2G·

The starting point and the dream of a million

My own milestone (tl:dr)


The starting point and the burning dream of the million

It wasn't just a number on a screen; it was a promise. The promise of freedom, of decisions that were not dictated by a paycheck, of the possibility of realizing dreams that went beyond everyday life. My goal? The 1 million euros in my deposit. A sum that seemed almost unattainable when I first immersed myself in the fascinating world of investing. But I couldn't let go of the thought. What if it was actually possible? What if, with discipline and the right strategy, I could achieve this seemingly utopian goal?

The fascination began to creep in. I heard about breathtaking returns and stories about people who became rich overnight by making smart decisions. The stock market, a place full of secrets and opportunities. My starting position was solid, an initial foundation stone had been laid, but I lacked a clear roadmap. I was at the beginning of a journey that would take me through highs and lows, from initial euphoria to sobering setbacks - and finally to a strategy that allows me to look to the future with confidence today.


The single stock era - lessons from the "wild west" of the stock market

Like so many, I started out with a desire for quick profits and a fascination for the possibility of getting rich quickly through individual shares. Why invest in the broad market when individual shares promised so much more? I plunged headlong into the world of individual shares. It was names that were in the news, sectors that were booming or personal convictions that guided me. Every share was a little adventure, every price movement an adrenaline rush.

But the reality was often different from the glossy prospectuses or the euphoric forum posts. The euphoria quickly gave way to disillusionment. I remember the year 2022. Like so many others, I experienced a market that suddenly no longer knew only one direction: up. In my personal heat map of monthly returns, deep red fields emerged that year and even before. Months with -1.3%, -1.7%, -2.0%, -2.4%, -2.8%, -3.0%, even -3.4% were not uncommon. That was painful. Every look at the portfolio was a sting.

However, the problem was not just the bear market itself, but also the way my portfolio was structured. Without broader diversification, my risk was unnecessarily high. If one share fell, a large part of my portfolio fell and @DonkeyInvestor said: I told you so :-) .


The turning point came gradually, but inexorably. Frustration at the lack of stability, the realization that my individual "strategic" decisions were often just a gut feeling, and the desire for a more calculable path to a million led me to a far-reaching decision. It was in November 2024 when I pulled the ripcord. The individual share "experiment" was over. It was time to realign my portfolio.


The realignment - from single stock turbulence to ETF stability

The decision was clear: a restructuring of my portfolio was necessary in order to invest stably and efficiently in the long term. The new anchor of my strategy was to be ETFs.

Why ETFs?

The answer was simple: diversification, lower costs and risk spreading. With ETFs, you can invest in hundreds or thousands of companies at the same time with a single investment. This means I am no longer dependent on the fate of a single company, but benefit from the growth of entire markets and the global economy.

The major restructuring started in November 2024 and was a phase of intensive analysis and consistent implementation. Individual shares were sold and the freed-up capital was immediately reinvested in broadly diversified ETFs. It was a liberating move, a departure from the emotional rollercoaster ride and a step towards a rational, long-term investment strategy.


Today, in May 2025, my portfolio has a market value of €210,000 and reflects this transformation. It is a carefully curated mix that aims to achieve my million-euro goal efficiently and with calculable risk:

This ETF forms the core of my portfolio. It invests in around 1,600 companies from 23 industrialized countries and is my most important building block for long-term global growth.

  • The US giant - S&P 500 USD (Dist) ($VUSA (-0,79%)
    ): - My targeted bet on the innovative strength of the 500 largest US companies.
  • The income powerhouses - JPM Global Equity Premium Income Active UCITS ETF ($JEGP (-1,13%)
    ) and JPM Nasdaq Equity Premium Income Active UCITS ETF ($JEPQ (-0,02%)
    ): My "cash cows" that provide me with continuous capital.
  • The dividend champion - VanEck Mstr.Dm Dividend.UC.ETF ($TDIV (-0,99%)
    ): - another pillar of my dividend strategy.
  • Quality and dividends - Fidelity Gl.Quality Income ETF ($FGEQ (-0,82%)
    ) and WisdomTree Gl.Qual.Div.Gr.U.E. Registered Sha ($GGRP (-1,19%)
    ): ETFs that invest in high quality companies with sustainable dividends.
  • US Dividend Aristocrats - SPDR S&P US Divid.Aristocr.ETF D ($SPYD (-0,69%)
    ): Companies that have consistently increased their dividends for at least 25 years.
  • The European focus - iSh.STOXX Europe 600 U.ETF ($EXSA (-0,06%) ): a newer position that strengthens my diversification in the European region.


This structure forms the foundation of my current strategy: a clear core of broad market ETFs (MSCI World, S&P 500, STOXX Europe 600) is complemented by targeted satellites for high dividends and specific quality characteristics.


The strategy, or rather my roadmap for the future - discipline, cash flow and steady reinvestment


My path to a million is not a sprint, but a marathon that depends on discipline and a clear strategy. A significant amount flows into my portfolio every month - a total of € 1,610. This amount is made up of my active deposit of € 1,500 and € 110 from the reinvested dividends of the ETFs eligible for savings plans.

