May 2014 update ($296,600 +$2,600 or +0.9%)

 ↑Accumulated $4,000 as part of my annual saving goal

↑ GBP went up towards USD for my holdings it is gain of US$ 650

↑ Vanguard VDE is up by US$ 2,400

↑ Vanguard S&P500 is up by US$ 300

↑ Company shares went up by US$ 750

Grand total additions: US$ 8,100

↓ Gazprom shares are down US$ 5,000

↓ Rosneft shares are down  US$ 550

 Grand total losses: US$ 5,500

Observations:

-         Vanguard SPX 500 ETF 0.78 USD, after 10% tax 0,72 per share or 72 USD (50 EUR).  Current cost of the ETF holdings is $17,200.  Annual dividend is 300 USD or 1.7%  Which below inflation level.

-         Proposed dividends by Gazprom is $0.39 per ADR, while share price is $7.3, this gives us healthy 5%. At the moment Gazprom pays 25% of the net income to Russian standards, however it is moving towards Western standards and by 2017 it is expected that dividends will jump to 7-8% .  This year, for me this would mean $,8970 before taxes in dividends and $8,000 after. This is forecast.

-         Rosneft is going to recommend $0.33 dividends, while current share price is $3.4, which will bring 9% on the shares. For me, this would be mean $660 before taxes in dividends, and $600 after. 

       Both Rosneft and Gazprom forecasts only as shareholders meetings in June.  Both of the companies are depressed due to the political row which makes them even more attractive as far as dividends go.