Roaming Returns

Tim & Carmela
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Most nomads just relocate their hustle—freelancing, content grinding, or trading time for money on the road.We’re Tim & Carmela, the Income Investing Nomads.On Roaming Returns, we break down how to build hybrid income streams—dividends, value investing, strategic flips, and tax-smart strategies—that decouple your time from your income.So you can fund your freedom, travel full time (even in a van), and stop deferring your life.No hype. No one-size-fits-all dogma. Just real numbers, tested strategies, and honest conversations about how to make work optional.  New episodes drop every Thursday.  RSSVERIFY 

  1. 2H AGO

    143 - Income-First Retirement: The Investing Strategy Designed to Avoid Selling Assets

    This episode breaks down what we consider the core pillar of our entire investing framework: the income-first retirement portfolio. An income-first strategy prioritizes interest and dividends as the primary source of retirement cash flow, with price appreciation treated as a secondary benefit. This is fundamentally different from the traditional total-return approach, which relies on selling shares to generate income. In this episode, we cover: What an income-first retirement portfolio actually isHow it differs philosophically and practically from total-return / 4% rule strategiesWhy selling assets in down markets creates sequence-of-returns riskThe benefits of predictable, internally generated cash flowThe biggest mistake income investors make: stretching for yieldAsset types commonly used in income-first portfolios:Dividend-paying stocks and dividend growersBonds and bond laddersREITs and preferred stocksClosed-end funds (CEFs)Annuities (with important caveats)Real examples from our own portfolios, including dividend growers, income ETFs/CEFs, and higher-yield income producersHow we use income from higher-yield assets to pay bills and reinvest into more stable dividend growth assetsWe also walk through the first steps to building your own income-first portfolio: Defining your income goal and time horizonCalculating the gap between expenses and guaranteed incomeTreating your portfolio like a business that produces surplus cash flowAssessing emotional and financial risk tolerance for 2026Building emergency buffers so income assets are never forced to be soldThis episode isn’t about chasing returns or predicting markets.  It’s about building a retirement strategy designed for stability, predictability, and peace of mind—one where your portfolio works for you instead of being slowly dismantled. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    1h 4m

  2. 6D AGO

    142 - How the Average American Is Falling Behind by Default

    If you feel like your money disappears before the month is over, you’re not imagining it — the numbers confirm it. In this episode, we walk through updated 2025 data showing that the average single American earns about $4,300 per month after taxes, while average monthly living costs now approach $5,000. That structural deficit explains why consumer debt has exploded, why record numbers of people are working multiple jobs, and why shared housing is no longer optional for many. We break down: Where the average American’s money actually goes each monthWhy debt has become a survival tool instead of a strategyHow multiple jobs and doubling up on housing became the normWhy “unplanned” expenses aren’t really surprises — they’re statistically inevitableThe true cost of car repairs, medical bills, and home maintenanceWhy most households can’t handle a $1,000 emergencyHow emergency funds can be built even while running a deficit, using automation, tax refunds, and small behavioral shiftsThis isn’t about blame or budgeting harder.  It’s about understanding the math, recognizing the warning signs, and preparing for the expenses that will happen — before they derail everything. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    1h 1m

  3. JAN 23

    141 - Weekly Dividend ETFs Exposed: Which Ones Actually Work

    Weekly-paying ETFs are exploding in popularity — but most investors don’t understand what they’re actually buying. In this episode, we analyze 19 high-yield weekly dividend ETFs across YieldMax Roundhill, Defiance, Tuttle, Granite Shares, and Nicolas Global products to answer one question: 👉 Which weekly ETFs are worth your money — and which function more like Ponzi schemes? We break each ETF down using: Total return (price + dividends)NAV erosion and price decayReturn of Capital (ROC) percentagesETF structure (synthetic vs covered call vs 0DTE)Performance vs the underlying benchmarkThis isn’t theoretical. We’re managing $50,000+ in a weekly income ETF portfolio, and this episode reflects what we've learned after owning these assets over 2+ years.  You’ll learn: Why 90–100% ROC is a massive red flagWhich weekly ETFs are structurally brokenThe “sweet spot” for sustainable high yield (25–40% with 30–60% ROC)Why synthetic ETFs decay faster than covered call ETFs with real holdingsHow to use weekly ETFs for bridge income, not long-term retirementWhen to turn DRIP on — and when it makes things worseWe also explain how we personally use weekly ETFs: DRIP off until capital is recoupedDiversification across structures (not tickers)Expecting some ETFs to decay — and planning for itUsing macrotrends for better oddsThis episode is for income investors who want cash flow without self-inflicted losses. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    1h 38m

  4. JAN 16

    140 - Stop Overpaying: How We Actually Decide What to Buy

    Most investors obsess over what to buy. In 2026, the real edge is when and where you buy it. In this episode, we break down the valuation-driven framework we actually use to decide whether something is a buy — across: Individual stocksREITsBDCsClosed-end fundsETFs (including the S&P 500)We walk through real examples like UPS, Realty Income (O), Main Street Capital, USA CEF, and VOO to show: How entry price impacts total return more than exit timingWhy yield and dividends act as downside protectionWhich valuation metrics matter for each asset typeHow to spot overvalued “favorites” before they correctWhere income investors can still find margin of safetyThis episode isn’t about predictions or hype — it’s about having your own valuation framework, so you’re not relying on analysts, headlines, or hope. If you’re preparing for a volatile 2026 and want to protect capital while still getting paid, this is our playbook. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    55 min

  5. JAN 8

    139 - The S&P Was Up In 2025… So Why Didn’t Most Investors Win?

