Share your opinion and earn yourself a free Motley Fool premium report!

We are looking for Fools to join a 75 minute online independent market research forum on 15th / 16th December.

To find out more and express your interest please click here

How I could earn a juicy second income starting with just £250

Jon Smith explains how investing a regular amount each month in dividend stocks with above average yields can build a second income.

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Close-up as a woman counts out modern British banknotes.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Sometimes when I look at examples of how to build a second income, I need to have £100k+ of initial capital. For example, this relates to buying a property to rent out. Yet via dividend shares, I have the potential to build up cash flow even if I can only afford £250 to begin with. Here’s the strategy I’d use.

Building up a portfolio

I’m going to assume that each month I have spare funds of £250 that I can afford to invest in the market. To avoid paying high transaction costs via my investment provider, I’d look to buy one stock per month.

Even though this might sound like putting all of my eggs in one basket, the following month I’d use the money to buy a different stock. Over the course of a year, I’d have built up a diversified portfolio that should be paying me some form of income each month.

In the second year and beyond, I’ll give myself the option to either top up my holdings in a dividend share I already own, or allocate it to a new one. Regardless of this choice, whenever I receive an income payment, I’ll reinvest it back into my portfolio. This helps to compound my rate of return and will build up my long-term second income potential.

Something to consider

If I was starting this strategy today, I think one of the hottest dividend shares I’d pick right now is TP ICAP (LSE:TCAP). The dividend yield for the FTSE 250 stock is 5.79%. Even though this might not seem exceptionally high, I think this could rise in the future.

The share price has rallied by 45% over the last year, showing that the business is doing really well. The firm specialises in brokering financial deals between institutions, particularly focusing on short-term trading. Volatile markets are a good thing for TP ICAP, so this year has been strong. In fact, it recently posted record Q3 revenues.

The dividend per share has been increasing year after year. With the full-year results (due out next year) likely to see another dividend hike, I think the outlook is rosy. Of course, I do need to be aware that this is a niche area of financial services to operate in. Therefore, there’s a cap on how big the business can become. Yet I feel there’s still plenty of growth potential right now.

How it could add up

I’m thinking about buying TP ICAP shares. If I assumed that I could invest £250 each month with an average yield of 6%, my pot can grow quickly over time. After 15 years, I could stop investing new cash and enjoy £3,969 of second income in the following year. This equates to an average monthly figure of £330. This isn’t guaranteed, the actual amount could be higher or lower depending on market performance.

Jon Smith has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Tp Icap Group Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Dividend Shares

Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Investing Articles

Here’s how much passive income someone could earn maxing out their ISA allowance for 5 years

Christopher Ruane considers how someone might spend a few years building up their Stocks and Shares ISA to try and…

Read more »

National Grid engineers at a substation
Investing Articles

National Grid shares are up 19% in 2025. Why?

National Grid shares have risen by almost a fifth this year. So much for it being a sleepy utility! Should…

Read more »

Road 2025 to 2032 new year direction concept
Investing Articles

Here are the potential dividend earnings from buying 1,000 Aviva shares for the next decade

Aviva has a juicy dividend -- but what might come next? Our writer digs into what the coming decade could…

Read more »

Surprised Black girl holding teddy bear toy on Christmas
Investing Articles

How much do you need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to raise 1.7 children?

After discovering the cost of raising a child, James Beard explains why he thinks a Stocks and Shares ISA is…

Read more »

UK coloured flags waving above large crowd on a stadium sport match.
Investing Articles

2 investment trusts from the FTSE 250 worth digging into for passive income

Plenty of FTSE 250 investment trusts offer dividend growth potential over the long run. So why does this writer like…

Read more »

Female Tesco employee holding produce crate
Investing Articles

Up 23% in 2025, are Tesco shares still capable of providing attractive returns?

Tesco shares have produced two to three years’ worth of investment returns in just 11 months. Can they continue to…

Read more »

Road 2025 to 2032 new year direction concept
Investing Articles

Is this 8.5% yielding FTSE 100 stock a passive income star or deadly value trap?

Harvey Jones shows just how much passive income investors can get from FTSE 100 dividend shares, but would like to…

Read more »

Happy young female stock-picker in a cafe
Investing Articles

A £1,847 monthly passive income needs this much in a Stocks and Shares ISA…

How much is needed in a Stocks and Shares ISA to deliver reliable passive income for years and decades? Our…

Read more »