Every time I run the numbers, I come back to the same conclusion:

This works.

A structured, logic-driven portfolio, heavy on ballast, rich in monthly yield, layered with optionality, is holding its ground while markets drop, and still throwing off real, usable income. And not in theory: in practice. On paper. In real brokerage accounts.

So why isn’t everyone talking about this?

The Structure in Question

If you’re new here, Oppenfolio is a barbell-income portfolio built on three layers:

  • Shell (80%): cash equivalents, floating-rate notes, preferreds, and covered-call ETFs (e.g., TFLO, JAAA, VRP, JEPI, JEPQ, PFFA)
  • Fuel (20%): ultra-high-yield, high-volatility positions, often hedged in pairs, TSLY, USOY, MSTY - leveraged syntehic ETFs, learn how these really work

The structure is tuned for income stability, capital preservation, and opportunistic deployment. It pays you to wait. And when markets drop 2–3% in a day? This thing might be down 0.1%.

We’ve tested it across multiple down days. The structure holds.

Why It’s Working

Three reasons:

  1. The Shell is real armor.

    • TFLO doesn’t move. JAAA barely moves. VRP gives you floating income. JEPI buffers downside with option premiums. Together, this 80% shell absorbs shocks while still paying monthly dividends.

  2. Hedged pairs dampen risk.

    • TSLY is long Tesla. CRSH is short Tesla. If Elon’s empire crashes, one side spikes while the other falls, but you collect yield from both. Same for other balanced YieldMax setups.

  3. You’re not forced to sell.

    • Most investors sell in a crash. Oppenfolio pays you through it, meaning you can stay put, or even go shopping with the cash it generates.

So if it works, and if it’s real, the question remains: why don’t more people talk about structures like this?

Reason 1: It’s Too New

Most of the pieces in Oppenfolio didn’t exist five years ago.

  • TFLO? Launched 2022.
  • JAAA? 2021.
  • The YieldMax suite? Barely two years old.

There hasn’t been enough time for this strategy to become canonized by the financial press, or absorbed into mainstream ETF model portfolios.

Reason 2: It Violates the Mental Model

To the average investor, 30% yield = scam. The instinctive response is disbelief. Because:

  • We’re trained to think 8% is generous.
  • We assume high yield must mean high risk.
  • We’re told income portfolios are for retirees, not builders.

But when you separate structure from speculation, when you treat yield as a design constraint, not a gamble, you get something smarter.

Still, most people don’t think that way, most chase real estate or vending machines.

Reason 3: It’s Unmarketable

No one is selling Oppenfolio. There’s no mutual fund equivalent. No big firm is pushing it through financial advisors. It’s DIY, it’s customized, and it requires active thinking.

Which means:

  • Financial media doesn’t write about it.
  • Financial advisors don’t recommend it.
  • Fintech platforms don’t build tools for it.

It lives in the margins, shared between people who tinker, test, and track.

Reason 4: Most Yield Chasers Burn Out

The ones who do find these assets? They usually blow themselves up.

  • 100% in TSLY.
  • No hedge.
  • No shell.
  • No plan.

They lose 40% in a downturn, post a bitter Reddit thread, and swear off high-yield forever.

Oppenfolio avoids this by enforcing structure.

  • The shell protects.
  • The fuel is limited.
  • The logic runs first.

Reason 5: Nobody’s Written the Playbook Yet

There’s no canonical guide to building high-yield barbell portfolios. The only playbooks out there are for 60/40 blends, dividend aristocrat strategies, or momentum-chasing growth models.

But those don’t give you:

  • 30%+ gross yield
  • Resilience in market dips
  • Liquidity and optionality
  • Rebalance flexibility

So if nobody’s publishing this strategy, and nobody’s selling it, and nobody’s modeling it for the mass market… well, maybe that’s why nobody’s talking about it.

Yet.

But We Should Be

Because it works. Because it’s elegant. Because it gives regular people a fighting chance at income freedom.

The only thing this strategy lacks is a spotlight. So if you’ve found it, and it works for you, talk about it. Write about it. Share your results. Run your numbers.

We don’t need Wall Street’s permission to build smart portfolios. We just need to keep building them.

email me if you’re building your own version, or just want to talk about high-yield structures.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and reflects personal opinions, not financial advice. OppenFolio is not an investment advisory service. See site disclaimer for full details.