Joseph Hogue

Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 9:22 AM7 min read

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.