When you think of Michelle Obama, what comes to mind? Sure, you may think of her husband Barack, and that’s totally okay since the man etched his name in history after the 2008 presidential election. But to be honest, Michelle is as much her own woman without having to bring Barack into the picture.
A beloved figure all around the world, this immediate former FLOTUS is in elite company with Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush. What’s more, she’s still making moves even after vacating the White House, and continues to display her “easy and comfortable” side.
An Instant Bestseller
With a little more extra time to herself, Obama was able to write and publish a memoir titled Becoming. It instantly became a bestseller, and it’s definitely worth a read. Suitable for everyone, why don’t you grab your family a copy if you guys haven’t read it yet?
When Barack became President, the Obamas weren’t as wealthy as you’d imagine. Between husband and wife, the couple was worth just $1.3 million. Doesn’t sound much for a first family, does it? But the two had worked really hard for it.
Both Michelle and her husband practiced law back in the day, Barack became senator, and his wife was committed to working for hospitals at the University of Chicago. And just before being sworn in, Barack received $500,000 as an advance for the abridgment of Dreams from My Father for young readers.
During his time in office, President Obama and his wife increased their net worth quite a bit, largely due to smart investments. You could also consider the $200,000 they made annually as POTUS and FLOTUS, without forgetting that Mr. President was still earning royalties from his book.
However, it wasn’t until after their White House days that Michelle really grew her individual income. As it was confirmed, the couple received $65 million upfront to publish their autobiographies, with the amount being a combined total for either of them.
Beating Barack to the Punch
As it turned out, Michelle beat Obama to the punch with Becoming. The masses received the book ever so well, particularly because of how she lays herself bare. It gets really personal when you can relate to your author’s experiences, doesn’t it?
With Michelle being the selfless lady, she always has been, a significant portion of what she has earned for publishing her book has gone to charity. Her publishing house has also donated copies of the book to First Book, a charity that promotes child literacy in both Canada and the United States.
Thus far, it has been reported that Michelle’s net worth sits at $40 million, and that’s not including anything that she co-owns with Barack. That’s milestones away from their shared $1 million back in 2008! And as sure as night follows day, this amount will only grow bigger with time.
The Obamas, as we can all attest, are as humble as they come. Living a modest lifestyle is what they’re good at, and if you want to point out that they vacation at lavish locations, isn’t that the point of being on holiday? You must have spoilt yourself silly the last time you had one yourself!
