Mark Cuban 'Loved Life' When Broke Eating Ketchup Sandwiches And Sleeping On The Floor With 5 Roommates — But Says Rich Is A Lot More Fun

Mark Cuban isn't about to romanticize being broke. Sure, he had fun sleeping on the floor of a crammed apartment and eating ketchup sandwiches, but let's be real—being rich is better. 

"I had a whole lot of fun and loved my life when I was eating mustard and ketchup sandwiches and sleeping on the floor of a 3-bedroom apartment that housed me and 5 buddies," Cuban wrote in a 2008 post on "Blog Maverick." "I have a whole lot more fun now. It doesn't suck to be rich."

Don't Miss:

• This 12,000 RPM Spinning Battery With Over $100 Million In LOIs Could Be The Missing Link For Green Energy — Here’s Why Early Investors Are Flocking To Invest Before Funding Closes
• It’s no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art — this alternative asset has outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. Here’s how everyday investors are getting started.

That's the kind of blunt honesty that makes Cuban, the billionaire investor, worth listening to when it comes to money. He's lived both extremes—scraping by with nothing and thriving with everything—and he's got a few things to say about how to get from one to the other.

No Shortcuts, No Secrets—Just Discipline

Cuban doesn't buy into the idea that there's some magic formula to getting rich. "The question everyone wants answered is how to get there," he wrote. "There are ways to get there. But there is not a template that works every time for everyone." The real key? Being ready when opportunity presents itself—and that starts with discipline.

Trending: Dogecoin millionaires are increasing – investors with $1M+ in DOGE revealed!

Rule #1: Save Relentlessly. 

Cuban's advice for those serious about building wealth is simple: save every penny. "Instead of coffee, drink water. Instead of going to McDonald's, eat Mac and Cheese. Cut up your credit cards. If you use a credit card, you don't want to be rich." Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

According to Cuban, cash is king—not for retirement, but for seizing opportunity when the time is right. "The first step to getting rich is having cash available," he wrote. "You aren't saving for retirement. You are saving for the moment you need cash." That's where most people go wrong, following a "buy and hold" strategy that leaves them strapped when they should be making moves. "Those who have put their money in CDs sleep well at night and definitely have more money today than they did yesterday."

Trending: Many are surprised by Mark Cuban's advice for lotto winners: Cash or annuity?

Rule #2: Get Smart, Get In The Game

The second rule is all about investing—not in stocks, but in yourself. "Investing your time in yourself and becoming knowledgeable about the business of something you really love to do," Cuban explained.

His advice is to get a job in the field you're passionate about, no matter how small the role. "Instead of paying to go to school somewhere, you are getting paid to learn." From there, absorb everything—read trade magazines, go to industry events, talk to people who know more than you do. It's a long game, not a quick fix. "We aren't talking days. We aren't talking months. We are talking years. Lots of years and maybe decades."

See Also: The secret weapon in billionaire investor portfolios that you almost certainly don't own yet. See which asset class has outpaced the S&P 500 (1995-2024) – and with near-zero correlation.

When Chaos Hits, Be Ready

Cuban believes that uncertainty creates opportunity—and those who are prepared reap the rewards. "Booms are when the smart people sell. Busts are when rich people started on their path to wealth," he wrote.

Timing is everything. The people making money hand over fist during market crashes aren't lucky—they saw it coming and positioned themselves accordingly. "With all the change and uncertainty in the financial markets, there are people right now making more money than they ever dreamed of," Cuban noted. "They are the ones who have been living the real estate market and the financing behind it and understanding what actually was going on."

According to Cuban, wealth isn't about luck—it's about discipline, preparation, and making the right moves when the opportunity comes knocking. Cuban did it, and while he may have loved life when he was broke, he makes no secret of the fact that being rich is a lot more fun.

Read Next:

• If You're Age 35, 50, or 60: Here’s How Much You Should Have Saved Vs. Invested By Now
• BlackRock is calling 2025 the year of alternative assets. One firm from NYC has quietly built a group of 60,000+ investors who have all joined in on an alt asset class previously exclusive to billionaires like Bezos and Gates.