A MILLIONAIRE Oxford University graduate says he 'regularly worries about money' - despite earning almost £150k a year.
Commercial landlord Marcus White, 51, makes £145k-a-year in rental income and owns assets in excess of two million, but lives a frugal lifestyle, getting on by on the bare minimum of just £200-a-week and regularly worrying about money.
Now owning his home and 24k square-feet of commercial space, Mr White used to make just £1.90 a day from his furniture business, which he started when he was 24.
He now owns a business park, runs a life-coaching company, and lives mortgage-free in a farmhouse in Dorchester, Dorset, with his partner, Rosie Morrell, 40.
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Despite having around £200k in the bank, the frugal standards of his 20s never left him, and he continues to live sparingly, only spending money on things he can't live without, and recycling and upcycling wherever he can.
He shares a van with his partner, has an £8-a-month phone contract, heats his home by burning recycled pallets and even recycles screws from scrap timber.
He even wees in the garden to 'save water and fertilise it all in one'.
The managing director and life coach said: “Although people might think I’m in a strong financial position, I do still worry about money.
“I’m the complete opposite to a consumerist - I don’t like consumerism at all.
"I don’t like to waste anything, I have an instinct to just save as much money as I can, and I really struggle to spend - I only buy things I really need.
“I’m very happy living off the bare minimum.
“I’ve got a real recycling, upcycling, saving mentality.”
In 2011 he secured planning permission for the derelict buildings on his father's land, and by that time his furniture business had starting making more money.
He said: "I re-mortgaged my house, secured a small loan from my father and - with my savings as well - I began redeveloping the site into an ecological business park.”
By 2019, the business park was full of commercial tenants and he managed to pay off these debts and start building up his bank balance.
He said: “I’m now in a financially comfortable position but I still save every penny and live very frugally and I do regularly worry about money.
“The maximum amount I’d say I spend in a month is £1k.
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“I think, especially being brought up on a farm, I don’t like to waste anything and have an instinct to save and upcycle.
"I do all sorts of wacky repairs to keep things going. I recycle screws from scrap timber and stock them. I heat my house by cutting up pallets.”
Mr White and Ms Morrell, a sex therapist, run a political party, Everyone Is God.
They hope to 'eliminate the entire concept of poverty through a complete re-education of money and how to save'.
“Through our policies we would create a world where people love their work, they get paid well for their work and they have the understanding and skills to manage their money and live happily and in a strong financial position."
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