I'm a realestateagentinvestorandYouTubeorlivinginLosAngeles, making 1.6 millionperyear.
I have $0 increditcarddebt, $0 instudentloans, 1.8 millionandsavingsandjustover $4 millioninrealestateinvestments.
I spent $585,000 onthisduplex, andthen I spentanother $80,000 remodeling.
Mymortgageisjustover $2800 a month, andmyutilitiesareabout $110 a monthlightshowstobuyandlivein a duplexbecause I reallywantedtosavetheextramoneyandatleasthavesomeotherrentalincomecomingintosubsidizemycostofliving.
Andthisplacetookmeaboutsixmonthstofind.
Butwhenitcameonthemarket, itwas a reallygooddeal, and I knew I couldrentouttheotherunittobasicallypayformymortgageandmostmypropertytaxesandthatwaythatwouldallowmetoessentiallyliveherecompletely.
Rentormortgagefreeisgrowingup.
Myparentsdidnothaveanysortofabundanceofmoneyoranythinglikethat, and I definitelysawhowhardtheyworked.
And a lotoftimesitreallywaspaychecktopaycheck.
So I thinkseeingthatreallyforcedmetogoinalmostanextremeintermsofsavingandinvestingandreallymakingthat a priority.
So I wouldneverhavetoworryaboutmoney.
Evenas a youngkid, I wouldalwaysjustbeobsessedaboutsavingeverything I couldget.
AndevenfrombirthdaysandChristmaseshaven't envelopewithjustallmylike, $20 billsinthere, and I getreallyexcitedwhen I wouldhitlike, $100.
I actuallygotmoreenjoyment, I think, fromsavingthan I didfromspending.
So I became a millionairebyworkingas a realestateagent, originallyhadplannedtogotocollege, butwhen I didn't getintocollege, I wasbasicallyscrewed.
I hadreallybadgradesinhighschool.
I figured I neededtodosomethingandgetsomeworkexperiencefor a yearbefore I reapplytocolleges, I gotmyrealestatelicense, endedupreallylovingthecareerandThen, after I soldmyfirsthouse, I waslike, I'm nevergoingtocollegeafterthis.
So I'vechosentofocus, reallyontheluxuryhighendmarkethereinLosAngeles, I wouldsaymyaveragepricepointsissomewherebetweentwoand $3 millionbutthemostexpensivehome I'vesoldisaboutsevenmillion.
Butthenwhat I didtosavemoneyistheydid a reverseimagesearchonGoogle.
And I foundtheexactsamechairsfromanothercompanyforhalfthecost.
Sointermsoffurnishingmyplace, I wasabletogetthemajorityofitatwholesalecost.
Soreallyonlycostmeabout 30% ofwhatitwouldif I boughtitatretail.
Theotherthing I foundisthatyoucouldshoponlineandusuallyfindtheexactsameiteminproductssomewhereelsefor a lotcheaper.
Lotoffurnitureissoldviadropshippingsothatpeoplemarkupthecostandtheymake a lotofprofitfromit.
Butifyoujustdo a reverseimagesearchonGoogleoftheitem, youwanttogetalmostalwaysyoucouldfinditsomewhereelsefor a significantlycheaper.
Andthat's what I'vedone.
If I didn't getitwholesale, thiswasactuallygiventomeby a subscriber.
RustWhat?
Saltman, YourLamborghiniisrighttherethatyouendedupsendingtheydoendupgettingsent, somethingsfromsubscriberswillfindoutmyworkaddressandthensendmethingslike a lotoflettersorsometimesgiftcardstoStarbucksis a popularone.
Allofthisisreallyjustfordecorationandwanttomakeitseemlike I have a fullystockedbarwhen, inactualityatthestockedbarfullwithwaterdownDietCokeandandwaterandbytheway.
Proof, It's justwater.
Sothisismykitchen.
I remodelitabout 2.5 yearsago.
Theyusedtobe a bigwallopherethat I decidedtotakedown, openup.
Sonowbringsin a lotmorenaturallights.
I gotthecourtscountertopsherewhicharehorribletokeepplaying.
I thoughtitwouldbe a reallygoodideatohavewhitecountertops.
Andthen I realisedthatanythingyouputonthemisgonnaleave a bitof a mark.
So I spendwaytoomuchtimetryingtokeepthisclean.
So a lotthat I haveinmykitchenisn't reallythatfunctional, but I thinkitlookskindofcool.
