Quick Links

Some celebs achieved their celebrity status rather by accident. They didn’t really have any aspirations to become a celebrity. They just kind of fell into it, got a break and things just progressed from there. But for others, being a celeb has always been their ambition. It’s not hard to see why that’s the case. People see the glitz and glamor of living the celeb life, the vast amounts of fame that can be acquired and how that can open doors. It’s no surprise that many celebs have sought these opportunities out.

But there’s another reason why people seek the celebrity lifestyle. It’s about fame but it’s also about fortune. Fame and fortune tend to go hand in hand. Having a swollen bank account is undoubtedly a major perk of being a celeb. A lot of those whose finances have been given an almighty boost due to their celebrity status love to enjoy what they deem to be their newfound financial freedom. But rather than being savvy with their cash, a lot of celebs love flaunting it. We’re constantly hearing about the ridiculous purchases of celebs – the fancy cars, private jets, massive mansions, etc. It’s one way celebs love flaunting their wealth.

Kids are impressionable, and often copy their parents. If someone shows an utter disregard for money, their kids are likely to follow suit. Many would agree that it’s not a great parenting style, that those kids are going to grow up rich, spoiled, bratty and thinking they’re entitled to everything. Some celebs have realized this and have gone to the other extreme. Rather than raising their kids as rich kids, they’ve gone to the other extreme and have chosen to raise their kids like they’re poor, the hope being that they learn about the importance of money and instil what they deem to be good values in their kids.

MARK ZUCKERBERG DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MONEY

What Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has achieved has been truly staggering. The 33-year-old is currently going down a pretty dark path due to the privacy scandal that has rocked Facebook in recent weeks. But Facebook’s co-founder is still swimming in riches. That might be the case, but Mark just doesn’t care. He’s not a guy who’s all about money. Mark’s more preoccupied with making a difference in people’s lives. He lives like he’s poor and is bringing his two kids up the same way. He drives a pretty low-key car, always wears the same attire, and takes a salary of $1. There’s not much you can do with a dollar! He raises his kids in pretty much the same way. They’re not going to get a dime of his wealth either when they grow up. They’ve got to make it on their own.

JACKIE CHAN’S KIDS DON’T SHARE HIS LIMELIGHT

Jackie Chan is without doubt one of the most famous actors in the world. He’s a natural at doing action comedy and has made that genre his own over the decades. While he was making millions in the U.S. he was going at it alone. He wasn’t someone who paraded his family about going to fancy occasions, red carpet events and whatnot. Jackie prefers that his family, wife and kids, keep a low profile. For a large part of his career, they stayed in Hong Kong. They didn’t enjoy the perks their dad was getting in America. They weren’t brought up like kids of a superstar actor. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why Jackie’s had a strained relationship with both of his kids. He’s someone who employs the tough love tactic. He didn’t even help his son when he was going through legal troubles. Jackie didn’t share his wealth with his kids when they were growing up, and he’s not going to do so in the future. He’s famously said in regards to his son: "If he is capable, he can make his own money. If he is not, then he will just be wasting my money.”

TORI SPELLING IS STRUGGLING BEING A SINGLE MOM

44-year-old Tori Spelling has spent the majority of her life in the limelight. Due to her family name, Tori had no trouble getting into the industry. That’s something that has resulted in plenty of criticism being heaped upon her. A lot of people in the industry think she hasn’t paid her dues. Some people think Tori’s had everything handed to her on a plate, including her wealth. She inherited a vast sum of cash from her folks, but that hasn’t gone far enough. Most people, with that sort of money, would have been set financially. But Tori very nearly ended up broke. She had to change her spending habits, change her lifestyle, and had no other option but to raise her five kids like they’re poor. In an episode of True Tori, she revealed she didn’t want to change her lifestyle. But she had to, as it was forced upon her.

MILA KUNIS AND ASHTON KUTCHER TELL THEIR KIDS THEY’RE A POOR FAMILY

While celebrity couples tend to be getting divorced left right and center, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher seem to be in it for the long run. They seem to be one celebrity couple who have everything in order, whose lives are all sunshine and roses. They have a stable family life and that includes their two kids. Their kids are young with the oldest being three years old. But they’re still impressionable, as that’s the age when they start copying their parents. The duo made a conscious decision when they became parents that they were going to live frugal lifestyles and bring the kids up like they were poor: “It’s a matter of teaching them from a very early age that, you know, mommy and daddy may have a dollar, may have a bank account, but you're poor.” The couple lived pretty moderate lifestyles before kids came into the picture. Nothing’s been handed to them and they appreciate every bit of cash they get. They want their kids to have that same mindset.