The distribution of my monthly savings plans is deliberately chosen to continuously strengthen my growth core:

  • HSBC MSCI WORLD UCITS ETF (HMWO): 1,000 €/month
  • VANGUARD S&P 500U.ETF DLD: 350 €/month
  • ISH.STOXX Europe 600 U.ETF: 300 €/month
  • WISDOMTREE.HMS.Z12/UN.XAU: 60 €/month (small proportion of gold for diversification and inflation protection)


The dividends are much more than just a nice bonus - they are a key driver for the growth of my portfolio through the compound interest effect. I'm already expecting an impressive €6,900 in gross dividends for 2025.


The challenge of dividend reinvestment

One problem that many investors also face is the challenge of dividend reinvestment at my bank, ING: automatic reinvestment only works if the net distribution of an individual ETF is at least €75.


If I haven't miscalculated and the dividends remain stable, this hurdle should be overcome for the ETFs in question.

Otherwise, I accumulate on my clearing account and then make a manual one-off investment in the VUSA or EuroStoxx600 as soon as a larger sum (between €500 and €1,000) has been accumulated, or I increase the savings plans to the two mentioned in the following month. This allows me to make the most of the compound interest effect and reduce the costs of transaction fees at the same time.


This approach has helped me to focus not on short-term gains, but on long-term growth and a steady income through dividends. It is a path that has proven its worth over the years and has continuously brought me closer to the goal of

1 million euros closer.


Looking to the future - The million within reach and the passive dream

My goal is clear: €1,000,000 in my portfolio. This milestone is not just a number, but the foundation for future financial freedom and the realization of my dreams.

Based on my current portfolio value of € 210000 (May 2025), my monthly investment and reinvested dividends and a realistic assumption of an average annual return of 8.0% p.a. (which is achievable for broadly diversified equity ETFs in the long term), I have a clear timetable in mind:


I will reach my goal of 1 million euros in the portfolio probably in April 2040. That is still about 14 years and 11 months of disciplined investing. The reinvestment of all dividends is the absolute key here. Without it, the road to a million would take almost a decade longer! This awareness motivates me anew every day.


Let's see if that works and whether I'll find this post on Getquin to repost again.

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74 Commenti

immagine del profilo
When I started, the 1 million was unimaginable😳, but the longer you're at it, the more realistic it becomes. 😊I think in 15 to 20 years I could crack the 1 million mark and go down in history as the first millionaire in my family 🤣
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immagine del profilo
@Simpson and then you buy that damn power station! Or a $DHL truck
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immagine del profilo
@Simpson Above all, it's actually "simple". ETF savings plan and off you go, it doesn't have to be a million. My parents retired with -€30,000 because they didn't manage to pay off their house in old age due to unemployment. Moving is also not an option as renting is far more than paying it off now.
What I'm getting at is that my parents would probably have been happy with 100k. When they teach something like this at school, everyone manages to put aside a few euros a month for 40 years.
It could all be so much easier.
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immagine del profilo
@DonkeyInvestor oh, in the Pott they also talk about vices, yes yes.
I always thought it was a Bavarian thing. Hah!
immagine del profilo
@Simpson depending on how long you've been at it, it's also come a long way towards you 🤣
immagine del profilo
@Alpalaka Why Pott? I come from Freiburg
immagine del profilo
@DonkeyInvestor then it would be a lashdr
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immagine del profilo
@Alpalaka okay, gotcha. I'm actually from Munich, but now live in Nuremberg
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immagine del profilo
@DonkeyInvestor ah, that's right. In your basement apartment
immagine del profilo
@Alpalaka in the cellar. Without an apartment. Everything for the savings rate.
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immagine del profilo
@Simpson Thanks to inflation.
immagine del profilo
Mega! 🚀🫶💪🥳

The goal unites us and we are going the same way via ETFs 🎯🏁🤝🏻...only that on my side of the path there are only accumulators and I leave covered calls to the left. ⚜️😁

Greetings
🥪
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immagine del profilo
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immagine del profilo
@GoDividend have 2 distributors. My only share and a dividend fund that I abuse as a value proxy for EM SmallCap 😅
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immagine del profilo
@SchlaubiSchlumpf
I like "Value Proxy" ✌️😂

Greetings
🥪
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immagine del profilo
Thanks for sharing.
And good prices my dear.
I can't wait to see how far I get with my broadly diversified share portfolio.
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immagine del profilo
@Tenbagger2024 hopefully very far of course
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immagine del profilo
immagine del profilo
I told you so.
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immagine del profilo
@DonkeyInvestor Yes. But what? You've told me a lot over the last five years or so
immagine del profilo
@GoDividend that raccoons are delicious. That your legs are unusually long. That your name actually means "Go Away Dividend". That you should ditch all the individual shares. That you should never eat yellow snow. And much more.

