by the broker: € 7.09 (Function is only activated for an old custody account, as I otherwise prefer to control the reinvestment myself)

Number of unscheduled additional purchases: 2

Passive income from dividends and ETF distributions

Passive income in the month under review

I received € 173.27 in distributions in the month under review (€ 116.96 in the same month of the previous year). This corresponds to a change of +48.14 % compared to the same month last year. The growth can be explained to a small extent by the new positions in the crypto successor portfolio, the majority comes from continuous investing through savings plans, reinvestment of dividends and other surplus funds.

Number of dividend payments and ETF distributions: 34

Number of payment days: 16 days

Average dividend per payment: € 5.10

average dividend per payday: € 10.38

Passive income YTD

YTD I have received distributions in the amount of € 450.34. If you put this in relation to my annual dividend target of € 2,100, the target achievement of the distribution is 21.44% (target 25.00%). This puts me just below the target, but this will be reversed in the coming months with high dividend payments.

The three calculation methods result in the following distribution yields:

YTD distribution yields: 0.50 %

Distribution yields since inception: 4.96 %

Distribution yields YoY: 2.27 %

This means that my overall portfolio has already returned around 5% of my initial investment, half a percent this year and a little under 2.5% within a year. This shows the comparatively young age of my investment.

The distribution yield grew by 2.32% YoY, while the relative fluctuation was 20.86%. This reflects the sharp jump in the distribution compared to March '25.

My top payers

The top 5 payers in the month under review were:

$IMEU (-0.34%)

$ARCC (+0.23%)

$HTGC (+0.15%)

$UPS (+1.19%)

$NOVO B (+0.69%)

FIRE Number & Runway

Even though I don't want to sell shares later, I also calculate my FIRE number for comparability with investors who follow an exclusively accumulating strategy.

My FIRE figure based on my 12-month spending (TTM) of €12,220.48 was €305,512.00. That's the minimum my portfolio would need to reach to theoretically cover expenses via a 4% withdrawal.

Of course, this figure fluctuates every month. But it is not the only metric to determine how long my assets could support me in an emergency (without taking taxes into account).

The rolling spending range (runway) expresses how long I could live off my assets. On an annual basis, this is currently 7.41 years or the equivalent of around 88.86 months. Compared to the previous month, it is 0.08 years years. So I am effectively about one month less "free" due to current global political events.

Compared to the same month last year, there is an increase of 2.12 years compared to the same month last year. From my runway target (25 years), which corresponds to the FIRE multiplier, I am still 17.59 years away. So there is still a long way to go to financial freedom, assuming that everything continues as before.

The runway stability of 97.08% indicates that my system is in a solid position despite the market turbulence. Although the price fluctuations have reduced my theoretical range by a minimal 0.08 years, the high stability ratio proves that the core of my strategy remains unaffected.

Performance comparison: portfolio vs. benchmarks

To see where I really stand, I regularly compare my portfolio with the major market ETFs. This allows me to see immediately how well my performance (TTWROR) has done in the current month and since the start compared to the overall market.

My portfolio: -4.60 % (since I started: +88.49 %)

$VWRL (-0.27%) -5.55 % (since my start: 62.19 %)

$VUSA (-0.27%) -4.05 % (since my start: 53.23 %)

$IMEU (-0.34%) -6.87 % (since I started: 74.05 %)

Data shown as "since I started" is considered to be since 31.05.2020

Key risk figures

Here are my key risk figures for the month under review:

Maximum drawdown:

Since inception: 17.17 %

Month under review: 5.79

Maximum drawdown duration:

since inception: 702 days

Month under review: 29+ days

Volatility:

since inception: 28.54

Month under review: 3.10

Sharpe Ratio:

since inception: 0.36

in the month under review: -14.14

Semi-volatility:

since inception: 21.20

month under review: 2.25

The maximum drawdown in March of 5.79 % shows that the wind was blowing much rougher on the stock market this month. With a drawdown duration of over 29+ days for the whole of March, my portfolio is in a real correction phase. But this is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. While others are getting nervous, I see my system becoming a little more antifragile with each of these stress tests.

The negative Sharpe ratio of minus 14.14 in the month under review is a purely statistical result of the price setbacks. It is much more important to look at the big picture. Since the beginning, the Sharpe ratio has been a solid 0.36. This means that over time I continue to collect returns above the risk-free interest rate, while I calmly ride out the fluctuations.

The volatility of 3.10 % in March is interesting. Although it is higher than in the previous month, it is still far below the historical average of over 28 %. The semi-volatility of 2.25 % also confirms to me that the actual downside risks remain absolutely controlled despite the stormy market situation.

My conclusion for this month? The strategy is in place. A drop in the share price with simultaneous cash flow growth of 48% is no cause for concern for me, but a sign that the engine room is running at full speed. While share prices tremble briefly, I am continuing to build my foundations for the future.

Outlook

After enjoying the stormy seas in Graal-Müritz in March, April will be a month of implementation. My system is ready. The provisions and the substantial AG bonus are on the starting line and will flow directly into the market to take advantage of the current sales. If you want to know which individual stocks I'm focusing on in particular, stay tuned! 😊

In my personal life, March was dominated by my vacation in Mecklenburg. Consciously switching off at the Baltic Sea and spending time in my mother's homeland, where I indulge in so many childhood memories, recharged my batteries.

And when it comes to sport and exercise, it has once again shown how valuable fixed routines are. Even on days when my motivation was at rock bottom, my discipline ensured that I kept up my sports sessions. Whether full-body workouts with weights at home or running outside. Consistency on a small scale creates the basis for big successes.

When it comes to AI, I naturally keep my finger on the pulse. The combination of Gemini and NotebookLM has become an indispensable part of my workflow. Listening to my monthly closing as an audio deep dive or visualizing complex metrics in clickable dashboards not only saves me time, but also gives me completely new insights into my data. This forward momentum drives me to get the most out of technology to further automate my freedom.

I end this review with a feeling of deep satisfaction. The combination of frugal serenity and a growing cash flow gives me the freedom to relax and look to the horizon. No matter how much it storms on the stock markets. If you know your course, you won't be swayed by the wind.

Thank you for reading. And now off to a profitable April! ☀️

👉 My related Instagram Carousel posts for the review will be published as follows.

07.04.2026: Portfolio review (performance figures, share performance, allocation, sectors, additional purchases and performance comparisons)

08.04.2026: Budget review (income, expenditure, cash flow, ratios, budget compliance and citizens' allowance check)

09.04.2026: Cash flow review (general, YTD and actual vs. target comparison on passive income, my top spenders, FIRE number and capital reach)

📲 There are also currently three posts a week: @frugalfreisein. Instagram reels and YouTube shorts currently appear irregularly under channels of the same name, the same applies to videos.

Please pay close attention to the spelling of my alias. Unfortunately, there are too many fake and phishing accounts on social media. I have already been "copied" several times.

👉 How do you personally feel the stock market year has started? (No investment advice!)