Back in 1999, when I enlisted in the Marine Corps, my base pay started at less than $1,000 a month. Even after four years and a promotion to corporal, I was making just over $1,300 living paycheck to paycheck. In total, my entire enlistment earned me less than $55,000. Fast forward to today, and I make more than that in a single month from my investments.
That transformation didn’t happen overnight. It didn’t happen by chasing hype or betting everything on the next meme stock. It happened through a disciplined, long-term investing strategy—and it’s a path that can work for you too.
Whether you’re making the median U.S. personal income of $42,000 a year even more, it is possible to build an investment plan that eventually replaces your job income. Not through gimmicks or unrealistic promises, but through a clear plan and the right stocks.
In this article, I’ll share five stocks to buy that can help you build reliable income and long-term wealth. But more importantly, I’ll show you the process to follow—how to choose investments that generate cash flow, grow your portfolio, and work toward financial freedom.
Symbotic (SYM) is redefining warehouse automation using AI-powered robotics and software. The company is partnered with Walmart in a four-year development deal, and it recently acquired Walmart’s own robotics business. This effectively makes Symbotic a strategic vendor for the world’s largest retailer. And with warehouse automation representing a total addressable market of nearly $1 trillion, the growth potential here is massive.
Symbotic is still early in its trajectory. Full-year revenue projections of $2.2 billion is a fraction of its $23 billion in booked projects – and that backlog likely grew further with the Walmart deal. This is a classic high-growth story, with a long runway of opportunity and a deep-pocketed anchor client.
Quantum computing might sound like science fiction, but it’s getting very real—and IonQ (IONQ) is leading the charge. The company made headlines when Amazon disclosed a $57 million investment in its stock, and shares have soared over 512% in the past year. But the real story is just beginning.
IonQ is developing quantum computers that use the physics of subatomic particles to solve problems beyond the capability of even today’s most powerful supercomputers. To put it in perspective, this technology could one day deliver processing speeds up to 100 million times faster than conventional chips.
The market opportunity is enormous, with estimates suggesting quantum computing could grow into an $850 billion market by 2040. IonQ’s revenue is expected up 95% this year—though from a small base of $43 million last year —and its position as an early mover puts it at the forefront of this next-generation tech wave.
That said, this is a long-term investment. The industry is still developing, and volatility is to be expected. But with a strategy of adding gradually over time, IonQ could become a foundational piece of your long-term wealth strategy.
I’m really excited about the next three stocks but more important than WHAT you invest in is HOW you invest, how to use a consistent $1000 investment to replace your job. That’s because, if you can commit just $1,000 a year—less than $85 a month—you can begin building a portfolio that eventually replaces your income.
Let’s start with the baseline: investing $1,000 a year into a stock or fund that returns 28% annually. After 15 years, your portfolio could grow large enough to withdraw $42,500 a year—effectively replacing the median U.S. income. That’s the power of compounding and consistent investing.
But what if you don’t want to wait 15 years? To reach your goal in just 10 years, you’ll need to invest more and target slightly higher returns. One strategy is to divide your investments across three high-growth stocks—putting $1,000 a year into each. With an assumed 31% annual return, your portfolio could reach income-replacement levels in just a decade.
This isn’t a fantasy or a clickbait promise. It’s a disciplined approach that balances growth and risk, and it starts with realistic expectations and the right investments.
Zscaler (ZS) is one of the most innovative players in cybersecurity—a sector that’s gone from important to absolutely essential. With cyberattacks increasing twentyfold over the past decade, and AI making it easier for attackers to scale their efforts, global demand for cybersecurity solutions is expected to reach $250 billion by 2029.
Zscaler has been a pioneer in the move from traditional network security to cloud-based “zero-trust” architecture. It replaced legacy firewalls with a dynamic, software-based solution that checks and verifies every connection, making it far harder for threats to break through.
A recent collaboration with CrowdStrike—another cybersecurity powerhouse—has only strengthened its offering. The two companies are integrating their platforms to deliver real-time threat sharing and AI-enhanced defense systems.
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Sportradar Group (SRAD) isn’t a sportsbook—it’s the data infrastructure behind the global sports betting boom. With the U.S. market expected to double to $50 billion over the next few years, and international markets offering even more upside, Sportradar is uniquely positioned as a global leader.
Founded in 2001, the company collects and processes data from over 400 sports leagues, providing analytics and content to media companies, sports teams, and betting platforms. It delivers 450,000 live streams a year and is the go-to source for much of the sports world outside of the U.S.
What separates Sportradar (SRAD) from its competitors is its international focus. Over 78% of its revenue comes from overseas, where it aggressively secures exclusive content rights. This international footprint gives it a long growth runway, especially as sports media companies look to expand globally and need to license content from Sportradar.
That means if the U.S. market growth eventually levels out, this global strategy will help the company sustain strong growth—and deliver consistent returns for long-term investors.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) may not be the flashiest name in tech right now, but it might be one of the most undervalued and Wall Street is just starting to take notice with the stock up 84% since the April selloff.
AMD is set to launch its new 350-series chips this year, offering up to 35x performance gains. Big players like Dell and IBM are already signing on, and as AI transitions from training (which favors Nvidia’s chips) to inference (where AMD has an advantage), tens of billions in chip sales could shift in AMD’s direction.
Shares have come up to an 8.4-times price-to-sales multiple but are still relatively cheap against the 25-times investors are paying for every dollar in sales for shares of Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD is forecast to grow sales by 23% this year.
Disclosure: These 5 Stocks Will Replace Your Job is written by Joseph Hogue, CFA who is a former equity analyst and economist. Born and raised in Iowa, after serving in the Marine Corps, Joseph worked in corporate finance and real estate before starting a career in investment analysis. He has appeared on Bloomberg and CNBC and led a team of equity analysts for a venture capital research firm. He holds a master’s degree in business and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Positions in stocks mentioned: AMD, SMCI, SYM, ZS