'Possessions Kind of Weigh You Down'— Elon Musk Is the Richest Man In The World But Avoids These 5 Pricey Purchases Most People Can't Resist

With a net worth of $344 billion as of this month, Elon Musk could buy just about anything. But instead of throwing his money at mansions, Michelin stars, or Maybachs, he's opted to live like someone trying to stretch a student loan refund.

In his own words, Musk tweeted on May 1, 2020:

"I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house."

And during a May 8, 2020 interview on "The Joe Rogan Experience", he added:

"I think possessions kind of weigh you down. They're kind of an attack vector."

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Here are five major things Musk refuses to waste money on—even though he easily could.

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Multi-Million Dollar Homes

Between 2020 and early 2021, Musk sold seven homes in California, including multiple Bel-Air properties. The total price tag? Over $100 million.

Rather than upgrade, he reportedly moved into a $50,000 Boxabl prefab home near SpaceX headquarters in Boca Chica, Texas. It's a 375-square-foot cube—modest even by non-billionaire standards.

Furniture —  Even a Decent Mattress

In a March 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, Canadian musician Grimes—Musk's former partner and the mother of three of his children—described his lifestyle as anything but billionaire-like.

"Bro does not live like a billionaire," she said. "Bro lives at times below the poverty line."

She recalled their time living in a "$40,000 house" with no security and neighbors who could easily film them. At one point, she said she was eating peanut butter for eight days straight. But the most telling example? Their mattress had a hole in it—and Musk still refused to replace it. Instead, he suggested they just switch sides.

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Hotels and Fancy Lodging

Musk doesn't even technically have a primary residence. In a 2022 TED interview, he told host Chris Anderson:

"I don't even own a place right now, I'm literally staying at friends' places."

In a 2015, Google co-founder Larry Page shared a story with Ashlee Vance, the author of Elon Musk's first biography, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future."

Page recalled Musk occasionally reaching out for a place to crash, saying:

"He'll email and say, ‘I don't know where to stay tonight. Can I come over?'"

Page added with a laugh that Musk was "kind of homeless, which I think is sort of funny," offering a glimpse into the billionaire's unusually casual and nomadic lifestyle.

And way back in 1999, Musk told CNN:

"Three years ago, I was showering at the YMCA and sleeping on the office floor. Now I have a million-dollar car."

Gourmet Food or Dining Out

At 17, Musk decided to test whether he could survive as an entrepreneur by living on just $1 a day for food. It wasn't a stunt—it was a personal challenge to see if he could handle the financial uncertainty that came with starting a business.

He described the experiment during an interview on Neil deGrasse Tyson's "StarTalk":

"In America it’s pretty easy to keep yourself alive. So my threshold for existing was pretty low. I figured I could be in some dingy apartment with my computer and be okay, and not starve."

During the Zip2 startup years, he ate Jack in the Box and White Castle burritos, showered at the YMCA, and funneled every spare dollar into the company.

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Luxury Cars…Though He Did Once Crash a $1 Million McLaren

Musk recalled the infamous crash himself during an interview with Sarah Lacy for PandoDaily. After selling Zip2, he had purchased a McLaren F1 and decided to show it off to PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.

"Watch this," Musk said—then floored it, spun out, and launched the car into the air before crashing.

His reaction afterward? "It wasn't insured."

Since then, Musk has stuck with practical models. He mostly drives a Tesla Model S or Cybertruck. He's also dismissed the idea of building a budget Tesla under $25,000, calling it "silly" during a 2024 Tesla third quarter earnings calls. 

Sometimes Less Really Is More

Musk could afford anything. But time and again, he chooses not to. Whether it's sleeping on friends' couches, keeping a broken mattress, or skipping dinner reservations for dollar menus, Musk lives like a man focused on Mars—not material things.

And as far as he's concerned, that's the point.

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