Former President Jimmy Carter Lives In A $167,000 House And Shops At The Dollar General

When we imagine a country's president, can only think of them living luxurious lives. However, this former president of the US moved from the White House into a two-bedroom ranch in Plains, Georgia.

His home is worth just $167,000. To simply sum it up, the house is less expensive than the armored secret service cars parked outside of it.  

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Former President Jimmy Carter's Simple Life 

Carter was the 39^th U.S. President. However, you will be shocked to learn today that the former President had built his estate back in the 60s and at the age of 96 years, he is the only one among all modern presidents to move into the home he lived in before the White House.

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Not only this, but the former President spends the least amount of taxpayer dollars. In fact, according to the General Services Administration, he costs about $456,000, including his office, staff, pensions, etc. Compare that to $952,000 paying for George H.W. Bush, and the $1 million for Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. 

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The former President's frugal lifestyle does not end here, in fact, Carter and his wife of 74 years, Rosalynn, make their own yogurt, drink bargain brands of wine, and dine on paper plates. He flies commercial, not shying away from greeting his fellow passengers, and buys clothes from Dollar General.  

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Jimmy Carter’s indifferent attitude towards money doesn't come from the fact that the is a miser, in fact, he states that he “didn’t want to capitalize financially on being in the White House”.

This is probably the only reason why he never joined a corporate brand or took jobs as a public speaker. 

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When looking at Cater's lifestyle, one cannot help but compare it to other Presidents of the US. To note here, Barack Obama owns an $8.1 million mansion in Washington. His family takes a yearly vacation to the beautiful and expensive Martha’s Vineyard.  

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In fact, if you remember, when Bill Clinton's presidency ended, he had a whopping $16 million debt. However, Clinton managed to pay it all off with his speaking events and book deals.

The man actually gave 57 speeches in the first year and earned $13.7 million from this new “writing and speaking” business. Now, he owns a $2.85 million house in D.C. and a $1.7 million home in Chappaqua, New York. 

However, that kind of wealth doesn’t seem to appeal to Jimmy Carter. “I don’t see anything wrong with it; I don’t blame other people for doing it,” Carter said about presidents earning wealth through speeches. “It just never had been my ambition to be rich.”

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“He didn’t feel suited to the grandeur.”

Some even state that Cater's frugal lifestyle is due to his million-dollar debt that accumulated due to failed peanut business after his presidency.

“We thought we were going to lose everything,” Rosalynn said. Her husband was forced to sell the business. Nowadays, they are living from the income of his published works and the $210,700 presidential pension. Carter has written at least 33 books, about nature, his life, his faith, aging, politics, women’s rights, woodworking, and even a children’s story. 

 According to Gerald Rafshoon, the White House communications director during Carter’s presidency, “[Carter] doesn’t like big shots, and he doesn’t think he’s a big shot”. 

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Apart from his simple lifestyle, one cannot ignore Carter's contribution to health programs around the world, supporting human rights, and aiding fair elections through his Carter Center organization during his time in the White House.

He has also helped Habitat for Humanity by aiding the renovations of 4,300 homes in 14 countries. He has also built a solar farm to power his hometown. 

“He didn’t feel suited to the grandeur,” said Stuart E. Eizenstat, a Carter aide and biographer. “Plains is really part of his DNA. He carried it into the White House, and he carried it out of the White House.” 

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Carter’s presidency lasted from 1977 to 1981. This term is most well-known for long queues at gas stations and the Iran hostage crisis. 

“I may have overemphasized the plight of the hostages when I was in my final year,” he said. “But I was so obsessed with them personally, and with their families, that I wanted to do anything to get them home safely, which I did.” 

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Carter lives his life proudly over the fact that he promoted global peace and human rights during his time in the White House. He even received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts. 

Despite the overcast climate in American current politics, Carter believes that the US’s ethical and moral values” are still intact. One day, the citizens will “return to what’s right and what’s wrong, and what’s decent and what’s indecent, and what’s truthful and what’s lies.” However, he concludes with “I doubt if it happens in my lifetime.” [3]

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