My favorite president.
Jimmy Carter, the only American president without a mansion. After he left the White House, he and his wife lived in a small house worth only $167,000. All their furniture consisted of old items belonging to his parents, and they had to repair things almost every month.
Their only income was the presidential pension, $217,000 a year. Carter did not use private jets. He flew economy class; even in his old age, he stood in line to board, refusing special treatment.
He drove a second-hand Ford Taurus for years, a car that was more than 25 years old.
Where has his money gone?
He is the founder of the Carter Center and reportedly spent as much as 30 million dollars to combat river blindness and Guinea worm disease. He personally helped build homes for low-income families and built dozens of houses himself, a practice he continued to pursue in his old age.
He also donated much of his fees and other income to charities and contributed millions of dollars.