Celebrities and the notoriously wealthy are not the first people who come to mind when the words “frugal” or “thrifty” are mentioned. If a person is rolling in money, what need have they to clip a few coupons or buy the cheaper brand of ice cream? Many of us might think that those who have the money might as well spend it and enjoy it.
Be sure to check out Ten Things Frugal People Love!
We’ve all heard stories of the rich buying expensive mansions, sports cars, and blowing their money in ridiculous ways. However, you may have heard it before that the best way to stay rich is to not spend money. While not many celebrities or famous wealthy individuals necessarily adhere to a budget or frugal lifestyle, here are a few who do!
Frugal Rich People
Photo courtesy of Twitter
1. Warren Buffet
Warren Buffet easily is the first name people think of when discussing Frugal Rich People. Known as one of the most successful investors of all time, Buffet has more than enough money to spend on anything he wants. According to Forbes, his net worth is $173.9 billion. However, he calls fancy cars and houses “toys,” and claims that they are just a “pain in the neck.” Instead, he is content to live in the house he bought in 1958, which he purchased for only $31,500.
2. Jay Leno
Everyone knows funnyman Jay Leno, former host of The Tonight Show. Since he was young, he’s practiced a saving strategy that he claims has gotten him to where he is today. As a boy, he worked two jobs, saving the money from one, and spending the money from the other. When he began working in television, he lived off the money he made as a stand-up comedian and saved the money he made on The Tonight Show. According to him, he never spent a dime of the TV money.
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3. Tyra Banks
As one woman who has dabbled in many areas of the entertainment industry, it’s safe to say that Tyra Banks has made a comfortable living—roughly $75 million in fact. Although she’s hosted her own talk show and worked as a top Victoria’s Secret model, Banks says she still prefers to ask her accountant if she can afford something before she makes a purchase. According to her, her accountant will usually just laugh in response. Regardless, she enjoys one frugal habit that all of us enjoy: stealing toiletries from hotels in order to use them at home.
4. Ingavar Kamprad
Ingarvar Kamprad, as the founder of IKEA, is one of the richest people in Europe. Yet, you might be surprised to learn that this mogul prefers to fly economy, ride the bus, and eat in the cafeteria when he can. Although he’s worth billions, he still prefers to live in a small, one-story ranch home in Sweden.
5. Sarah Michelle Gellar
You probably recognize her more of her vampire-slaying than her thriftiness, but Sarah Michelle Gellar can hold her own when it comes to saving money. She and her equally-famous husband, Freddie Prinze Jr. bring in more than enough money to keep their family comfortable, but Gellar claims that she always uses coupons when grocery shopping. She claims that it doesn’t make sense to spend more when you can get something for a cheaper price.
6. Mark Zuckerberg
Everyone knows that the founder of Facebook is a billionaire. While Mark Zuckerberg could easily afford to wear whatever he wants, he’s known for dressing in T-shirts, hoodies, and jeans. When asked about his laid back lifestyle, he likes to say that he prefers to keep his life as simple as possible, so that he can better serve the community—presumably the Facebook community.
7. Sarah Jessica Parker
Known for her role as a fashion icon on Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t quite as frivolous as her character, Carrie Bradshaw. In fact, her son only wears hand-me-down clothing from his older cousin. Parker grew up in a family of eight who lived on welfare, so she learned early how to stretch a buck.
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8. Lady Gaga
One of the more surprising frugal celebrities is Lady Gaga. While she might appear extravagant in her concerts with flashy and often unusual costumes, she actually considers herself to be rather economical. She’s been known to look for the sale rack, and complains that people look at her strangely when she uses coupons or tries to bargain.
9. Charlie Ergen
Possibly one of the most frugal business moguls is Charlie Ergen, the chairman of Dish Network. He is worth billions, but lives modestly, and claims that even his office is humbly furnished. He takes a bag lunch to work every day, and has even been known to share hotel rooms with coworkers during conferences and travel. Ergen attributes his thrifty habits to his mother, who grew up in the Depression.
Photo courtesy of KatieCouric.com.
10. Katie Couric
Talk show host, journalist, and anchorwoman Katie Couric is best known for her work on 60 Minutes and The Today Show. With a yearly income of $15 million, she can easily afford pretty much anything she wants, yet, she prefers to save as much money as she possibly can. She finds drug store products to be just as good as their high-end counterparts, and uses them instead. Her former cohost, Matt Laurer has even joked that when Couric opens her wallet, moths fly out.
