Investing in the ULTIMATE Dividends (the Non-Financial Type)

For centuries, investors have sought dividend paying ventures.  Dividends are alluring because they tend to provide consistent income, they offer a tangible benefit for an investor, and if reinvested the dividends can compound and create EVEN MORE dividends.

We heartily embrace the quest for dividends, and as astute investors and clients of our firm we encourage you to also search for opportunities that will earn dividends.  However, in this article we’re writing about a different type of dividend.  We find this dividend to be even better than the financial type.  While still investing, this dividend comes from a different type of investment all together.  

We are huge proponents of the idea that you should be investing in EXPERIENCES that enhance the happiness, richness, and relationships in your life.

Recently we had a dinner party with some family and friends, and predictably the conversation led to us talking about our favorite travel and food memories.  Two of us told the exact same story about a meal we shared in Italy several years ago.  We still vividly remember the restaurant, the way the chef brought the dish out to our table, and our reactions when we tried the food (it was just a mushroom risotto, but it was amazing).  Retelling the story took us back to a happy moment in life, and it seems like every time we remember this meal the memories get better and better.  It’s like time has somehow made the food and the entire evening even more special than when we actually experienced it.

It's like a Dividend… let’s call it an Experiential Dividend (they can also be referred to as Emotional Dividends or Memory Dividends).  We invested in an evening in Italy (I honestly don’t have a clue how much the meal cost, but in hindsight I think I got a bargain out of it), and we’ve been reaping the Experiential Dividends ever since… and these Dividends have been compounding over the years, growing exponentially.

We encourage you to use your time and financial resources to pursue Experiential Dividends now so they can grow and provide many years of compound growth.  One big trick is to experience them with someone else or a group, so you have someone to relive them with later.  We’d love to help you seek out ways to accumulate these Dividends!

 Brian’s guidelines for the best Experiential Dividends:

• Involve friends or family
• Travel
• Volunteering
• Meals
• Unique experience – something you’ve never done before
• Variety of exercise-oriented pursuits like hiking, golfing, pickleball, tennis, etc. but the best are those enjoyed with others or other group activities like book clubs, card clubs, etc.