What I will tell you now: Within the next 5 years, you will further simplify your ETF strategy and part with 50% of your current ETFs 👍
1
immagine del profilo
@DonkeyInvestor ha, it remains exciting 🤣
Yes, the recipes for raccoons and other creatures here on Getquin were legendary.

Getquin could publish cookbooks and travel guides

Those would be great books
immagine del profilo
@GoDividend That's how it is. But @christian is still doing this financial stuff with no future 🤦
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immagine del profilo
Nice contribution. But if I may ask: Did you have the text improved or written with AI? It reads like that in places.

Apart from that, I'm pretty much in the same boat in terms of sum and goal, so good luck to both of us :)
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immagine del profilo
@CMustermann have it read over

Even at my age, you have to deal with things.
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immagine del profilo
@GoDividend I work in the academic field and have been dealing with it almost permanently for a while, which is why the sensors have struck :D The result is often "too perfect".
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immagine del profilo
@CMustermann time management
The balancing act between work, family and Getquin.
immagine del profilo
Don't forget inflation and our politicians' tax appetites, the million in the 40s will unfortunately be different from today 🥲 I'm writing this because you write something about financial freedom and realizing dreams at the end of your post, but that will be difficult, because if things go well with your portfolio you will have about 40k cash flow, then let 30% taxes go away, leaving 2300€ per month, which will have a purchasing power in 2040 like 1500€ today if we calculate with 3 instead of 2% inflation. Maybe I was able to motivate you to step on the gas even more when investing 😄
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immagine del profilo
@Paketknecht can be signed like this
At the same time, however, we hope to offset inflation with price gains.

But you're basically right
immagine del profilo
I admire your motivation and ambition to reach the magical 7-digit mark... As someone who reached this mark before the age of 40, I can confirm that this is a nice milestone.

In general, I think you are on the right track. The only point I would make is that you should not prioritize dividends over total return, as this could have a negative impact on your total returns, especially in the long term. This is because dividend paying funds can underperform as companies that pay dividends do so at the expense of reinvesting those dividends into the business.

In fact, I reached the 1 million without dividends and in a relatively short time, which of course meant I was exposed to higher volatility and risk. So it depends on what your risk appetite is.

Enjoy your journey to 1 million.
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immagine del profilo
Very nicely written. Thank you very much. 😍 Good luck for the future.
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immagine del profilo
@ShrimpTheGimp thank you and the same to you
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immagine del profilo
Absolutely awesome. I have goosebumps 🥹 I think the strategy is so great. I am thrilled. Very inspired and think that I will set up my depot in the same way 🫣🫶🏼
Best regards from Berlin
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immagine del profilo
@CenkAltun even if they like the vision
Time will tell whether my Etfs deliver what I want.
1
immagine del profilo
@GoDividend I mean at the end of the day, you can't really be in a better position 😂🫣
What is your weighting like? I assume at least 50-60% MSCI World, right?
What about the rest?
immagine del profilo
Strong. I have almost all of your ETFs as well.
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immagine del profilo
@WarrenamBuffet I have already observed that
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immagine del profilo
I take my hat off. It's not an easy step to admit "mistakes" to yourself, to reflect and completely realign yourself. If you don't lose sight of your goal, I'm sure you'll get there and even further.

I have the same goal and I'm curious to see if I can achieve it in the same amount of time, with a lower savings rate and a completely controversial investment strategy. I will keep an eye on your progress. That's motivation for me. Danke🙏🏼
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immagine del profilo
@UnknownU those who take on more risk may be rewarded. Wish you a better return than mine so that you reach your goal 🎉
immagine del profilo
Great 👍 good luck for the future.
Why don't you invest in thesauruses? You'll be relieved of the decision/discipline to reinvest the dividends and the taxes can't be ignored.
What motivates you to invest in distributors?
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immagine del profilo
I'm just 16 half and the million sounds unattainable to me...
If I could make it to 2040 like you 😁
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immagine del profilo
I'm also at 210k right now. It's unbelievable how a single percentage point p.a. affects the final sum and the time period. I would have preferred not to have known that 😅.
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immagine del profilo
Great post and thank you for sharing your learnings, I appreciate that so much about this community🫶
I wish you continued success and I think 200k+ is an extraordinary sum that I can hardly imagine.
My ETFs are accumulating, I have deliberately avoided distributing ones.
I track dividend growth via individual stocks as satellites.
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immagine del profilo
So you can achieve anything you set yourself as a goal 1 million yes, but you also have to believe in it and be very disciplined otherwise it won't work 😂
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immagine del profilo
Good luck with your goal ❤️

By how many years would your goal be postponed at 7% pa?
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immagine del profilo
Who reminds others of it times a paragraph

because of the readability,

should first take a look at their own noses

and write a paragraph,

because of the legibility,

in his post

🙂🙃😉🤫🫡😂
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immagine del profilo
That would actually be too many positions for me if you were to rely purely on ETFs. Nevertheless, it's understandable and you must feel comfortable with it.

Is there a reason why you almost completely exclude countries like Asia, India and EM in general?
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