The Blubber

Grant Cardone has said earning $400,000 a year is "embarrassing" as a human being, and asks: "How do you make sense of $35k a month? You cannot live on $400,000."

Grant Cardone, a well-known motivational speaker, social media influencer, and real estate investor, recently stirred up controversy with his comments about income levels.

In a YouTube short titled "Earning $400,000 a Year is Embarrassing," Cardone boldly stated, "If I made $400 grand a year, I would be embarrassed with myself as a husband, a father, and basically as a human being. $400 grand. How do you make sense of $35,000 a month? You guys haven’t done the math. You cannot live on $400 grand a year."

Cardone's assertion stands in stark contrast to the financial reality of most Americans. In some states, an income of $400,000 places individuals near the top 1% of earners, according to SmartAsset data. For context, median weekly earnings for full-time workers in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2023 were $1,145, or roughly $4,580 per month—significantly less than the $35,000 monthly figure that Cardone views as inadequate.

In another YouTube video, Cardone claimed that even a million dollars is not enough for financial security, saying, "One million dollars is no money." He broke it down, explaining that a million dollars spread over 30 years amounts to only about $33,000 annually, which he considers insufficient for a comfortable lifestyle.

Cardone further criticized advice from millionaires, suggesting that their financial perspective is limited. He used the analogy, “Don’t seek advice on the view from someone halfway up the tree; they can only tell you what they think the view will be,” implying that those who haven't reached the highest levels of wealth may not offer the best financial guidance.

In yet another bold statement, Cardone said, “If you’re a millionaire, you’re broke dude. What’s a millionaire? Nothing.”

Cardone's philosophy centers on achieving financial independence and accumulating wealth through multiple income streams. He is a strong advocate of real estate as a means to generate passive income and encourages individuals to aim for three types of income: ordinary income from a job or business, bonus income from side ventures, and passive income from investments. His firm, Cardone Capital, reportedly distributed $60 million in passive income to its limited partners last year, averaging $5 million per month.