Actor Tom Cruise is one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood today. He has been acting in feature films for years, and his thousands of fans come to the theatres in droves to see the seasoned actor on the big screen. Love him or hate him, there is something about Cruise that is charming and charismatic. He is known to be a hard worker and those who work with him admire his determination and dedication to the craft.

While Cruise’s personal life has been a topic that tabloids love to delve into, Cruise still manages to keep his cool, for the most part, and lands some of the most coveted roles on film. He is no spring chicken, yet Cruise has no trouble doing his own amazing stunts in action films or playing the leading man role in romantic scenarios.

And with all his hard work comes a nice living — better than nice. Cruise rakes in millions of bucks and the money keeps pouring in year after year. This lucky dude is set for life, and then some. That is why he is a big-time spender, purchasing all sorts of stuff that most of us will never see.

He shamelessly shells out the loot for himself as well as those he cares about — his family, friends, and co-workers. Some may say his spending is over-the-top, but if they had the same kind of money, they may very well do the same.

Here are 15 random things Cruise loves to spend his money on. Wasteful or warranted? You be the judge.

Motorcycle Mania

Tom Cruise likes to cruise — on his motorcycles, that is.

In fact, he purchased his very first one at the tender age of 12.

He saved up in order to make the grand purchase, and ever since, he has been smitten with riding on two wheels. Are you even allowed to ride one of these at just 12 years old? Nevertheless, Cruise got his motorcycle and learned the real value of a hard-earned buck. Now that he’s got millions of them in the bank, it must not be as big of a deal for him to buy a bike, but he surely will not ever forget what it took to buy that very first one. With the need for speed, Cruise is on a wind-whipping mission to hit the open road fast and furious.

Big Spender for Scientology

Unless you live under a rock or you could care less about pop culture, then you know that actor Tom Cruise is deep into the world of Scientology. And not only does he practise what he preaches, but he donates tons of money to the controversial church.

Allegedly, Cruise has already forked over more than $2.5 million, gaining him “Platinum Meritorious” status within the church.

And as long as Cruise keeps making lots of money, all signs point to the notion that he is likely to keep contributing to the cause. When you’ve got so much money, what’s a couple million anyway? Scientology is Cruise’s mission, so the millions are surely worth it. The leaders of the church must appreciate Cruise’s devotion and donations, making him a shining example of what giving back means.

Play That Funky Music

Tom Cruise shelled out big bucks to have the best music pumping during his wedding to Katie Holmes. He hired celeb DJ Mark Ronson to spin records and keep the guests pumped up and on their feet all night long. The then-happy couple danced the night away to upbeat and lively music from the DJ booth. Of course, celeb weddings are usually expensive and lavish affairs, so why should Cruise’s be any different? But rather than saving money where he could, Cruise was all about making sure the music was top-notch.

The guests surely appreciated his attention to detail, and Ronson must have been thrilled to get the exclusive DJ gig.

If only the marriage lasted as long as the memories from what seemed to be a fun soiree.

Mansions For Millions

When you are as rich and famous as actor Tom Cruise is, a good chunk of that money will go toward a huge home. That is why he shelled out $30.5 million for his expansive Beverly Hills mansion. But a couple of years ago, he sold the lavish estate for $40 million!

Making a profit of more than $10 million on the place only made Cruise richer, allowing him to make the cross-country move to Florida — home of the Scientology headquarters.

Naturally, that’s the place that Cruise feels at home. With so much money in his bank account, Cruise could have afforded to keep his place in California and get another mansion in Florida, but perhaps he was over the materialistic Beverly Hills scene. This way, he could donate more of his earnings to the church.

A Soft Spot For Dakota Fanning

When you have worked with actor Tom Cruise, the gifts keep pouring in year after year — at least for actress Dakota Fanning anyhow. She was just 11 when she worked with Cruise, yet every year, he remembers her birthday and sends her a thoughtful gift – usually a nice pair of shoes. It must be nice to be remembered on your special day, especially by a famous fella like Cruise, who surely has other things on his agenda.

A simple Hallmark greeting card would be good enough, but the caring Cruise takes the extra step by going all out and splurging on fabulous female footwear.

Fanning is 24 years old now, so this yearly Cruise surprise seems like the gift that keeps on giving. Let’s hope Cruise gets her the right size though!

Costly Cars

Tom Cruise is the type of guy who goes for the flashier things in life, and part of that plan means riding in style. He has a Porsche 911 which is said to be worth a hefty $200,000. While the rest of the world is driving around in used Toyotas, Cruise hits the open road in a stylish sports car that most will never set foot inside. He must love the speed as well as the fine detail that goes into making such a luxe car. Not to mention, Cruise reportedly also owns a Bugatti Veyron. This ultra-fast car is not something you see every day, but when you're Tom Cruise, owning such a piece of machinery comes with the territory. As long as he buckles up and follows the rules of the road, more power to him.

Happily Ever After, Thanks to Cruise

Lots of people set up wedding gift registries, but they expect their guests to choose just one item from the list to gift them with. But actor Tom Cruise is no regular wedding guest.

When the daughter of his former publicist got married, he went all out and bought her everything she had listed on her registry.

