Elon Musk might be the richest person in the world right now, with a massive net worth of about $251 billion, but he still doesn't live the kind of luxury lifestyle you'd expect from someone in his position. Despite his fortune, Musk has stayed surprisingly down-to-earth. His frugal habits seem rooted in the financial challenges he faced growing up.
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In a July interview with Fox News Digital, his mother, Maye Musk, shared that Elon's childhood wasn't exactly filled with indulgences. "I remember Elon saying, ‘I always wanted Coco Pops, but we only got Raisin Bran,'" Maye recalled. "Coco Pops were more expensive and less nutritious, so that's what my children got."
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Maye, now 76, had to make tough decisions as a single mother after her divorce in 1979. Money was tight, and she couldn't afford meat, fish, or chicken, so she fed her children bean stew. Reflecting on those difficult times, Maye explained how she kept her financial struggles hidden, even from her family. "People had no idea how poor I was; I never went out for dinner, and we never went to the movies, but they didn't realize it was because I couldn't afford it."
Fast forward to today, and Elon Musk has come a long way from his days of Raisin Bran. He's not only the wealthiest man on Earth and can afford all the Coco Puffs he wants, but he's projected to become the world's first trillionaire by 2027, according to a report from Informa Connect Academy. Musk's wealth has been growing at an incredible pace – an average of 110% per year – thanks to his massive stakes in companies like Tesla and SpaceX.
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Tesla has grown at an annual rate of 173%, and if this pace continues, it could reach a $1 trillion valuation by next year. Musk's other ventures, like SpaceX and The Boring Company, add billions more to his ever-expanding fortune.
But Musk isn't the only billionaire who might hit the trillionaire mark. Other wealthy business figures, like Gautam Adani and Jensen Huang, are also in the running to reach that status by 2028, assuming their wealth continues to grow at current rates.
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Musk's path from a childhood where Coco Pops were a luxury to potentially becoming the first trillionaire is impressive. As a kid, he wanted the sweeter cereals but settled for Raisin Bran. Now, he's at the top of the wealth ladder, fueled by ambition and relentless success. It's a striking contrast, showing how far he's come – and how much further he could go.
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