12 Celebs Who We Know Are "New Money" Rich
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One of the reasons that people are so obsessed with celebrities is because lots of money usually comes with fame. Celebs have the ability to purchase the most expensive cars in the world, live in beautiful mansions and travel to some of the world’s most exotic locations. After all, that’s why some celebrities work so hard. They want to be able to enjoy all the luxuries they never got to experience as a child.
However, when a famous person starts spending insane amounts of money on ridiculous things, they’re making it plain to the world that they are “new money” rich. These are often the celebrities who end up broke just a short time after stepping into the spotlight. Sometimes it takes bankruptcy, public embarrassment and a visit from the repo man for some celebrities to realize that they should be more careful with their money. Of course, if you came into millions of dollars, you’d want to splurge at least a little. However, it’s best not to get too out of hand if the money is going to last for more than a year or two. Here are 12 celebrities who we can clearly see are “new money” rich.
12. Arian Foster
Football cutie Arian Foster signed a contract worth $43.5 million in 2012. He was just a rookie, and generating lots of buzz, both for his athletic skills and the chip on his shoulder. After he signed his contract, he bought gifts for all the offensive linemen on his team. He decided that Segways were the perfect present, even though most of the gift recipients were at least 30 pounds too “heavy” to enjoy the Segways. Foster clearly got caught up in the fact that he had lots of money, and wanted to show that off (to other rich athletes) without thinking things through.
11. Tiger Woods
Some would argue that the dumbest thing Tiger Woods ever did was cheat on his wife (and mother of his children) Elin, and publicly humiliate her—and himself. However, he didn’t make many wise choices when he first starting making serious money, either. It’s not a secret that golf isn’t exactly a “sexy” sport. So, maybe Woods wanted people to know that he was a “baller,” and that was the reason behind his $40 million property purchase. The property was promptly torn down, which means Woods wasted a ton of money. He added a golf course to the property, along with two boat docks, to further prove that he has money. When you put all the pieces together, it’s easy to see that Tiger Woods is hungry for attention. If he continues his ridiculous spending habits, he’ll be yearning for money as well.
10. Gilbert Arenas
Basketball player Gilbert Arenas has gone to great lengths to let everyone around him know that he’s well off. He’s no longer playing for the NBA, but is now part of the Chinese Basketball Association. So clearly, he has to prove that he’s still got “it.” And by “it” we mean toy train sets that cost five figures and elaborate landscaping. Arenas has also been known to spend hundreds of dollars every week on groceries, which is highly unnecessary if you just take the time to put a shopping list together. Also, he installed a shark tank into his home. The cost of feeding the sharks on a monthly basis is more than most people’s salaries. After he installed the tank, he went on to play for the Shanghai Sharks. Ironic, indeed.
9. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is part of the Coppola family, so you’d think he wouldn’t behave as though he’s never seen money before. Even though his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, made him earn his movie roles when he was just starting out, this wasn’t enough to humble Cage into making wise financial decisions. One of his eccentric choices includes a tomb shaped like a pyramid, since Nicolas wants to be buried like an Egyptian king when he passes away. Nicolas also owns two islands, and keeps an octopus as a pet. These things are proof that Cage has always been a little “different,” and was just waiting for the chance to earn money to spend on interesting things.
8. Alfonso Soriano
It’s pretty standard for athletes to want to purchase a fancy car to show off to their family and friends. The car also serves as the realization of a childhood dream for a guy who has always admired cars. However, some expensive car purchases are just ridiculous, and former baseball player Alfonso Soriano has proven this point. In 2005, he bought a Hummer H2, which cost him about $50,000. While that’s pretty pricey, Soriano then proceeded to spend $100,000 to customize the car. Also, the upgrades were ridiculous. He had a wall of speakers installed on the back of the car, which meant he couldn’t see through the back mirror. Clearly, Alfonso could have used some sound financial advice from one of his friends, before they got too busy laughing at him for making poor Hummer-related choices.