A set of crystal glassware or a set of kitchen knives would do, but Cruise loves to shower people with the best of the best. The happy couple must have been shocked that Cruise was so generous, and every time they use the “good” China, they must think of him. They probably only wish they had added even more items to their wedding registry had they known that Cruise would take care of it all.

Pricey Private Plane

Reportedly, when Tom Cruise was filming the movie Oblivion, he sent for his daughter to come see him in L.A. while she and her mom Katie Homes, were living in New York at the time. Rather than booking her a normal coach seat on a commercial jet or even a first class one,

Cruise went the extra mile with the private jet, costing him $7 million — all so he could be with his daughter on her birthday.

Surely, the little girl would have preferred some fun toys rather than a private jet for travel. She could have bought a home for that kind of cash. Let’s hope the flight was a smooth one with a bag of freshly roasted peanuts included for that wild price. Talk about flying in style.

One Is Clearly Not Enough

During the rehearsals for A Few Good Men, Tom Cruise bought one of his cast mates a super expensive pen. A $500 writing instrument seems absurdly excessive, but Cruise wanted to gift actor Kevin Pollak with the superb pen. Later on, Cruise learned that Pollak thought the pen was so special, that he didn’t even want to use it for writing, so he kept it at home in a safe spot.

Cruise would have none of it and went even further by purchasing another $500 pen for Pollak so he could use one for writing too.

Who knows what made this pricy pen so special, but when you’ve got millions in the bank like Cruise does, a No. 2 pencil seems worthless. Looks like Cruise was Mr. Write in the eyes of Pollak!

Dr. Cruise To The Rescue

Back in 1996, Tom Cruise witnessed an actress get hit by a car in California. He made sure she got immediate help, plus he went to the hospital with her and paid her $7,000 medical bill! Not only is Cruise a great actor, but a good Samaritan as well. If he hadn’t been at the right place at the right time, who knows what may have happened to the actress?

And luckily for her, Cruise was there to shell out thousands to pay her hefty hospital bills.

Surely, he didn’t set out that day to spend that kind of money, but when duty called, Cruise was willing and able to open his wallet for a woman in need. The next time you’re injured, look around to see if Cruise is there. Medical payments don’t come cheap!

Millions On Maximum Security

Celebs and the kids of stars need plenty of protection when they are out in the world. Fans and those looking to cause trouble can get too close to these famous folks, causing anything from paranoia to pandemonium.

So, Cruise protects his precious daughter Suri and his ex-wife Katie Holmes by allegedly shelling out $2 million per year so they can be guarded by personal security.

Whether it's for fending off the relentless paparazzi or keeping fans (or foes) at a decent distance, these guards are there to see to it that Suri and Katie are not messed with. And it is safe to assume that Cruise has his own security team, too. That is certainly a lot to spend on safety, but then again, what could be more important?

Splurges On SoulCycle

Why pay for a run-of-the-mill gym membership when you can spend more and get the ultimate workout during a high-impact SoulCycle class? Tom Cruise used to sweat it out in class with his ex-wife, Katie Holmes, but if the workout works, why break up with that too? SoulCycle is all the rage among those in the Hollywood scene, and Cruise has got to stay in tip-top shape for all those rough and demanding physical roles he takes in his many blockbuster action flicks.

At more than $34 per class, cycling does not come cheap, especially if you go to classes all the time.

But staying fit and looking good is important to an actor like Cruise, so he is willing to spend the wads of dough so he doesn’t get doughy himself.

Courtside Seats

Apparently, Tom Cruise is an L.A. Lakers basketball team fan, so he splurges on coveted courtside seats for himself and his son Connor. The “nosebleed” section is not good enough for the wealthy star, so sitting up-close and personal is the only way to take in the game. And those special seats cost a pretty penny. But the high price is worth it when you are front and centre, seeing the basketball players hustle to shoot hoops. Not to mention, having the best seats in the house for the half-time show must be exhilarating.

Cruise may be far too short to be a player himself, but he is just the right size to sit and watch the game with his son by his side.

A couple of beers and franks make the experience even better.

Colossal Child Support

Although sources claim that Tom Cruise does not see his youngest daughter, Suri much, he always raves about her and how much he adores her.

That is why he must not mind shelling out an alleged $200,000 per year in child support payments.

While that amount may seem astronomical to the everyday person, for Cruise, it's not much when you think of how much money the man makes every year. Let’s hope the rumors that he does not see Suri much are made up, because no amount of money can replace time spent with good old dad. But Katie Holmes must appreciate the generous payout. Then again, if Cruise is willing to plop down an absurd $7 million for a private jet to see his kid, $200,000 is like pennies.

Costly Condo

Along with Tom Cruise's other lavish residences, he also owns a super expensive condo in Manhattan.

Cruise paid $3 million for the amazing NYC place, allowing him to experience the Big Apple from a posh pad.

While Cruise must only visit his costly condo from time to time, he knows whenever he is in town that he has a cushy place to crash. This condo must offer all the finest in amenities, from a round-the-clock doorman to a private entrance to an underground garage. While most New Yorkers live in an apartment the size of a shoe box, Cruise’s sprawling space must have plenty of room for him to spread out and unwind. Hey, if he can make it there, he’ll make it anywhere. But is he any good at hailing a cab?