What are some good dividend stocks?

I want to generate a dividend income of at least a couple of hundred dollars a month. What type of investment can help me achieve this?

Take a look at the stock screener on MSN.com. (http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/fin... You can set various parameters and decide which stock is best for you. A word of advice, when a company is paying a dividend greater than 5 percent, it may be an indication that the company is struggling. Personally, I like companies like GE, DUK, SO, ED, WM.... You will find that utility companies and financial institutions pay some of the best dividends and are pretty safe.

For stocks that generate a lot of dividends, there are two types that have traditionally fit the bill: stocks from utility companies, and REIT stocks.

However, if you are concerned with generating income, a better method is to use lending investments, like bonds. These have a known stream of income, and are contractual agreements. Stocks, on the other hand, are not bound by a contract and the dividends are paid at the discretion of the board of directors.

Have you checkout out http://www.treasurydirect.gov for treasury bonds? This is a place where you can purchase treasuries for no commission.

Have you checked out www.vanguard.com ? They have the lowest-cost bond mutual funds.

To learn more about bonds, download my free book at http://www.invest-for-retirement.com and go straight to chapters 10, 11, and 12.

Phillip Morris pays a huge dividend

Consider a CEF. I like UTF and DVM. 6%+ yield, monthly dividends, discount to NAV. Both are managed by Cohen and Steers that specializes in REIT/dividend stocks.

Look in to companies called Canadian Royal Trusts...they are mostly oil/gas/energy companies in Canada... that pay monthly dividends ... they were fantastic investments until a finance minister changed some tax rules...now they are just a very good investment....
Think of it..an oil and gas supplier to the U.S. that is close, friendly, etc....and then look at the dividends that they pay... I can give you two good examples: Penn West..( PWE)... approx $33.00 per share...pays 35 cents per share every month... so to get to about $ 200. a month you would have to own about 600 shares ( invest $19,800 )... $ 2400. per year equals 12.1% ( very nice return, no? )
Another one is Harvest Energy ( HTE)....costs about $ 31.00 per share... pays 35.5 cents per share... to get to $ 200. per month you would need about 560 shares...or $ 17,360. invested... $ 2400. per year equals a 13.8 % return.
Check more at : http://dividenddetective.com/canadian_ro...

The tax rules changes that I mentioned take effect in 2011...so you have a few years to invest comfortably in these.

If energy is not your area, Southern Copper ( PCU) pays one of the best dividends around ( close to 10 % ) but they are priced high right now...and they pay quarterly, not monthly.
They are in a nice sector..."metals" for the building that is going on around the world.