My Net Worth Is…

Robin Greenfield standing in front of his cabin, with
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“What is Robin Greenfield’s Net Worth”

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. Perhaps because much of the society I live in values others based on how much money they make.

I did the search myself and found multiple websites that estimate my net worth and none was accurate. Two of them even say that my net worth is between one and five million dollars. 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, 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 not doing their ‘due diligence’ and likely just assume I monetize my channel, as many people do.)

Hopefully, this page will be the first to show when people search for this information. This page is continuously updated with my accurate net worth.

Since 2015, my net worth has been under $15,000 and has generally ranged from $2,000 to $10,000. The value of my material possessions has ranged from $500 to $7,000 since 2016.

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 others’ debts to me. I have no money to my name elsewhere, just the cash I carry with me.

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

I simply cannot 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 create self-reflection in others 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 eight years since I began to live simply and decentralize money from my life. In replacement of money, I have embraced developing my personal skills and deepening my relationships with Earth, humanity and the plants and animals we share this home with.

My Net Worth Since 2015

November 2023 – Approximate net worth of $8,000 ($3,600 cash, $4,000 value of possessions). This video documenting my possessions accurately represents my material possessions as of late 2023:

2021 to mid-2023 – My net worth generally ranged from a few thousand dollars to around $10,000 max. In early 2023, my net worth was less than $0 for a period of time as I took out a personal loan of a few thousand dollars.

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

At this time, everything that I own fit into a small backpack, about 50 items. Here is a video and a list of the possessions I owned at the time. I committed to donating 100% of my speaking revenue in 2020 to Indigenous and women-led nonprofits.

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 person who would benefit greatly from them.

(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 two years. The tiny house was built for under $1,500 using secondhand materials. I did a year-long 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 two 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 are my total personal earnings each year:

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

2023 – $9,900 total earned.

2022 – $8,600 total earned.

2021 – $9,000 total earned.

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.

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.

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

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