To The Moon

My strategy: Buy 100 shares of QYLD at a low price, collect its monthly distributions, and sell covered calls to generate additional income while holding the shares.

I like strategies that allow me to make my money work in more than one way. Instead of simply buying a stock and waiting for its price to increase, I want to explore how I can generate income while holding an ETF.

One ETF that I am using for this strategy is Global X Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD).

My plan is relatively straightforward:

* Buy 100 shares of QYLD when the price comes down to an attractive level.

* Hold the shares and collect the monthly distributions.

* Sell one call option against my 100 shares.

* Collect the option premium upfront.

* Repeat the process when the existing option expires or is closed, provided the market conditions remain suitable.

In other words, I am combining two potential income sources: monthly ETF distributions and options premiums.

I do not need QYLD to shoot up dramatically in price to make this strategy worthwhile. I am more interested in collecting income while managing my entry price and the possibility of having my shares called away.

Let’s break down what I did today and why I am interested in this approach.

1️⃣ Why am I making this trade now?

🐶 My first consideration is the price I pay for QYLD.

When buying an income ETF, I do not want to chase the price higher simply because I see an attractive distribution. I prefer to wait for a weaker market day or a price level that I consider more attractive.

My thinking is simple: if I can buy the same ETF at a lower price, I start my income strategy with a lower investment cost.

For an income-focused ETF, the entry price matters because it influences my distribution yield and the amount of capital I have committed.

If I buy at $18.50 instead of $17.50, I am paying an extra dollar for every share. Across 100 shares, that is another $100 of capital.

That is why I prefer patience rather than rushing into a purchase.

2️⃣ My actual QYLD purchase and options trade

🐶 Here is what I did on 11 November 2026.

According to my trading screenshot, I bought QYLD shares and sold a call option on the same day.

My trading activity – 11 November 2026

BUY

QYLD shares

94

Shares purchased

$17.47

Purchase price per share

SELL

QYLD call option

17.00

Strike price

$0.67

Premium per share

Contract detail My trade

Expiration 18 Dec 2026

Contracts sold 1

Gross premium US$67

Share purchase cost US$1,641.18

Purchase date 11 Nov 2026

There is something interesting about this trade.

I bought the shares at $17.47 and sold a call with a $17 strike price.

This means I am willing to sell my QYLD shares at $17 if the option is exercised.

However, I received $0.67 per share in option premium.

My effective selling price, before considering distributions, fees and taxes, would therefore be:

\$17.00+\$0.67=\$17.67

My purchase price was $17.47.

\$17.67-\$17.47=\$0.20

That represents a potential $20 gross difference per 100 shares if I am assigned at $17, excluding distributions and transaction costs.

I like looking at the entire transaction rather than just the option premium.

The premium is money received upfront, but I must always consider the possibility that my shares will be called away.

One important detail: My screenshot shows 94 shares, not 100. One standard equity option contract normally represents 100 shares. Unless I already own another six QYLD shares, I need six additional shares before treating this as a fully covered call strategy.

3️⃣ Why I like collecting QYLD’s monthly distribution

🐶 The second part of my strategy is the monthly distribution.

QYLD is designed to generate income through a covered-call strategy on the Nasdaq-100. It distributes monthly, although the distribution amount can change.

My working estimate is approximately $0.17 per share every month.

Let’s imagine I own 100 shares.

100\times \$0.17=\$17

That gives me approximately $17 every month.

My estimated monthly distribution

US$17

Based on 100 shares and an assumed $0.17 per share

Holding Estimated distribution

100 shares $17

200 shares $34

500 shares $85

1,000 shares $170

My intention is to hold QYLD long enough to participate in its monthly distribution cycle.

For November, I was looking towards the middle of the month, around 18 November.

However, the official Global X distribution calendar currently lists 23 November 2026 as the November ex-dividend date, with the amount still unannounced. I should check the final announcement rather than assume the date or payment is guaranteed. QYLD +1

I also need to remember that a distribution is not free money. The ETF’s market price can adjust around its ex-dividend date, and distributions may include return of capital.

My objective is not simply to collect a distribution and assume I have made a profit. I want to consider my total return, including the share price, distributions and options premiums.

4️⃣ The covered-call strategy: Getting paid while waiting

🐶 This is where selling calls becomes interesting.

Suppose I have 100 shares of QYLD.

Instead of simply holding those shares, I can sell one call option against them.

A call option gives the buyer the right to purchase my shares at the agreed strike price before or at expiration, depending on the contract terms.

In exchange, I receive an option premium.

For example:

* I own 100 QYLD shares.

* I sell one call option.

* My strike price is $17.

* My expiration date is approximately 45 days away.

* I receive $0.30 per share in premium.

