My Net Worth Is…

Interestingly when my name is typed into a search engine one of the top suggestions is “Robin Greenfield net worth.” I’m not sure why that would be one of the most commonly searched subjects on me, but it is. I did the search myself and found multiple websites that estimate my net worth and none were accurate. Two of them even say that my net worth is between 1 and 5 million dollars as of 2019. On the contrary I have promised never to be a millionaire and have committed to making less than the federal poverty threshold for life.

(These sites report “Robin Greenfield’s primary income source is being a successful YouTube Star.” First off, I do not have my channel monetized, and make no income from it. Secondly, I am not a YouTube star. These sites are just doing a sloppy job and assume I monetize as most people do.)

Hopefully this page will be the first to pop up in search engines when people search for this information. This page will be continuously updated with my accurate net worth.

At the time of writing, August 23rd 2020, my net worth is about $2,100. I have $1,625 cash and my possessions are monetarily valued at less than $500. Currently everything that I own fits into a small backpack, about 50 items. Here is a video and a list of my possessions. I will make it through the rest of 2020 on these funds as I committed to donating 100% of my speaking revenue in 2020 to Indigenous and women-led nonprofits and have committed to donating 100% of my media income for life.

I have no bank account or savings account, no credit card or debit card, no investments, stocks or precious metals, no retirement fund, no monthly bills and no debts owed to others or to me. I have no money to my name elsewhere, just the cash in my backpack.

I am in no way trying to simulate poverty. I am a person with many privileges and I acknowledge this.

I simply can not rationalize having so much, while so many others have so little. I take my lack of net worth to an extreme to be an example that can shock others into self-reflection and inspire them to spread their resources and their wealth to others. You can read more about this here.

Here is my net worth over the last five years since I began to live simply and de-center money from my life and replace money with relationships and skills:

08/22/2020 – Approximate net worth of $2,100 ($1,625 cash, $500 value of possessions)

Early 2020 – Approximate net worth of $6,500 ($6,000 cash, $500 value of possessions)

I left Florida in November 2019 and gave away and sold nearly all of my possessions. I gave my tiny house and many of my more valuable sustainability possessions to Sustainable Kashi community, totaling around $3,000. I gifted my bike and accessories to a deserving person.

(This blog shows my journey down to 44 possessions.)

Fall 2019 – Approximate net worth of $13,000 ($6,000 cash, $7,000 value of possessions.)

I built a tiny house in Orlando, Florida where I based myself for nearly 2 years. The tiny house was built for under $1,500 using secondhand materials. I did a yearlong project of growing and foraging 100% of my food and accumulated quite a few possessions for this. At the peak of ownership my possessions valued around $7,000.

11/03/2018 – Approximate net worth of $6,000 ($1,200 cash. <$5,000 value of possessions)

01/16/2017 – Approximate net worth of $3,000 ($0 cash, $3,000 possessions)

“Today I have achieved a milestone that few strive for. For the first time in my life I do not have a single penny to my name.” Read more here.

07/17/2016 – Approximate net worth of $3,600 ($600 cash, $3,000 possessions)

See my 2016 net worth page for details.

In early 2016 I auctioned off my tiny house in San Diego and donated the proceeds to build tiny houses for people without homes and gave away and sold many of my possessions. I simplified my life down to 111 possessions, all of which fit in my backpack. I traveled in this manner for 2 years during 2016-2017.

08/11/2015 – Approximate net worth of $15,000 ($3,200 cash, $12,000 possessions)

See my 2015 net worth page for details.

Here is my total personal earnings each year:

(More details can be viewed on my transparency page.)

2020 – $0 total earned. I had funds saved from 2019.

2019 – $9,670 total earned.

2018 – $8,000 total earned.

2017 – $5,000 total earned from public speaking.

2016 – $0 total earned. I had funds saved from previous years worked.

I share my net worth as a matter of transparency and to show my real dedication to this work for equity, justice and sustainability. I don’t expect anyone who reads this to follow suit exactly. However, I do deeply hope that those who read this who have the financial wealth and resources to spread to others will do so.

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Photo credit: Ornella ornellalr.fr. Photo taken June 2020 in France.