MICK JAGGER’S KIDS HAVE LEARNED THE MEANING OF HARD GRAFT

Mick Jagger is reportedly worth hundreds of millions. The guy who’s one of the lead members for the Rolling Stones is swimming in money. He exudes luxury and has certainly lived a luxurious lifestyle over the years. But his kids only got a taste of that life now and again. He’s always wanted his kids to make it on their own, not use their surname as any form of entitlement to the high life. Mick’s kids, for the majority of their childhood, lived moderate lifestyles. Some still do. His daughter Jade for example, despite being successful in her own right, is living in an apartment block meant for social housing. That’s the way they were brought up and they must have gotten used to that lifestyle. The kids won’t get any of daddy’s cash when he’s gone either. He’s made a big point of announcing that he’s not going to leave them anything at all. The only thing they’ve inherited from him is his surname and the family’s flamboyant genes.

DAVE GROHL DISLIKES SPENDING MONEY

Dave Grohl is known for being the lead drummer for the band Nirvana and the founder of the Foo Fighters. Touring the world and acquiring a massive fanbase has resulted in Dave netting hundreds of millions of dollars. You’d think that Dave being in the industry he’s in would result in him succumbing to that type of lifestyle. Most famous, successful musicians do at one point or another and just end up self-destructing. Dave has always been wary about going down that path, especially due to the money side of things. He’s probably even more wary now that he’s got three daughters to support. He doesn’t spend lavishly on himself or his family. In fact, he only spends on essentials, because he’s scared it’ll all be over one day and he won’t have anything to fall back on. He’s actually scared of spending money and doesn’t like living off a large amount of dough. So, his kids will have to grow up without experiencing the perks of having millions in the bank account.

KRISTEN BELL HAS ALWAYS BEEN FRUGAL

Being the big spender and blowing a load of cash just isn’t in Kristen Bell’s nature. Kristen’s always been very careful about her finances. She wants her kids to appreciate the value of a dollar too. Even though her household must be doing pretty well financially, with hers and her husband Dax Shepard’s income, she lives a frugal lifestyle, and that goes for her kids too. The couple’s wedding cost them a grand total of $150. They love couponing and saving as much cash as possible when buying groceries. It’s fair to assume that a lot of celebs who have the same status don’t even do their own grocery shopping, and employ people to do it for them! That would be a big no no for Kristen. She loves watching the dollars, and her kids are expected to toe the line too.

ZOOEY DESCHANEL GREW UP IN A HOLLYWOOD HOUSEHOLD

Zooey Deschanel grew up in tinsel town. Both of her parents were in the industry, and so it was inevitable that Zooey and his sister would follow suit. Being in that sort of environment, it’s a miracle that Zooey turned out the way she did. A lot of people who grew up in a Hollywood household aren’t as down to earth and don’t live moderate lifestyles to the extent that Zooey does. A lot of them are wild, grew up as spoiled brats, and think they’re entitled to everything. Somehow Zooey didn’t go down that path and doesn’t want her kids to go down that path either. Apparently, she only spends around $1000 a month. Being the celebrity figure she is and having two kids to look after, that’s a seriously low amount of cash. She gives most of her money away to charity, and so her and her kids just make do with living a moderate lifestyle.

SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR DOESN’T LIKE THE LIMELIGHT

Sarah Michelle Gellar is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the acting profession. She’s starred in a number of hit movies and TV series and has played some iconic roles. She’s also been around for quite a long time – since 1981, in fact. But seeing how she lives her life, you wouldn’t think that she’s the superstar actress that she is. Sarah isn’t preoccupied with all the glitz and glam that comes with being an A-lister in tinsel town. She likes to remain in the shadows and live her life in a rather inconspicuous fashion. She does this along with her hubby Freddie Prinze Jr. and their two kids. Perhaps that’s why they’ve enjoyed such a long and happy marriage. It’s all about stability for the family. That’s the case when it comes to their finances too. They don’t make big purchases and don’t raise their kids like they’re celebrity children. Their kids are probably all the better for it.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD IS ONE WEALTHY COUNTRY MUSIC STAR

For anyone who’s thinking that country music doesn’t pay, you need to take a peek at Carrie Underwood’s finances. A lot of people think that it’s the pop stars and the rappers who earn the most cheddar. That’s not necessarily true. They may be the ones that flaunt it the most. But country music pays well, especially if you’re as good as Carrie Underwood. But looking at the way Carrie lives her life, you wouldn’t know it. You’d just think that she’s an average Jill, living a relatively normal life. Some may even say that she lives like she’s got no money. She’s brought her kids up in the same manner too. She’s a coupon enthusiast, buys easy cooking kits, and shops at regular stores. When it comes to the way she raises her kids, Carrie’s gotten real about things. She doesn’t try to create any false impressions regarding her home life. We’ve seen pictures of her home, and it’s not the biggest. Her kids are seriously messy and she lets them be like that. She lives what she deems to be a normal life, raises her kids like any mom would, and is happy showing off that aspect of her life. “I love that my life isn’t so glamorous,” Carrie said. She doesn’t want her kids to grow in that glamorous lifestyle either.

