The Obamas are a busy couple, even when they’re not giving virtual commencement speeches. From speaking at events around the world to writing memoirs and signing a massive production deal with Netflix, the Obamas’ life after the White House has been full and very lucrative.

For her part, Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming was published in November 2018 and became the year’s bestselling book.

These endeavours – along with the six-figure pension all former presidents receive – have significantly contributed to the Obamas’ net worth, which was at least US$40 million, according to a 2018 GoBankingRates estimate. But the New York Post recently pegged their fortune much higher, at US$135 million.

From philanthropic efforts to holidaying where the sun shines to making long-term investments in his daughters’ education, here’s how the Obamas spend their fortune.

The Obamas entered the White House with a US$1.3 million net worth in 2008. That has since grown to at least US$40 million, according to a 2018 estimation. From 2005 (when Barack Obama joined the US Senate) to 2016, the Obamas earned a total of US$20.5 million from his government salary, book royalties, investment income and Michelle Obama’s income from her job at University of Chicago Hospitals before she became the first lady.

Obama earned US$400,000 a year during his eight years as president, and he earns an annual pension of about US$200,000 as a former president.

The lion’s share of the Obamas’ fortune came from books. From 2005 to 2016, Obama earned US$15.6 million in advances and royalties from his books The Audacity of Hope and Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters and royalties for Dreams From My Father, Forbes reported, citing tax returns and financial documents. But Barack’s lucrative career as an author isn’t over. In 2017, he and Michelle signed book deals worth at least US$60 million.

Michelle's memoir, Becoming, was published in November 2018. As of March 2019, it had sold almost 10 million copies. She’s also sold 25 different items of merchandise related to the book, including mugs that retail for US$20 and candles that retail for US$35.

Books aren’t the Obamas’ only foray into media – in 2018 they signed a production deal with Netflix, which is estimated to be US$50 million, according to the New York Post. That includes a documentary film, Becoming, accompanying Michelle’s memoir. It released on May 6, 2020.

Since leaving office, Obama has been paid as much as US$400,000 for public speaking events. He reportedly earned US$800,000 for two speeches to Northern Trust and the Carlyle Group and a minimum of US$1.2 million for three talks to Wall Street firms in 2017.

And Michelle reportedly rakes in US$225,000 per speaking appearance. Tickets to her 2018 book tour stop at Barclays Center in New York ranged from US$307 to US$4,070. All things considered, the Obamas could earn US$242.5 million in their post-presidency life, American University estimated. Here’s how they’ve spent their fortune so far …

The Obamas think long-term when it comes to their money. In 2007, Obama bought Bright Directions age-based growth plans, each worth US$50,000 to US$100,000, to pay for Malia’s and Sasha’s college education. Malia started at Harvard in autumn 2017, while Sasha started at the University of Michigan in autumn 2019.

The Obamas also made an investment in real estate. They needed a new place to live after leaving the White House, so they bought an 8,200-square-foot mansion in Washington, DC, for US$8.1 million after previously renting it. At the time of purchase, it was reportedly the second-most-expensive home in the neighbourhood, right behind Jeff Bezos’ former textile museum turned mansion.

In addition to their residence in Washington, DC, the Obamas still own their home in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighbourhood that they bought for US$1.65 million in 2005. They took out a US$1.3 million mortgage on the home. It’s valued at US$2.5 million. In late 2019, the Obamas reportedly bought a 6,892-square-foot house on Martha’s Vineyard for US$11.75 million. According to the report from the Vineyard Gazette, it sits on nearly 30 acres overlooking the Edgartown Great Pond.

The Obamas have also enjoyed several holidays since leaving the White House. They first headed to Southern California and eventually made their way to Necker Island, where Obama was seen kitesurfing with Richard Branson.

Obama also visited his home state of Hawaii and the island of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia, where he checked into a luxury resort called The Brando. A night there in a one-bedroom villa can cost anywhere from US$3,034 to US$4,318.

The Obamas have also been spotted on American business magnate David Geffen’s yacht with Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and Bruce Springsteen; at a wine tasting in Tuscany; and river rafting in Indonesia.

The General Services Administration is required to provide a former president with enough money to cover travel and business expenses, so it’s hard to say how much of their own money the Obamas spent on their holidays. We do know the wardrobe isn’t included in the package of presidential benefits and perks.

While Michelle has donned expensive designer clothes like pieces from Naeem Khan and a Versace gown worth an estimated US$12,000 for special events as the first lady, she’s also known for her casual, relatable style. She’s often been spotted in affordable brands like J. Crew, Target and Converse.

Of course, she needs the perfect outfit for date night, which she and Barack always make time for. The couple was once spotted attending a Beyoncé and Jay-Z concert.

Not all aspects of their lives are as lavish as their holidays. Michelle opts for a bag lunch, like turkey chilli, over eating out, the former president’s chief of staff told People magazine in 2017. And she’s a regular at SoulCycle, which costs US$36 a class or US$900 for 30 classes. The Obamas also spend a significant amount on philanthropy. From 2009 to 2015, they gave US$1.1 million to charity, Forbes reported.

During that time frame, they donated to charities focusing on African-American causes, veterans, disaster relief, homelessness and housing, and health. More than half of their donations went to organisations for children.

Obama donated all the post-tax profits from his children’s book, Of Thee I Sing, to provide scholarships for children of wounded and fallen soldiers. The donations totalled US$392,000 from 2009 to 2015. In 2015, Obama’s penultimate year in office, the Obamas donated more than US$64,000, or about 15 per cent of their income, to 34 charities, Time reported, citing tax returns.

None of this includes Obama’s biggest donation to date: his US$1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award in 2009, all of which he donated to multiple charities.

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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.