Grant Cardone Says 'Invest 80% Live On 20.' Calls It The Hardest And Best Thing—'Almost Guaranteeing Financial Freedom, Generational Wealth'

Grant Cardone isn’t new to bold financial advice, but his latest take might be his most extreme yet. In a recent post on X, the real estate investor and author wrote: “80/20 rule: invest 80%, live on 20. It’ll be the hardest and best thing you’ve ever done, almost guaranteeing financial freedom & generational wealth.”

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Could 80/20 Be The New 50/30/20?

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Cardone’s version of the 80/20 rule is radically different from the more familiar budgeting strategy that splits income into 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings. That traditional method is designed to help people cover essentials, enjoy life, and put aside money for the future.

Cardone, on the other hand, flips that approach on its head. By recommending that people live on just 20% of their income and invest the remaining 80%, he argues that this level of discipline can be life-changing. 

Still, for most people, especially those who live in expensive cities or have regular bills like childcare and loan payments, trying to live on just 20% of their income just doesn't work. Rent, health costs, commuting, and groceries can easily take up most of a paycheck. 

Unless someone earns far more than they spend, adopting this approach would require drastic lifestyle changes that many simply can’t afford.

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Focus Over Friction

This isn’t the first time Cardone has referenced an 80/20 rule. In April, he posted on X, “You can do anything as long as you don’t try to do everything.” The point? Focus your energy on the few efforts that create the biggest results. This idea ties into the original Pareto principle, which says that 80% of outcomes come from just 20% of actions.

Saying yes to one thing usually means giving up the chance to do something else. So Cardone encourages people to cut out low-impact tasks and focus only on what drives major results.

Is Cardone’s 80/20 Rule Realistic?

To be fair, living on just 20% of your income isn't realistic for everyone. With rent, food, and other everyday costs getting more expensive, the 50/30/20 rule works better for a lot of people. It helps you pay for what you need, enjoy some extras, and still put money toward savings or paying off debt.

But Cardone’s message is meant to push limits, not comfort zones. He’s not promising an easy path. He’s saying that extreme discipline can result in extreme outcomes: financial freedom and long-term wealth.

“Focus is power,” one commenter replied to his X post. And that pretty much sums up the mindset Cardone promotes across all his financial advice.

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