Monday, November 17, 2025

IKEA’s billionaire founder was famously frugal — here’s what you can learn from him

Left: Ingvar Kamprad Right: IKEA storefront
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IKEA, with its massive global footprint, stands out as a company capable of remarkable growth while consistently keeping prices low relative to inflation. In fiscal year 2025, IKEA reported staggering total revenue of over $51.213 billion.

Despite the pressures of inflation that challenge all companies, IKEA’s eccentric leadership team leads by example, steering the company through turbulent economic waters.

IKEA’s founder and former CEO, Ingvar Kamprad, was renowned for his extreme frugality. He bought clothes from flea markets, recycled tea bags, and got cheap haircuts.

Like Warren Buffett and other famously frugal billionaires, Kamprad lived modestly, epitomizing thriftiness even as his company scaled new heights.

Kamprad passed away at 91 in 2018, but his legacy of cost-saving hacks continues to influence IKEA. Here’s what everyday investors can learn from his unique approach to business and personal finance.

Most billionaires, like Kamprad, built their long-term wealth by excelling at one major endeavor. But diversifying assets is equally important. Kamprad famously set up a complex tax structure to ensure his children wouldn’t face heavy taxes on his IKEA corporate stake.

Although we may not have access to the same legal and financial experts as these billionaires, numerous platforms now make diversification much more accessible.

Real estate has long been considered one of the most reliable ways to hedge against inflation and build long-lasting wealth.

Mogul is a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.

Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.

Every investment is secured by real assets, not dependent on the platform’s viability. Each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors own the property — not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake. Getting started is a quick and easy process. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.

Read more: Warren Buffett used 8 simple money rules to turn $9,800 into a stunning $150B — start using them today to get rich (and then stay rich)

For savvy investors who are looking to frugally diversify their portfolio, fine art is a creative alternative to the ups and downs of the stock market.

With $60 billion in annual transaction volume and a total estimated global value of $1.7 trillion, art represents a massive asset class. In the past, you had to be ultra wealthy to invest in art, and there was no way to start unless you had the millions it takes to buy a painting at an auction.

But Masterworks has completely changed that.

Masterworks, a revolutionary investment platform, has now made it possible for more investors to access this prized asset. Instead of buying a single painting for millions of dollars, you can now invest in fractional shares of iconic works from renowned blue-chip artists like Pablo Picasso, Basquiat and Banksy.

All you have to do is select how many shares you want to buy and Masterworks will take care of the rest — making elite art investments accessible and hassle-free.

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This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: IKEA’s billionaire founder was famously frugal — here’s what you can learn from him

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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