My gross premium would be:

100\times \$0.30=\$30

I receive that $30 upfront, although the option’s value can change after I sell it.

If QYLD stays below $17 until expiration, the call may expire worthless. I keep my shares and the premium.

I can then consider selling another call.

If QYLD rises above $17, my shares may be assigned and sold at $17. I still keep the premium, but I give up any further upside above the strike price.

This is why I must choose my strike price carefully.

5️⃣ Why I am looking at approximately 45 days

🐶 I do not necessarily want to sell calls that expire tomorrow or next week.

My preferred approach is to look around 30–45 days ahead.

Why?

Because I want to give myself enough time to collect a meaningful premium without committing my shares for too long.

The option premium depends on several factors:

* The current QYLD share price.

* The strike price.

* Time until expiration.

* Implied volatility.

* Market demand for the option.

A longer expiration can provide more premium, but it also locks in my strike price for longer.

I must also be careful about selling calls too close to the money. If the share price rises quickly, my shares could be called away.

For my own strategy, I would rather collect a reasonable premium than become too aggressive chasing the highest premium available.

My screenshot shows a December 18 expiration. From November 11, that is approximately 37 calendar days, rather than 45 days. It is still within my general one-month-to-six-week approach.

6️⃣ How much income can I potentially generate?

Let’s calculate using my target of 100 shares.

Assume the following:

* Purchase price: $17.47.

* Capital invested: $1,747.

* Monthly distribution assumption: $0.17 per share.

* Monthly distribution: $17.

* Covered-call premium: $0.30 per share as an illustrative example.

* Number of contracts: One.

My potential combined cash income would be:

\$17+\$30=\$47

That is $47 in potential gross cash receipts from two different sources.

If I could repeat similar transactions every month for 12 months, the illustrative annual amount would be:

\$47\times12=\$564

But I want to be careful here. The $30 option premium is only an example, not a guaranteed monthly amount. Some months may offer higher premiums and other months lower premiums. I may also decide not to sell a call if the available strike prices are unattractive.

The distribution itself can also change.

I would rather have a sustainable strategy than force myself to sell an option every month.

7️⃣ What happens if QYLD goes up?

🐶 This is one of the biggest considerations when selling covered calls.

Suppose QYLD increases from $17.47 to $18.50.

If I sold a $17 call, the buyer may exercise the option and purchase my shares at $17.

I would miss out on the additional share price appreciation.

However, I received the $0.67 premium in my actual trade.

My effective selling price would be $17.67, excluding distributions and costs.

This is the trade-off.

I am exchanging some potential upside for immediate option income.

If QYLD rises sharply, I may regret selling the call. But if QYLD stays relatively flat or declines moderately, the premium may help cushion some of the decline.

Remember, the premium does not protect me completely from losses.

If QYLD falls to $15, I still own an ETF worth $15 per share. The $0.67 premium only provides a limited cushion.

That is why I must be comfortable holding QYLD even when the market turns red.

8️⃣ What happens if QYLD falls?

🐶 This is where my entry price becomes important.

Imagine I buy QYLD at $17.47 and the market falls to $16.50.

My shares have an unrealised loss of:

\$17.47-\$16.50=\$0.97

For 100 shares, that is $97.

The distribution and option premium may help offset the loss, but they do not eliminate it.

I would not automatically sell more calls just because the ETF has fallen.

I would first examine:

* Is the Nasdaq-100 experiencing a temporary correction?

* Are technology stocks under pressure?

* Has QYLD’s underlying portfolio changed materially?

* Is the distribution still attractive relative to the capital risk?

* Are the available call premiums worth accepting the strike price?

If the price falls substantially, I may prefer to wait rather than sell calls at a strike that locks in an unattractive exit price.

I also do not want to keep averaging down without considering my overall portfolio exposure.

9️⃣ My plan from here

🐶 My next step is to manage this position rather than simply forget about it after collecting the premium.

Here is how I intend to approach the next few weeks.

Scenario A: QYLD stays below my strike price

I can allow time to work in my favour. If the option expires worthless, I keep the premium and retain my shares.

I can then consider selling another call.

Scenario B: QYLD moves above my strike price

I will monitor the option’s value and decide whether to let assignment happen or consider buying back the call.

If I buy back the call, I must pay the prevailing market price, which could be higher than the premium I originally received.

Scenario C: QYLD drops significantly

I will review the ETF and the Nasdaq-100 environment before making another trade.

I do not want to sell calls at extremely low strikes just to collect a small premium.

Scenario D: The next distribution approaches

I will check the official ex-dividend date and the option’s remaining extrinsic value.

This is important because an in-the-money call can sometimes be exercised early before an ex-dividend date. I do not want to assume that I will always collect the distribution simply because I bought the shares before the expected payment date.