7. Bono
The U2 frontman is known for his humanitarian work, and for spreading messages of love and equality on and off the stage. So, it was quite surprising when the singer paid for a first-class plane ticket—for his hat! This definitely falls in the category of “things people do just because they have insane amounts of money.” He arrived in Italy for a concert and realized that he’d left his favorite hat at home. So, he paid to have it flown to him. The plane ticket cost about $1,600, and the trip included a cab ride and chauffeur who brought the hat to Bono. Seems like it would have been easier to just buy a new hat. Obviously, when you’ve got thousands at your disposal, the rules are different.
6. Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson, who was formerly known in the NFL as Ochocinco, is now on the roster for the Montreal Alouettes (of the Canadian Football League). When he was pretty popular in the NFL, Johnson bought what he referred to as a “super truck.” The vehicle actually looks kind of weird, and the price for this truck can range from $90,000 to $115,000. Clearly, he spent a ridiculous amount of money just to be “different.” Chad, who is pretty deep in child support and was once married to former Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada, also decided to customize his truck. He probably should have opted to sell the vehicle, since he only gets 7 miles per gallon of gas.
5. Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson is known for lots of things outside of the boxing ring. Unfortunately, spending his money unwisely is one of those things. Remember when Tyson purchased white tigers to keep as pets? He spent more than $100,000 on the three animals, and had to spend tens of thousands of dollars to care for the tigers each year. He also purchased a bathtub that cost $2 million dollars for his first wife. While it’s a nice gesture, we’re pretty sure you can get just as clean in a bathtub that is reasonably priced. These days, Tyson seems to be smarter with his money after going through bankruptcy.
4. Eddy Curry
Basketball player Eddy Curry has got a pretty interesting view on the value of $1,000 per month. That’s how much he spends on his cable and satellite service. But, why? Couldn’t that money be better spent paying essential household bills or purchasing groceries for the family? Also, what type of cable service does he have? Why is it so expensive? Do the channels have some special features that we don’t know about? Or, does Curry spend this amount in television and movie service each month just so he can brag about the fact that he can afford it? We’re not sure, but if you’re going to spend money so carelessly, at least spring for something more fun than cable and satellite.
3. Beyonce
Multi-millionaire, savvy businesswoman and outstanding singer and performer Beyonce works hard. So hard, in fact, that she should pretty much be allowed to buy whatever she wants, regardless of the cost. However, there are a few things that make us just a little skeptical. For the BET Awards in 2007, Beyonce purchased a pair of Balenciaga leggings for a whopping $100,000. Whoa. The leggings were gold, sparkling and very eye-catching, but the price is rather extreme. Perhaps Beyonce, who grew up in an upper middle class family in Texas, just wanted to see what it would be like to pay an insane amount of money for a great performance outfit. Apparently, she likes the feeling, because we’re pretty sure her “show clothes” aren’t exactly cheap.
2. Kim Basinger
Actress and ex-wife of Alec Baldwin is a native of Georgia. Perhaps that’s why she was moved to purchase the town of Braselton in her home state. Yes, you read that right. She bought the town! Well, most of it. At the time, Braselton had a population of about 500 people. Kim Basinger made the purchase with a group of investors, and the venture cost about $20 million. The plan was to turn Braselton into a tourist attraction, so that tourists could take in its Southern charm. The purchase was made in the late 1980s, and when Kim Basinger was met with some financial troubles a few years later, she was forced to sell her share of the city purchase.
1. Bryant McKinnie
Former offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie had a serious need to be seen while he was playing in the NFL. It’s pretty common knowledge that athletes love a good party, and during an NBA All-Star Kickoff Party, McKinnie decided that he needed to show everyone in the club just how rich he was. Bryant started ordering champagne for everyone around him, and people started to stare as bottles kept coming in his direction. There were some bottles that were so large that most people in the club were pretty impressed, at least for a few seconds. However, when McKinnie got the bill for over $10,000, we’re guessing that he regretted his outlandish display at the club. After all, he could have purchased a nice car or two with that money.
sources: businessinsider.com, thesportster.com
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