If asked what you know about Bill Gates, you would probably share the same information as the next person. He’s the richest person in the world with a net worth of about $80 billion; he’s the co-founder of Microsoft; he is quite the generous philanthropist. Boring. Knowing all of that may allow you to skim the surface of a dinner conversation but if you really want to impress your table, continue reading to learn 20 mind-blowing facts about the man in the mugshot.
He Does His Own Dishes
The billionaire cleans the dishes every night. He prefers the way he does them.
What Bill Gates Earns per Second
85% of the world’s population makes less than $200 a month. Bill Gates makes about $290 per second.
He’s Not as Kind as You May Think
In addition to his reputation as a generous philanthropist, Bill Gates has another reputation that also follows him like a shadow: he can be an arrogant, stubborn, and ruthless businessman.
His Impressive IQ
Bill Gates has an IQ score of 160. That is similar to the likes of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
If He Hadn’t Founded Microsoft…
If not computer science, Bill Gates would have pursued either math, law (his father was a lawyer), or physics.
His First Computer Program Was…
When he was just 13, Bill Gates wrote his first computer program, a tic-tack-toe game.
He Could Have Graduated
Gates is indeed a college drop-out; a fact you likely knew. But what is interesting is that he actually has enough college credits to graduate college.
He’s Been Arrested
Gates is the proud owner of the mugshot featured above. In 1977, he was arrested in New Mexico for running a red light and ultimately charged with driving without a license.
His Children Aren’t Inheriting (much of) His Fortune
Despite their enormous wealth, Bill and Melinda Gates will be leaving their children an inheritance of just $10 million per child. $10 million is less money than Bill makes in a week.
Bill Gates Regrets ______________
What is one thing Bill Gates regrets? He regrets he never learned how to speak any foreign languages.
The Richest Man in the World
Gates was in No. 1 position on the Forbes list from 1995 to 2007 and again in 2009. On May 16, 2013 Bloomberg announced that Bill Gates was back on top with an estimated net worth of $72.7 billion.
If He Was a Country His GDP Would Be…
If Bill Gates was a country, he would be the 37th richest country on earth.
His Prediction Came to Fruition
He knew he’d become wealthy. In school he bragged to his teachers that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 30; he was a billionaire by 31.
What His Time Is Worth
It’s literally not worth his time to pick up a $100 bill. With a net worth of $72 billion, a 6% rate of return would earn Gates roughly $114.16 per second, making it a poor investment for Bill Gates to bother picking up a $100 bill if he dropped it.
He Spends Tons of Money
… just not on himself. Bill Gates has donated more than $26 billion dollars to philanthropic causes through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. That includes $10 billion for vaccine research over the next decade.
His First Sale Was to His High School
Bill Gates’ first computer program sale was at age 17 for $4,200. He sold a time-tabling system to his high school. Not too bad for a start.
How Much He’d Have to Spend in Order to Spend All His Money
Bill Gates is 59 this year. If we assume that he will live for another 31 years, he has to spend $6 million per day to use up all of his wealth.
How He Could Distribute His Wealth
He could give everyone on earth $10 and still be loaded. Yes, if he gave everyone on earth $10 this Christmas, he’d still have $2.26 billion left.
His Kids Aren’t Much Different Than You and I
His kids aren’t loaded. Gates is only going to give a minuscule amount to his kids:
“I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them. They have to find their own way. They will be given an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for. And certainly anything related to health issues we will take care of. But in terms of their income, they will have to pick a job they like and go to work.”
Frozen Assets
If Microsoft Windows’ users could claim $1 for every time their computer freezes, Bill Gates would be bankrupt in about three days.
Finally, if you want to learn why Bill Gates is so successful, get a copy of his book Business @ the Speed of Thought: Succeeding in the Digital Economy
I’m a personal finance freelancer writer and website manager. Feel free to connect with me at firstquarterfinance.com.
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