🔟 Why I like this strategy for an income portfolio

🐶 My thinking is that I do not always need to chase high-growth stocks.

Sometimes, I want a position that I can manage systematically.

With QYLD, I am looking at three different elements:

* Share ownership: I own an ETF that provides exposure to Nasdaq-100 companies.

* Monthly distributions: I potentially receive monthly cash distributions while holding eligible shares.

* Options premiums: I can sell covered calls to collect additional income.

There is one interesting point about QYLD.

The ETF itself already uses a covered-call strategy on the Nasdaq-100. When I buy QYLD and sell another call on QYLD shares, I am effectively adding a second layer of covered-call income generation.

However, this does not mean I am getting two guaranteed yields. Both the ETF’s market price and my options position can fluctuate.

I also need to remember that QYLD has historically had limited participation in strong Nasdaq rallies because of its own call-writing strategy.

I am therefore treating it as an income-oriented holding rather than expecting it to behave like QQQ or QQQM.

1️⃣1️⃣ My income strategy over the next 12 months

My longer-term idea is to build up my QYLD position gradually.

I do not need to buy thousands of shares immediately.

I can start with 100 shares, understand how the monthly distributions work, learn how the options behave and gradually increase my position if the results justify it.

Here is a simple illustration using 100 shares:

Income source Monthly estimate

QYLD distribution $17

Covered-call premium $30

Combined $47

Illustrative annual amount $564

The annual figure assumes that both income sources remain unchanged and that I can repeat the same options premium every month. In reality, neither is guaranteed.

My actual objective is to manage the position well, not to promise myself a fixed monthly income.

1️⃣2️⃣ My final thoughts: Let my shares work for me

🐶 I like this QYLD strategy because it gives me something to manage.

When I buy shares, I am not simply waiting for the market to move higher.

I can examine the options chain, look at the available expiration dates, compare different strike prices and decide whether the premiums are attractive enough.

If the market is quiet, I can potentially collect a call premium.

If the market falls, I can review whether holding the ETF still makes sense.

If the market rises, I may have to sell my shares at the strike price, but I have already received the option premium.

The most important thing is that I must understand the risks before entering the trade.

I also need to correct one detail in my screenshot: I purchased 94 shares at $17.47, costing approximately $1,642.18, rather than a full 100 shares costing $1,747. My next step is to complete the 100-share position if I want to maintain one fully covered standard call contract.

For the call I sold, the $0.67 premium represents $67 gross for one contract. My December 18 expiration is approximately 37 calendar days away.

My strategy is to buy QYLD at prices I find attractive, collect distributions when eligible, and sell calls when the risk and premium make sense.

I am not trying to get rich overnight. I am trying to build an income-generating portfolio one position at a time.

🐶 Options Puppy philosophy: Buy carefully, collect patiently, sell calls intelligently and never forget that protecting my capital is just as important as collecting income!

Educational trading journal, not a recommendation to buy QYLD. Distributions, option premiums and capital returns are variable. Options can result in assignment, capped upside and losses on the underlying shares.

$Global X Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF(QYLD)$  

$Apple(AAPL)$  

$NVIDIA(NVDA)$  

Find out more here: The Road to Million Dollars 2026

Beyond Asset Size. Built on Proven Investment Capability.

🐶 Options Puppy: Why NVIDIA and Apple Matter to My QYLD Strategy

🐶 My take: One reason I find QYLD interesting is its exposure to some of the biggest technology companies in the Nasdaq-100, including NVIDIA and Apple.

🚀 NVIDIA (NVDA) is an important player in the artificial intelligence revolution. Its GPUs power AI data centres, cloud computing and advanced technology development. As demand for AI infrastructure grows, NVIDIA remains an influential Nasdaq-100 constituent. When NVIDIA performs strongly, it can contribute positively to the index’s performance.

🍎 Apple (AAPL) brings another dimension to QYLD. Unlike NVIDIA, which is heavily associated with AI chips and data centres, Apple has a massive consumer ecosystem covering iPhones, Macs, services and wearables. Its global customer base and recurring services revenue make it an important technology company.

💰 1️⃣ Why am I interested now?

I want exposure to established technology businesses without relying entirely on individual stock movements. QYLD provides Nasdaq-100 exposure while using a covered-call strategy to generate income.

📈 2️⃣ What’s my plan from here?

I intend to buy QYLD at attractive prices, collect monthly distributions and sell covered calls when premiums justify the risk.

🐶 My objective is to collect income while maintaining exposure to America’s technology giants!

Note: QYLD’s holdings and their weights change over time. Its own covered-call strategy also limits some upside during strong market rallies.