VYMI
Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF
stock NASDAQ ETF

Totally get the edge, but past total return can be misleading. VYMI's higher expense and concentration in a handful of companies can spike risk. If you're rolling $100 a day, a low-cost VXUS still gives solid infrared diversification and matches VYMI's long-term trend when you average down.

I currently invest in VYMI, VUG, SCHG, SCHD, QQQM, and VOO. Around $2500 in my portfolio. I'm currently 21 in college and I want to know if what I am doing is correct. From I've seen people say to invest mostly on investing on growth ETF's like SCHG and QQQM rather than broad market focused ETF'S. I'm young but I want to invest a lot early on so I can enjoy financial freedom early on in my 30s. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to allocate my $26 a day investments. Thank you very much.
\~ Best regards,
Poor 21 year old college student

I see the point about VYMI's performance, but pairing it with VXUS gives you that emerging market edge the article mentions while keeping the total cost ratio low.

First, before investing such a large amount of cash, you should increase your knowledge base. I recommend you go to the Charles Schwab YouTube channel and watch the playlist "Investing Basics" then watch the playlist "Investing & Portfolio Management". If a video is in both playlists you don't have to watch it twice.
Also, review these:
[https://www.schwab.com/investing-principles](https://www.schwab.com/investing-principles)
[https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-start-investing](https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-start-investing)
[https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/11/3-s-simple-investing.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/11/3-s-simple-investing.asp)
[https://www.marketbeat.com/videos/index-investing-for-beginners/](https://www.marketbeat.com/videos/index-investing-for-beginners/)
[https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/how-to-start-investing](https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/how-to-start-investing)
I also recommend the book *The Millionaire Next Door*.
If you are used to US Treasuries and a target date fund the normal day to day and week to week month to month volatility of the stock market might be unsettling for you until you get used to it, which might take some time. While lump sum investing gives slightly higher returns than easing in, with $520k to invest I recommend you ease in gradually over time. You want to have around a 70/30 mix of US to international stocks. If you want to use mutual funds you could use SWPPX or SWTSX or the US stock fund and SWISX for the international stock fund. If you want to use ETFs you could use SCHX or SCHB or SPYM for the US stock fund and SCHF or VYMI for the international stock fund.
You might also want to put some of the cash into the Schwab California Municipal Money Fund SWKXX that is yielding 2.62% exempt from both federal and California state income tax.

I prefer VYMI to VXUS because it has consistently outperformed VXUS in total return.
https://stockanalysis.com/etf/compare/vymi-vs-vxus/?r=MAX
But the reddit echo chamber and herd mentality only know about VXUS. You can think for yourself or be part of the herd, your choice. Most people on reddit seem to be afraid to stray from the herd.

VYMI. The other ETFs are US stock ETFs like VOO. You need to diversify internationally. International stocks beat VOO in 2025 and are still beating VOO in 2026. US vs international stock outperformance is cyclical, and we appear to be entering a cycle of international stock outperformance. You should have 25-35% in international stocks.

>Please let me know if this is a solid plan or if there either any other options I should consider.
Instead of putting 25% in QQQM, which overlaps 54% by weight with VOO so you end up buying the same stocks twice, put 25% into international stocks. International stocks beat VOO in 2025 and international stocks continue to beat VOOs in 2026. US vs international stock outperformance is cyclical. After an unusually long (16 year) cycle of US stock outperformance that cycle appears to be over. You should have 25-35% in international stocks. reddit will recommend VXUS but I recommend VYMI, which has consistently outperformed VXUS.
**Vanguard projects international stocks will beat the US for 10 years.**
[https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/vanguard-projects-international-stocks-will-beat-the-us-for-10-years-here-are-3-etfs-built-to-capture-that/ar-AA200o0l](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/vanguard-projects-international-stocks-will-beat-the-us-for-10-years-here-are-3-etfs-built-to-capture-that/ar-AA200o0l)
**Investors who stay "close to home" may miss growth opportunities**
[https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/international-stocks](https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/international-stocks)
**2026: International Stocks Seem Set to Shine**
[https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/2026-international-stocks-seem-set-to-shine](https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/2026-international-stocks-seem-set-to-shine)
**The Case for International Equities**
[https://www.dodgeandcox.com/individual-investor/us/en/insights/the-case-for-international-equities.html](https://www.dodgeandcox.com/individual-investor/us/en/insights/the-case-for-international-equities.html)

Yearly dividend estimate and yield is on the right side of the screen for each ETF. So I have a mix of high and low. My two quarterly's, SCHD and VYMI are relatively low at 3 to 3.5%. The 2 monthly's, DIVO and JEPQ are high at 6.3 and 10.5% respectively.

I’m using a modified version of the Permanent Portfolio - about 20% in gold, 25% cash (SGOV), 30% equities (various ETFs) and instead of holding long bonds (0%) I’m in various divvy stocks, DGRO, VYM, VYMI and some covered call ETFs (GPIQ, GPIX). If (when) the 10 year gets to 7%, I’m going to start building a treasury ladder (no bond ETFs - look at TLT and VGLT - 20 year bond funds losing value every day while paying less than the actual 10 year!).
Sorry - a long way to say SGOV is fine, but in general avoid the bond funds like the plague in a rising interest rate environment.

