Billionaire Mark Cuban Says If You Have $100K, Buy Bulk Toothpaste And Soup For The 'Best' ROI—The Rest? Let It Sit In The Bank Earning 'Nothing'

Billionaire Mark Cuban Says If You Have $100K, Buy Bulk Toothpaste And Soup For The 'Best' ROI—The Rest? Let It Sit In The Bank Earning 'Nothing'

Jeannine Mancini

Tue, January 13, 2026 at 11:46 AM EST

4 min read

If you handed Mark Cuban $100,000, he wouldn't run to Wall Street or some hot tech startup. He'd grab a shopping cart.

In a 2010 Forbes interview, the billionaire was asked what he'd do with a lump sum of $100,000. His response wasn't flashy. It wasn't cryptic. And it didn't involve crypto. It involved…toothpaste.

"First I pay off all my credit card debt and evaluate paying off any other debt I have. What I have left I put in the bank," he said. But he didn't stop there.

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Then comes the part that sounds less like a billionaire's financial strategy and more like a Costco coupon haul: "I try to create as much transactional value as possible from that cash. I look at my annual budgets for everything and anything, and I look to see where I can save the most money on those items. 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."

Let's break that down. Cuban isn't saying go hoard hand sanitizer like it's 2020 again. He's saying if you already use toothpaste, toilet paper, canned soup, shampoo—things you're going to buy anyway—you might as well stock up when prices are lower. That's the ROI: buying stuff now to avoid paying more later. His version of "investing" isn't tied up in risk—it's about locked-in savings.

Let's say you usually buy a four-pack of toilet paper for $6, but a bulk box of 30 rolls goes on sale for $20. That's about 67 cents a roll vs. $1.50 a roll. Over the year, you're not just wiping away inconvenience—you're saving real cash. Multiply that across your grocery staples and, like Cuban says, you're looking at a "guaranteed" ROI no stock or bond can promise.

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And what about the rest of that $100,000? Don't expect a fancy ETF recommendation from Cuban.

"Whatever I have left I keep in the bank and let it earn nothing," he said in the interview.

Yes—"let it earn nothing." Why? Because then it's ready. Cuban's not parking money in the bank out of laziness—he's waiting for the moment he can pounce. In his world, flexibility beats short-term yield.

Story Continues

This isn't just theory. Cuban's made a career out of seeing opportunities others missed—from streaming audio in the ‘90s to grabbing a seat on "Shark Tank," where he became a household name. His advice may sound simple, but it's rooted in practicality and discipline.

And speaking of advice, Forbes also asked Cuban what kind of investment adviser he trusts. His answer? "Someone who I can trust, has an idea every now and then, but most importantly can efficiently research my ideas and make the investments I ask them to make."

In other words, he doesn't want a sales pitch. He wants a partner who listens, thinks, and acts quickly.

For those looking to go beyond bulk buys and bank balances, WiserAdvisor's free tool connects investors with financial advisers who can do just that—offer research, insights, and strategies tailored to your own ideas and risk appetite. If you've moved past the toothpaste phase and want to explore real estate, the markets, or diversified income strategies, you don't have to go it alone.

Cuban's core message? Handle the basics first. Pay off high-interest debt. Save money on the stuff you know you'll need. Then keep some cash on standby—not because it's earning interest, but because opportunity doesn't ring a bell.

And when it knocks, you'll be ready. Even if you're already stocked up on soup.

Read Next: Why Billionaires Like Warren Buffett Prefer Real Assets Over Speculation—Institutional Real Estate Is Now Accessible to Individuals

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This article Billionaire Mark Cuban Says If You Have $100K, Buy Bulk Toothpaste And Soup For The 'Best' ROI—The Rest? Let It Sit In The Bank Earning 'Nothing' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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