MARISKA HARGITAY HAS USED HER TV EXPERIENCES IN HER HOME LIFE

Mariska Hargitay is a name that’s synonymous with the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She’s been a lead character of the show since 1999 and is still going strong. She’s had difficulties, but by and large, Mariska’s enjoyed a pretty stable life, career-wise and in her home life. She’s been married since 2004 and has three kids. Mariska earns about $500K per episode of Law and Order. Due to her longevity in the role, she’s therefore got plenty of dough. But she’s extremely careful when it comes to money, for herself and her kids. Using her experience as a cop on the show, she knows that crazy things can happen in life, unexpected things. So, it’s good to remain on an even keel. She can go into cop mode when she’s at home, takes charge, remains calm, and does things her way. Mariska always worries about money. She’s worried about it for years. That means she doesn’t splash out, even when it comes to things for her kids: “I have a nest egg, and I don't buy above my means." She wants her kids to learn about the importance of money, grow up living the same way.

TOBEY MAGUIRE THINKS MATERIAL POSSESSIONS ARE MEANINGLESS

Although it’s a bit of a stereotype, Tobey Maguire just doesn’t resemble your average Hollywood superstar. His Spiderman films are amongst the highest grossing blockbusters of all time, yet looking at Tobey and his attitude when it comes to money, you wouldn’t expect it.

Tobey recently split from his wife of nine years, Jennifer Meyer. Apparently, they just had totally different personalities. They’re still civil to each other for the sake of their two kids. Perhaps one way they’re so different is their approach to the money side of things. Tobey thinks that just spending time with his kids is good enough and is the best thing for them. He doesn’t splash out, even on his kids. He hates material possessions and has no interest in living or seeing his kids grow up to enjoy an ostentatious lifestyle. Tobey would rather they didn’t have any money.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY FIGHTS FOR HER FAMILY TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE

British beauty Keira Knightly has received a ton of accolades over the years. Judging by all she’s done, everything she’s achieved, it seems inconceivable that Keira in her early thirties. She’s regarded to be one of the most beautiful, glamorous women on the planet. Due to her personality, her demeanor and the way she conducts herself, Keira gives off the impression that she loves living the high life. But that’s far from the case. Keira’s been very frank about how she keeps her costs down. In London she lives in a pretty modest apartment, even though she’s got a kid. Over the years the media have gotten their hands-on pictures of her apartment – it barely seems like there’s enough room for her little one to run around in! But Keira didn’t want to raise her daughter in a mansion. She’s chosen to raise her child on a modest income. One reason for that is that she doesn’t want her daughter to feel alienated growing up. She wants her daughter to make friends and grow up with people from different walks of life, and feels being flashy means that won’t be possible and will alienate her from her peers.

ALL DAVINA MCCALL THINKS HER KIDS NEED IS A CUDDLE

Davina McCall is a pretty big deal in the UK. The 50-year-old TV presenter and model is a fixture on British TV and has been for the last couple of decades. She’s one of the nation’s most favorite presenters, and is continuing to impress onscreen, even though she’s hit the 50 mark.

Davina had a difficult 2017. She split from her husband of 17 years. For the sake of their three kids, they’ve remained strong. In that scenario, a lot of parents would throw money at their kids, try to make them happy and take their minds off their parents splitting up. Davina isn’t that type of woman. She’s never been like that when it comes to her kids. Her priority has always been to save. She had a tough childhood and early start to her career in the limelight. Davina therefore wants her kids to learn about the importance of money and of saving. She doesn’t splurge on them now and won’t do in the future. She does plan to spend lavishly on herself at some point, though, because she’s said she’s not leaving her kids any cash in inheritance and is going to spend it all. Her kids don’t need money, all they need is a cuddle from mommy. That’s what she wanted growing up and Davina believes her kids feel the same.

GORDON RAMSAY PULLS NO PUNCHES

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay is known for his outspoken nature. He’s fiery in the kitchen and doesn’t mince his words. What he says goes, and so when he decided to raise his kids in a certain way, nobody really had a say on the matter.

