Real estate mogul Grant Cardone isn’t known for holding back, even when sharing his views on investing legends like Warren Buffett.
“Warren Buffet does not buy stocks,” Cardone declared in a YouTube video. It’s a bold claim, considering Buffett is one of the most successful stock market investors of all time. But Cardone quickly clarified his stance.
“Every company Warren Buffett has ever invested in — from Coca-Cola to Apple Computers — he was taking a major position in a company, not in a piece of paper,” Cardone explained.
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According to Cardone, there’s a common thread in these investments.
“All those companies have one thing in common, what do you think it is? Cash flow,” Cardone said. “He [Buffett] didn't invest in Apple Computers until their cash flow was so stable. He's a coward investor. He wants to buy real companies that have real assets, and the cash flow. He wants a check every month.”
While calling Buffett a “coward investor” might sound like an insult, Cardone applies the same label to himself.
“I’m a coward investor. I don’t invest in stocks, I’ve always been a coward,” Cardone said in a recent interview.
For Cardone, cash flow is king. Owning businesses that generate reliable cash flow allows investors to earn a return without constant involvement — something Cardone sees as essential for long-term wealth.
As he put it: “if you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die. In my case, I'm going to work until I die, and my money will work after I die.”
If you’re looking to put this strategy into action, here are some simple ways to get started.
Collect passive income from real estate
When it comes to assets that prioritize cash flow, Cardone has a clear favorite — real estate.
“You only buy things that produce cash flow that can’t be disrupted — like the real estate I buy,” Cardone told YouTuber Logan Paul during a 2019 appearance on the Impaulsive podcast.
Cardone went on to describe the durability of his investments. “The real estate I buy is indestructible,” he said. When Paul asked why, Cardone explained that his properties generate rents of $1,500 a month, and no matter what happens, those rents aren’t likely to drop below that level.
Cardone makes a solid point. High-quality properties can provide investors with a steady stream of passive income, which often adjusts with inflation over time. Additionally, inflation tends to push property values higher, reflecting rising costs of materials, labor and land. If you want to take after Cardone, there are many ways to start investing in real estate, whether you’re looking for passive income or long-term growth.
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Earn passive income with high-yield savings accounts
High-interest savings accounts (HISAs) offer a low-risk way to generate passive income while keeping your funds accessible. These accounts usually provide higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts, allowing your money to grow steadily without being tied up in long-term investments.
With so many options available, choosing the right HISA can be overwhelming. This is why examining all the best HISAs is important to determine which suits your financial situation and goals best.
Buffett: The average person can’t pick stocks
At the end of the day, keep in mind that despite his legendary success in picking winning companies, Buffett doesn’t believe that’s the right approach for most investors.
“I do not think the average person can pick stocks,” he stated bluntly at Berkshire’s 2021 shareholders meeting.
Instead, Buffett champions a much simpler strategy, famously stating, “In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund.”
This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America’s largest companies across various industries, providing diversified exposure without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.
Buffett believes so strongly in this strategy that he has instructed 90% of his wife’s inheritance to be invested in “a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund” after he dies.
The beauty of this approach is its accessibility — anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time when you use investing apps to help guide you in the investment process. That way, even if you’re not a seasoned investor, you can get in on some solid returns.
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Jing is an investment reporter for Money.ca. Prior to joining the team, Jing was a research analyst and editor at one of the leading financial publishing companies in North America. Jing has covered numerous aspects of the financial markets, from blue chip dividend stocks to small cap tech stocks to precious metals and currency. An avid advocate of investing for passive income, he wrote a monthly dividend stock newsletter for the better half of the past decade. In his spare time, Jing plays basketball, the violin and the ukulele.
