2014 was a banner year for me. I learned a lot about many different stock investments. The best part about it is that I earned a lot of money! Thanks in big part to the stock market I can say that I am not completely debt free. My main goal now for my stocks is to be financially independent. I don’t want to not work, but I want to know that if for some reason I couldn’t work me and my family would be ok. I think the best way to achieve that is going to be with dividend stocks. I am also starting up a little fund for a trip I have planned to go to Japan and climb Mt. Fuji. If I can save well I think I can be ready for a nice trip in July of 2016. If I plan really well I will have a nice vacation fund that will continually repay itself.

I am looking for good growth companies that might have the potential for buyouts or buybacks as well. In December I added a new investment account through a company called Robinhood. It should be an interesting experiment. They offer no fee trades on US traded stocks. It is a very “bare bones” type of trading. The good thing is the app that you use to trade is very easy to use. Currently they only accept new accounts by invitation. If you are interested in an invitation please let me know (I have 5 that I can give out).

Here is where I am as of today:

$BRK.B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class B) Cost Per Share: $134.92 Current Price: $150.15
The stock in general is doing well. I wouldn’t call it a value right now at this price, but it is steady in it’s growth.

$CAMP  (Cal Amp) Cost Per Share: $18.54 Current Price:$18.30
This is stock is a value at this price. I plan to buy more. It will be easy to flip it at $20.

$CNSL (Consolidated Communications) Cost Per Share: $21.62 Current Price: $27.83
Still in it, still collecting dividends. I plan to be here for a long time.

$FPI (Farmland Partners Inc.) Cost Per Share: $11.72 Current Price: $10.41
They have a lot of good real estate deals in the works which is good, but I am not sure if the real estate market is coming back this year. At this point I rank this stock a hold.

$FTR (Frontier Communications Corp.) Cost Per Share: $6.62 Current Price: $6.67
I read a lot of negative news on this stock, but it is kicking strong. I think we are on an uptrend on this one and will probably buy more soon.

$GE (General Electric Co.) Cost Per Share: $27.82 Current Price: $25.27
Downgrading to a hold for me.

$LOAN (Manhattan Bridge Capital Inc.) Cost Per Share: $3.79 Current Price: $4.00
Just started a position on this dividend paying stock.

$NQ (NQ Mobile) Cost Per Share: $6.13 Current Price: $3.91
Poor management. I am just trying to strategically sell out what I have left. That last conference call was a joke, the only two questions given were sad and who let’s Carson Block onto a conference call?

$ORC (Orchid Capital Incorporated) Cost Per Share: $13.66 Current Price: $13.05
A good dividend stock. I think it will bee a nice steady form of income for me.

$PLUG (Plug Power Inc.) Cost Per Share: $4.60 Current Price: $3.00
It has until the first week of February to make and announce a new sale of forklift units or I am selling.

$SNV (Synovus Financial Corp.) Cost Per Share: 27.05 Current Price: $27.09
I really like the dividend payout on this stock.

$SPLS (Staples Inc.) Cost Per Share: $12.96 Current Price: $18.12
Everyone thought the merger couldn’t happen and now it is. Traffic in the stores continue to do well.

$UL (Unilever PLC) Cost Per Share: $40.75, Current Price: $42.42
Still buying.

$WIN (Windstream Holdings Inc.) Cost Per Share: $10.67 Current Price: $8.24
I am holding on this stock. The Street has a lot of short interest on it but I think it will be ok.

2014 started really well and kind of died out in the end as investors cashed out. I am hoping the same trend continues for 2015. If so I think I can time some of my purchases a little better.