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Mark Cuban Shares 6 Frugal Habits He Uses to Save Money

Being a billionaire didn't change how he spends his money.

By Josh Koebert , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Nov. 10, 2026

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Mark Cuban is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in America, and one of the main reasons is the frugal money habits he developed early in life. One of the best ways to build real wealth is to develop good money habits, something that Cuban still does to this day, even when he can afford to spend more.

Here are six frugal habits Mark Cuban uses to save money.

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Buying necessities in bulk

Purchasing everyday items in bulk will significantly lower your annual spending. It's something that Cuban swears by.

"Saving 30% to 50% buying in bulk — replenishable items from toothpaste to soup, or whatever I use a lot of — is the best guaranteed return on investment you can get anywhere," Cuban said.

The reason is pretty simple: If you know you need to buy these items, you can get a better deal buying a lot at once. Retailers like Costco and Walmart are famous for their massive sizes, and it's something you should take advantage of. You're setting yourself up to keep more money in your bank account.

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Keeping a strict budget

Keeping track of where every dollar goes each month is crucial to developing solid spending habits and putting more money away in your account and investments. It's one of the reasons why Cuban became so successful: He made sure he was constantly on top of his money.

"After I sold my first company, and I had, like, two and a half million dollars in the bank, I still kept a budget," Cuban explained. "I still have that budget, actually. And I kept a strict budget every day."

When you're not tracking your spending, you open the door for cash to leak out.

Investing conservatively and not chasing gains

Even when Cuban sold his first company in 1990 and took home a cool $2 million in profit, he had his investment advisor make conservative moves.

"I want you to invest for me like a 60-year-old," he told his advisor. "I don't want you to invest like I'm young, because I want to live off this for a long time."

Building a solid portfolio of investments is possible for anyone, regardless of income level. Instead of focusing on quick wins, Cuban suggests building investments that have proven returns. Even a simple index fund or bond over a long enough time will produce solid gains and keep your wealth growing.

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Keeping six months of income in the bank

An emergency fund to support you in a time of crisis is another critical money move Cuban recommends. So much can happen in the job market and the greater economy that you don't want to have to scramble when something comes up.

"If you don't like your job at some point or you get fired or you have to move or something goes wrong, you're going to need at least six months' income," Cuban said.

One of the worst financial mistakes you can make is going into debt to cover basic living expenses. If you don't have an emergency fund and something happens, you'll be forced to get a loan or use credit cards to cover the difference. That's a recipe for disaster, as the interest rates will eat you alive and make it much more difficult to get out of the debt hole.

Negotiating with cash to talk the asking price down

Keeping a pile of cash ready to deploy can help you make both small and large purchases and give you more wiggle room in negotiations.

"I tell people all the time, if you're out — you're going to take a yoga class, and they want to charge you $30, say: 'Look, I've got 20 [dollars].' You know what, they're going to take it. Negotiating with cash is a far better way to get a return on your investment," Cuban said.

This helps greatly when buying a car or some other higher-priced item; having cash in hand to make the purchase gives you more leverage. Instead of having to jump through the hoops needed to get a loan or pay the extra credit card fees, you're putting yourself in the power position.

Many people looking to sell a car or similar items are seeking immediate cash. So, they'll be more inclined to make a deal with you if they get paid that day.

Paying off debt to get an immediate return

The compounding nature of debt makes it so much harder to save money and get ahead financially. It's very easy to take out debt, but very hard to pay it off unless you're diligent with your payments. That's why Cuban views debt payoff as an instant raise on your monthly income.

"Whatever interest you have — it might be a student loan with a 7% interest rate — if you pay off that loan, you're making 7%," said Cuban. "And so that's your immediate return, which is a lot safer than trying to pick a stock, or trying to pick real estate or whatever it may be."

Getting that immediate monthly return of having more take-home money from your paycheck allows you to grow your investment accounts and build your emergency savings.

Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially

Bottom line

Mark Cuban's financial approach is built around disciplined money management and risk aversion. By tracking everyday cash flow, maximizing purchasing power through bulk deals and cash negotiations, and prioritizing guaranteed returns like debt payoff, Cuban proves that true financial freedom comes from fiercely protecting the money you already have rather than chasing risky gains. If you want to get ahead financially, making these rules the ones you live by is one of the best ways to go about it.

Most people in America save almost nothing. The Bureau of Economic Analysis put the personal savings rate at 2.7% in June 2026. At a median full-time wage of about $64,220 a year, that 2.7% amounts to roughly $145 a month, which isn't much and is doable for most people. That's why Cuban's habits are not some secret investment trick. Instead, they're a way to smartly earn extra money by keeping expenses and bad habits low and out of sight.

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