Totally get the edge, but past total return can be misleading. VYMI's higher expense and concentration in a handful of companies can spike risk. If you're rolling $100 a day, a low-cost VXUS still gives solid infrared diversification and matches VYMI's long-term trend when you average down.

I currently invest in VYMI, VUG, SCHG, SCHD, QQQM, and VOO. Around $2500 in my portfolio. I'm currently 21 in college and I want to know if what I am doing is correct. From I've seen people say to invest mostly on investing on growth ETF's like SCHG and QQQM rather than broad market focused ETF'S. I'm young but I want to invest a lot early on so I can enjoy financial freedom early on in my 30s. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to allocate my $26 a day investments. Thank you very much.
\~ Best regards,
Poor 21 year old college student

I see the point about VYMI's performance, but pairing it with VXUS gives you that emerging market edge the article mentions while keeping the total cost ratio low.

First, before investing such a large amount of cash, you should increase your knowledge base. I recommend you go to the Charles Schwab YouTube channel and watch the playlist "Investing Basics" then watch the playlist "Investing & Portfolio Management". If a video is in both playlists you don't have to watch it twice.
Also, review these:
[https://www.schwab.com/investing-principles](https://www.schwab.com/investing-principles)
[https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-start-investing](https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-start-investing)
[https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/11/3-s-simple-investing.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/11/3-s-simple-investing.asp)
[https://www.marketbeat.com/videos/index-investing-for-beginners/](https://www.marketbeat.com/videos/index-investing-for-beginners/)
[https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/how-to-start-investing](https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/how-to-start-investing)
I also recommend the book *The Millionaire Next Door*.
If you are used to US Treasuries and a target date fund the normal day to day and week to week month to month volatility of the stock market might be unsettling for you until you get used to it, which might take some time. While lump sum investing gives slightly higher returns than easing in, with $520k to invest I recommend you ease in gradually over time. You want to have around a 70/30 mix of US to international stocks. If you want to use mutual funds you could use SWPPX or SWTSX or the US stock fund and SWISX for the international stock fund. If you want to use ETFs you could use SCHX or SCHB or SPYM for the US stock fund and SCHF or VYMI for the international stock fund.
You might also want to put some of the cash into the Schwab California Municipal Money Fund SWKXX that is yielding 2.62% exempt from both federal and California state income tax.

I prefer VYMI to VXUS because it has consistently outperformed VXUS in total return.
https://stockanalysis.com/etf/compare/vymi-vs-vxus/?r=MAX
But the reddit echo chamber and herd mentality only know about VXUS. You can think for yourself or be part of the herd, your choice. Most people on reddit seem to be afraid to stray from the herd.

VYMI. The other ETFs are US stock ETFs like VOO. You need to diversify internationally. International stocks beat VOO in 2025 and are still beating VOO in 2026. US vs international stock outperformance is cyclical, and we appear to be entering a cycle of international stock outperformance. You should have 25-35% in international stocks.

>Please let me know if this is a solid plan or if there either any other options I should consider.
Instead of putting 25% in QQQM, which overlaps 54% by weight with VOO so you end up buying the same stocks twice, put 25% into international stocks. International stocks beat VOO in 2025 and international stocks continue to beat VOOs in 2026. US vs international stock outperformance is cyclical. After an unusually long (16 year) cycle of US stock outperformance that cycle appears to be over. You should have 25-35% in international stocks. reddit will recommend VXUS but I recommend VYMI, which has consistently outperformed VXUS.
**Vanguard projects international stocks will beat the US for 10 years.**
[https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/vanguard-projects-international-stocks-will-beat-the-us-for-10-years-here-are-3-etfs-built-to-capture-that/ar-AA200o0l](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/vanguard-projects-international-stocks-will-beat-the-us-for-10-years-here-are-3-etfs-built-to-capture-that/ar-AA200o0l)
**Investors who stay "close to home" may miss growth opportunities**
[https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/international-stocks](https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/international-stocks)
**2026: International Stocks Seem Set to Shine**
[https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/2026-international-stocks-seem-set-to-shine](https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/2026-international-stocks-seem-set-to-shine)
**The Case for International Equities**
[https://www.dodgeandcox.com/individual-investor/us/en/insights/the-case-for-international-equities.html](https://www.dodgeandcox.com/individual-investor/us/en/insights/the-case-for-international-equities.html)

Yearly dividend estimate and yield is on the right side of the screen for each ETF. So I have a mix of high and low. My two quarterly's, SCHD and VYMI are relatively low at 3 to 3.5%. The 2 monthly's, DIVO and JEPQ are high at 6.3 and 10.5% respectively.

I’m using a modified version of the Permanent Portfolio - about 20% in gold, 25% cash (SGOV), 30% equities (various ETFs) and instead of holding long bonds (0%) I’m in various divvy stocks, DGRO, VYM, VYMI and some covered call ETFs (GPIQ, GPIX). If (when) the 10 year gets to 7%, I’m going to start building a treasury ladder (no bond ETFs - look at TLT and VGLT - 20 year bond funds losing value every day while paying less than the actual 10 year!).
Sorry - a long way to say SGOV is fine, but in general avoid the bond funds like the plague in a rising interest rate environment.