    2025 looked like a great year on paper — but most investors didn’t experience those returns. In this episode, we break down what really happened beneath the indexes, why passive investing masked widespread underperformance, and how a dividend-first, total-return strategy quietly outperformed the market. We walk through: Why the S&P 500’s gains were driven by ~7 stocksWhich unexpected sectors crushed it (utilities, REITs, commodities)Why many “obvious” AI and tech plays underperformedThe biggest winners, losers, and surprises across 46 real holdingsHow dividends changed the math in flat and down positionsWhy total return matters more than price returnHow we rebalance without chasing winners or panic sellingWhat these results mean for positioning in 2026We also explain how we track everything manually using spreadsheets, why DRIP isn’t always your friend, and how income investing reduces emotional mistakes when markets get choppy. If you care about real performance, not marketing returns, this episode will change how you look at your portfolio. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    57 min

  6. JAN 2

    138 - From Lump Sum to Monthly Cash Flow: Our $150K Investment Plan

    How We Invested $150,000 for Monthly Income | Dividend Portfolio Breakdown In this episode, we break down exactly how we invested a $150,000 lump sum across 2 portfolios with one primary goal: reliable monthly income without reckless risk. We walk through how we structured the portfolios, why certain stocks and ETFs made the cut, and how we’re building a dividend stream that functions like a paycheck — with flexibility, downside protection, and upside optionality. What we cover: How we split $150K across income and our conservative fallback portfolioWhy undervalued dividend growers matter more than yield chasingUsing covered call ETFs responsibly for incomePreferred shares, utilities, packaging, semiconductors, banks, and data centersTurning DRIP on and off strategically based on valuationHow we’re targeting $2,500+ per month in dividends in our income portfolioBackup cash flow plans if our income portfolio underperformsWhere excess cash goes when there’s nothing to buyIf you’re trying to understand how dividend income actually works in practice, this episode lays it out step by step. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    54 min

  7. 12/26/2025

    137 - 2026 Market Predictions (Part 2): Full Outlook & The Watchlist With Target Prices

    2026 Market Predictions (Part 2) | Crypto, Housing, Healthcare + Valuation Targets (80+ Tickers) This is Part 2 of our 2026 market outlook — same format as Part 1, we just split the episode because it was long. We continue walking through the 2026 themes and we keep tying each theme to actionable ideas: what we’d buy, what we’d wait on, what we’d use for income, and what looks over/undervalued right now. Part 2 picks up with: Crypto rebound thesis (beyond just Bitcoin) + income anglesHousing cooling + rate cuts + mREIT ideasHealthcare + AI integration (who benefits, who lags)Metals / gold / “how do we get income from this trend?”Rare earths + longer-cycle macro tailwindsDefensive positioning + dividend growers when volatility spikesBond funds and rate-cut beneficiariesThe valuation chart discussion: entry ranges, buy-up-to prices, and target prices📌 The spreadsheet includes ~80 tickers referenced across both parts, with entry/target guidance to reduce the odds of chasing or giving back gains. Click HERE Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    49 min

  8. 12/26/2025

    136 - 2026 Market Predictions (Part 1): Macro Trends & Positioning For Volatility

    2026 Market Predictions (Part 1) | Macro Trends + Top Ticker Picks This is Part 1 of our 2026 market outlook. We didn’t split this because the strategy changes — we split it because the episode got long. In this series we’re doing what most “predictions” don’t: showing our work. We walk through the major themes we expect to drive 2026 and we layer in how we’re thinking about positioning as we go — income vs growth, risk mitigation, and valuation discipline. Part 1 covers themes like: AI continuing to dominate (and the next wave: agentic + physical + sovereign AI)Data center exposure (including “outside-the-box” income angles)Robotics + automationQuantum computingInterest rate cuts + a softer labor market (and what that means for income sectors)Defensive positioning for volatility / “cra-cra” market daysStagflation risk and inflation hedgesDividend-first strategy when price appreciation may be limited📌 We also included a spreadsheet with ~80 tickers, plus entry ranges and target prices to help you avoid the “good pick, bad entry” problem. Click HERE Part 2 picks up later in the list (crypto onward), plus the valuation/chart discussion. Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list. Stay connected. Follow us on social! **DISCLAIMER** Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here. Episode music was created using Loudly.

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Most nomads just relocate their hustle—freelancing, content grinding, or trading time for money on the road.We’re Tim & Carmela, the Income Investing Nomads.On Roaming Returns, we break down how to build hybrid income streams—dividends, value investing, strategic flips, and tax-smart strategies—that decouple your time from your income.So you can fund your freedom, travel full time (even in a van), and stop deferring your life.No hype. No one-size-fits-all dogma. Just real numbers, tested strategies, and honest conversations about how to make work optional.  New episodes drop every Thursday.  RSSVERIFY 

Information

  • Creator
    Tim & Carmela
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    144
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Roaming Returns
  • Show Website
    Roaming Returns

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