The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
Kevin O'Leary has a net worth of approximately $400 million. He owns homes in Florida, Massachusetts, and Toronto. He's one of the most recognizable faces on Shark Tank. And last week, he was standing in a Walmart aisle, comparing paper towel pack sizes to make sure he was getting the best deal.
"Inflation affects all of us," O'Leary said on a recent Instagram post of him inside a Walmart store. "Saving dough is the name of the game. That means focusing on value and always looking for great deals. I know I am!"
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
The clip showed O'Leary with a shopping list his wife had given him — batteries, butter, paper towels, laundry spray — and making sure to optimize each purchase.
On the paper towels: "I wanna save dough when it comes to paper towels. Check it out. Bounty — 12+ rolls is like 18 small rolls. I'm going plus," he said with a grin. He also held up a pair of $29 black jeans he said he regularly wears, adding that he is "always looking for a great deal, that's why [he was] in Walmart."
The inflation context behind the bargain hunting
O'Leary's point that inflation "affects all of us" is backed by the data. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' July Consumer Price Index report, overall consumer prices are up 3.4% over the past 12 months, with food prices rising 3.0% and energy up 14.7% over the same period.
Grocery and household staples have been particularly affected: the ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index found that a standard basket of 24 common grocery and household items — including paper products — cost 5.9% more in January 2026 than a year earlier.
For a household spending $1,000 a month on groceries and essentials, that's an extra $59 per month, or more than $700 per year — before accounting for energy costs.
Read More: Vanguard reveals what's coming for U.S. stocks — and it could be bad news for this group of investors
Fortune reported that O'Leary's frugal streak is a pattern among some of the world's wealthiest people rather than an anomaly.
Warren Buffett — worth around $144 billion — still lives in the same Omaha home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. And he famously let the stock market dictate his McDonald's breakfast order: $2.61 for two sausage patties when markets were down, $3.17 for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit on better days, according to HBO.
IKEA's late founder Ingvar Kamprad — who at one point had an estimated $58.7 billion — bought used clothes and drove an old Volvo.
"I don't think I'm wearing anything that wasn't bought at a flea market," he said in a Swedish documentary.
And 31-year-old Scale AI co-founder Lucy Guo has embraced extreme frugality, wearing clothes from Shein and booking flights she would cancel just to eat free at airport lounges.
The pattern shows up in survey data, as well. According to Northwestern Mutual, 79% of American millionaires describe their wealth as self-made — compared to just 12% who inherited it.
Ramsey Solutions' National Study of Millionaires — which surveyed more than 10,000 millionaires — also found that most built their wealth through disciplined saving and living below their means (94%), not through high salaries.
O'Leary has made this point explicitly in previous interviews, Fortune notes.
"I hate wasting money," he reportedly told CNBC in 2021. "I just don't get why you would do that. It's so hard to make it in the first place."
Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going
Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going
Here's the average income of Americans by age in 2026. Are you keeping up or falling behind?
Here's the average income of Americans by age in 2026. Are you keeping up or falling behind?
Robert Kiyosaki says China is 'dumping' the US as America piles on debt. Fortify your riches with 4 key assets
Robert Kiyosaki says China is 'dumping' the US as America piles on debt. Fortify your riches with 4 key assets
This fund has historically paid 8% or higher for 25 months, with just a $100 minimum to start — 4 ways to grow your cash without the stock market
This fund has historically paid 8% or higher for 25 months, with just a $100 minimum to start — 4 ways to grow your cash without the stock market
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise's best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Kevin O'Leary, worth $400 million, compares paper towel prices at Walmart as grocery costs climb 5.9%
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Despite having a net worth of $400 million, Kevin O’Leary still shops at Walmart for $29 jeans: ‘I’m always looking for a great deal’ Fortune • 2d ago
Despite having a net worth of $400 million, Kevin O’Leary still shops at Walmart for $29 jeans: ‘I’m always looking for a great deal’
Kevin O'Leary says nothing 'tastes as good' as compound interest in rant against $28 lunches Moneywise • 4h ago
Kevin O'Leary says nothing 'tastes as good' as compound interest in rant against $28 lunches
Kevin O’Leary issues warning over US real estate — and claims he’s spotted a ‘crushing indicator’ for housing Moneywise • 1y ago WMT KR
Kevin O’Leary issues warning over US real estate — and claims he’s spotted a ‘crushing indicator’ for housing
Kevin O'Leary Says You Go To Work And Spend $15 On A Sandwich, 'What Are You An Idiot?' — It Costs You 99 Cents To Make One At Home Benzinga • 6mo ago
Kevin O'Leary Says You Go To Work And Spend $15 On A Sandwich, 'What Are You An Idiot?' — It Costs You 99 Cents To Make One At Home
Kevin O'Leary Says Broke People Spend $15 On Salads For Lunch But Say They Can't Invest —Trading $500K In Wealth Because They're 'Too Lazy To Cook' Benzinga • 7mo ago
Kevin O'Leary Says Broke People Spend $15 On Salads For Lunch But Say They Can't Invest —Trading $500K In Wealth Because They're 'Too Lazy To Cook'
Kevin O’Leary says if you earn $68,000 a year and follow this rule, you’ll retire a millionaire Fortune • 4mo ago
Kevin O’Leary says if you earn $68,000 a year and follow this rule, you’ll retire a millionaire
Kevin O’Leary reveals the powerful payday tactic his mom used to build wealth. Make 10x your income without more work Moneywise • 6mo ago
Kevin O’Leary reveals the powerful payday tactic his mom used to build wealth. Make 10x your income without more work
Kevin O'Leary Says 'I Don't Care If It's A Gift For Your Birthday'—Take 10% Of Any Money That Comes Your Way And Invest It To Get Rich Benzinga • 7mo ago GM GOOGL
Kevin O'Leary Says 'I Don't Care If It's A Gift For Your Birthday'—Take 10% Of Any Money That Comes Your Way And Invest It To Get Rich
How Much Richer Kevin O’Leary Has Gotten Over the Last 5 Years GOBankingRates • 5mo ago
How Much Richer Kevin O’Leary Has Gotten Over the Last 5 Years
Kevin O'Leary Says Spending $28 On Lunch While Earning $70K Is Why People Stay Broke. 'That's Just Stupid,' Put It In An Index Fund For 50 Years Benzinga • 9mo ago
Kevin O'Leary Says Spending $28 On Lunch While Earning $70K Is Why People Stay Broke. 'That's Just Stupid,' Put It In An Index Fund For 50 Years
