Bill Gates Was The Richest Man In The World For A Record 18 Years — He Says Money Brings Freedom, But Beyond That, 'It's The Same Hamburger'

For nearly two decades, Bill Gates was the undisputed king of the Forbes Billionaires List. From 1995 to 2007, again in 2009, and from 2014 to 2017, Gates held the title of the world's richest person—a staggering 18 years in total. That's not just impressive; it's a record.

But fast forward to Feb. 4, and Gates now sits at 18th place with a net worth of $106.4 billion. What changed? In short: philanthropy.

In July 2022, Gates announced his plan to give away "virtually all" of his wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "As I look to the future, I plan to give virtually all of my wealth to the foundation. I will move down and eventually off of the list of the world's richest people," he said at the time.  

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True to his word, he's already given away $100 billion and says he "has more to give," according to a Feb. 2  BBC interview. Yet, despite giving away more money than most people can even comprehend, Gates insists his life hasn't really changed. 

In that same BBC interview, he said, "I made no personal sacrifice. I didn't order less hamburgers or less movies." And honestly, it's not the first time he's made such a point.

Back in 2011, during a Q&A session at the University of Washington, a woman in the audience asked Bill Gates what advice he'd give to someone who wanted to become like him. 

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In a video clip of the event posted by GeekWire, the crowd can be heard laughing as Gates responds. He explained: "I can understand wanting to have millions of dollars, there's a certain freedom, meaningful freedom, that comes with that. But once you get much beyond that, I have to tell you, it's the same hamburger. Dick's has not raised their prices enough." (For context, he was talking about Dick's Drive-In, a beloved Seattle burger joint.)

The message is clear: beyond a certain point, more money doesn't buy more happiness—or better burgers.

Of course, Gates isn't exactly living a minimalist lifestyle. He still has his private jet and multiple sprawling homes. But when it comes to the basics—like burgers and movies—he says his life feels pretty much the same.

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As for his three kids, Gates admits he's had plenty of conversations with them about inheritance, figuring out the "right amount" to leave behind. The rest? It's going to causes that matter.

With the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's 25th anniversary coming up in May, Gates seems more focused on giving than getting. And while his net worth may have dipped in the billionaire rankings, he's clearly richer in ways that can't be measured in dollars.

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