Elon Musk's Mom Says They Once Lived In A Rent-Controlled Apartment With 'Elon On The Couch' And Saved For $5 Sheets

Elon Musk, the tech magnate behind Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, is one of the richest people in the world, but his journey to the top wasn’t a smooth ride in a first-class spaceship.

While Musk has spoken about a challenging childhood, it’s his mother, Maye Musk, who offers a glimpse into the early days that helped shape the billionaire he is today.

Maye Musk recently shared a photo on social media, a throwback to 1990, featuring a young Elon Musk in his first suit. The post read: "1990. Photo taken in our rent-controlled Toronto apartment with my mom's artwork on the wall. Elon's first suit — $99 and included a shirt, tie and socks. I couldn't afford a second suit, so he wore the same suit every day to work."

The caption paints a picture of a young man starting out, with his mother’s artistic touch evident on the walls of their Toronto apartment.

This wasn’t a life of luxury; Maye Musk wore $19 shoes while walking the runway as a model.

In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Maye Musk elaborated on her life as a single mother.

“We used to live in a rent-controlled apartment in Toronto with Elon on the couch,” she said.

They built their lives brick by brick, literally saving for $5 sheets and eventually buying furniture.

But financial limitations didn’t stop Maye Musk from nurturing her children’s potential.

“I brought my kids up as a single mother with very little money, and we survived,” she said.

“My kids are the loves of my life. All three are brilliant.” This focus on self-reliance and resourcefulness seems to be a cornerstone of Maye Musk’s parenting philosophy.

“I taught them to be responsible for themselves and considerate to others,” she said.

Elon Musk posted on X that he “grew up in a lower, transitioning to upper, middle-income situation.”

He said he never received significant financial support from his father after high school.

Ref: Elon Musk's Mom Says They Once Lived In A Rent-Controlled Apartment With 'Elon On The Couch' And Saved For $5 Sheets (finance)

Photo Credit: Getty image