There are several appealing characteristics associated with the income-focused approach to investing. One of the best may be the easy-to-measure progress of the strategy. As an income investor, you can clearly know where you stand on the road to financial independence based on your dividend income versus your expenses.

Whether you're just getting started or you are a seasoned investor, an extra $500 in annual dividend income can be a nice step toward reaching financial independence. If you invest $3,000 each in these two stocks, you could add approximately $500 in starting passive income on an annualized basis to your portfolio.

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Source Fool.com