Like a lotofthis I'vemadetoelookreallyjustaestheticallypleasingwiththingsthat I'vekindofgotforfree.
It's twoeggs, cheese, hamandthensometimes, if I'm feelingreallyadventurous, I'llhavehalf a bagelwithcoffee.
Ofcourse, I spentabout $200 a monthongroceriesandanother $150 a montheatingout.
I alsoliketolookforhappyhours.
Ifyou'regonnagoouttoeat, youmayaswelljustgoandfindthattwohourwindowwherethingsweregonnabehalfpriceandjusteatasmuchasyoucanthen, andthat's gonnausuallysaveyouaboutlike 30 to 50% inyourfoodbill.
Happyhour, sushiorallyoucaneatsushiistheonethingthat I just I loveit.
Anytime I couldgoandeatsushiorfindallyoucaneatsushi, I willfind a excusetodoit.
Normally, thisisabout $1200.
But I waitedfor a LaborDaysaleandgotbothofthesefor 800.
Welcometomybedroom.
Thebedframe I gotyearsagofrommyKia.
ThemattresswasgiventomeforfreebyCasper.
I representedthemas a companymanyyearsago, was a realestateagent.
Andtheygaveme a freemattresswhen I foundthem a housewhichisprettycool.
ThisismyNicolasCagepillowcase.
A subscribersentthistome.
I jokedaboutitinoneofmyvideosandnow I ownone.
I neverthought I wouldsaythis, but I sleeponNicolasCageeverysinglenightand I willseeyouinyourdreams.
SothisistheonlyTVinmyhouse.
I reallydon't watchthatmuchTV, so I don't haveoneinthelivingroom.
Buteverynowandthen, if I wanttowatchNetflix, YouTubecouldturnthisonhere.
I again, I reallydon't watchthatmuchTV.
Thenoverhere I havemyYouTubesubscriberplaybutton.
Thiswasgiventomeas a giftduringoneofthesespeakingengagements.
I wentThio, so I setitup.
I lookedituphereanditkeepstrackofmysecondchannel.
Sothisiswhereallthemagichappensinthefilm.
Allmyvideos.
It's a 400 squarefootgaragethat I remodeledtoturnintomystudio.
I had a drywalledaddedelectricity, recesslighting, and I addedsomesounddeadeningmaterialsjustsothatit's notasechoeyinhere.
Thistable I gotfromUrban 95 I reallylikedtheserestorationhardworkdeskswiththeaviationstyle, buttheywerealllike 3 to $5000.
But I foundthatUrban 95 hadtheexactsamedeskforunder 1000 bucks.
I boughttwobooks.
Theseairtotallyrandom E Baybooksthat I boughtfor a dollareach.
Thatmakesitlooklike I'm a lotsmarterthan I reallyam.
Andthenthisdinosaurskullherethisis a replicafromawayfairand I gotit.
I thoughtitlookedreallycool.
I spendwaytoomuchtimemaking a video.
I wouldsayeveryvideothat I makeusuallytakesabout 8 to 10 hourstoproduce.
Andsomeofthatisresearchingthetopic, actuallyplanningoutthevideo, filmingthevideoandtheneditingitandtryingtopiecetogether a goodtitleandthumbnailsoasfarasmyequipment.
Asfaraslightingisconcerned, I havean L E D ringlightsthat I useasmymainsourceoflightsinthenighttoledpanelsthatareusedformorelikesoftlightsaswell.
Itmightlook a littleweirdtoseethetowelsonmylights, butwhat I foundisthatthesetowelsworkreallywellforlightdiffusion.
Thatway, it's nottooharshonthebackground.
Thesetowelswereperfectlyforthat.
So I taughtmyselfeverything.
Whenitcomestoediting, I hadnoideawhat I wasdoingsowellonYouTube, and I searchedlikehowtoeditonmymovie.
Andeventothisday, I'm using I'm movie, theFreeSoftwareonMyMacandthat's it.
And I figured I woulduse I moviejustbecauseitwasfree.
Whyspendextramoneyif I didn't havetoanditwasalreadythere, Sowhynot?
I wouldsaymyfavoritethingaboutthisplaceisthatitreallydoesn't costmeanythingtolivehere, andthatgivesme a lotoffinancialpeaceofmindjustknowingthat, youknow, worstcasescenario, ifjusteverythingstopsentirelythat I willbetotallyfinehere.