Gordon had an abusive dad growing up. He’s made a conscious decision not to be like his dad. We’ve seen him and his four kids on TV. He’s a kind, loving father. It’s reflected in his attitude and the way he behaves with them. He doesn’t just throw money at them in order to put smiles on their faces. Money doesn’t excite him, and he wants his kids to feel the same way: “I’ve never been really turned on about the money. That’s not my number one objective, and that’s reflected in the way the kids are brought up.” They don’t get to eat at his Michelin star restaurant. When they go on holidays, he and his wife sit in first class. The kids get to enjoy the delights of economy. The kids have to earn their own money, pay for everything themselves. They do this by helping out and doing charity work.

BILL GATES THE BUSINESS MAGNATE IS TIGHT WITH HIS CASH

Bill Gates, the founder of the Microsoft Corporation, was once the wealthiest man in the world. He’s still got a ridiculous amount of money but has been knocked off that top spot after giving away vast sums of his fortune to charitable causes. That’s what Bill Gates is all about today – he’s all about charity, trying to do good in the world. He may be helping millions around the globe, but his kids certainly don’t get any charity. He and his wife of 24 years have raised their three kids in such a way so that they enjoy as normal lives as possible. Bill doesn’t want them to be billionaire children. He enforces strict parenting rules in an effort to give them as normal an upbringing as possible. Some would actually say he raises them like they’re poor. For example, in today’s day and age, everyone has a cellphone. The Gate’s kids had to wait until they were 13 to get their first. They have to do household chores for a small amount of pocket money and won’t be inheriting any of his billions when he’s gone.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER IS UNLIKE THE WOMAN YOU SEE ON SCREEN

Sarah Jessica Parker has been at the top of her game for a number of years. She’s someone who just exudes class, style and sophistication. It’s amazing that she’s 53 and is still going strong in the business. Part of that has got to be her stable home life. She’s been hitched to Matthew Broderick since 1994, they have three kids together, and everything seems to be great. Sarah also knows what she wants and always knew how she was going to approach motherhood. She hasn’t shied away from telling people that she finds it seriously tough. It would be tempting for a woman in her position to just throw a lot of money at her kids, get all sorts of help and just spend on things to keep them occupied. Sarah’s not about that. Some would say she’s actually gone the other way and raises her kids like they’re poor. She’s regarded to be a fashionista, but that’s not evident at home. Apparently, she’s only bought a few items of clothing for her son over the years. That’s because pretty much everything he wears are hand-me-downs. He has nephews and uncles, and all their clothes were kept and passed down to James.

JULIA ROBERTS IS FULL OF SURPRISES

50-year-old Julia Roberts is one of the most popular and most loved actresses in the business. She’s been around in tinsel town since the late 80s and has since acquired a massive fan following. People love her because she’s beautiful, because of her bubbly nature, laid back demeanor. Despite the glitz and glam, she’s relatable, and people love her for that. The glitz and the glam is just something she feels she has to do for certain events. Julia certainly isn’t like that in real life and doesn’t raise her kids in that type of lifestyle either. Her three kids haven’t enjoyed a life of luxury. They’ve been brought up on the family ranch in New Mexico. They eat what they grow and what they have available. When it comes to clothes, they get to enjoy momma’s knitted outfits. Julia’s grown up with a certain mindset and is passing this onto her kids.

HALLE BERRY WANTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE

A lot of celebrities choose to raise their kids like they’re poor because of the way they were brought up. They’ve drawn upon their own past experiences, still have certain moments fresh in their minds, and it’s altered their mindsets when they’ve become parents and are raising kids of their own. Halle Berry had it tough as a kid. Her parents were in an abusive relationship and they were quite a poor family. Halle struggled too when she initially got in the industry. It means she’s very careful when it comes to money and wants her two kids to be brought up with the same mindset. Just because they’re kids of a massive celebrity, they don’t get any special treatment. She’s been spotted shopping at places like budget stores with her kids and takes them to places on public transport. Halle just sees all of this as normal parenting. The hope is that her kids find it normal too.

BABY YORK BANKS IS ALREADY GETTING LIFE LESSONS

Look at Tyra Banks and you’d say that she’s one person who certainly lives a life of luxury. Surely that’s just part and parcel of life as a supermodel. But nope, despite all the highs, Tyra’s remained pretty level-headed and is very careful when it comes to money. She’s a Harvard Business School grad, so knows how to make her money work for her. She doesn’t do this by spending. The only thing she loves spending her cash on is food. She doesn’t spend crazy amounts of her fortune on anything or anyone else, including her son York Banks. He’s only two years old but is already getting life lessons. Tyra’s certainly frugal and is bringing up her son with the same mindset. When he starts talking, knows what his mom’s about and gets inquisitive, he might have something to say about that!