Fame and fortune doesn’t necessarily always turn celebrities into financial fools. While frugality may not be the biggest Hollywood trend, there are a few celebrities who can pinch a penny with the best of us — and we’re not just talking about getting snapped by the paparazzi stocking up on party munchies at Costco every once in a while.
Eva Longoria
The Frugal Facts: Her wedding in 2007 reportedly cost $1.5 million, but this ‘Desperate Housewives’ star still scored a lot of freebies to give to her 200 guests: Van Cleef & Arpel 18K yellow gold charm bracelets, and L’Oreal, Cole Haan, and Bebe products were a few. She says the frugal gene runs in her family, explaining that her dad would take her and her three siblings camping with no food. “He would tell us that we could live off the land. I can skin a deer, a pig, a snake … ”
Tyra Banks
The Frugal Facts: Despite a fortune estimated at $75 million, this 34-year-old is an avowed penny pincher. “I am frugal,” she said in a June 1 ‘New York Times Magazine’ profile. “I’ve always been this way. When I was young, my mom would give me my allowance, and I’d peel off a little each week and have some to spare. ” Banks’s culinary tastes runs toward Cheesecake Factory, and is known to stock up on hotel soap.
Sarah Jessica Parker
The Frugal Facts: Contrary to Parker’s character in ‘Sex and the City,’ the 43-year-old isn’t such a slave to fashion. In fact, she used to get sick from buyer’s remorse and return items the next day. Explaining that her family went through a time when they were on welfare, Parker says of her son, “Just because mommy and daddy are rich and famous, that doesn’t mean he should ride the gravy train through life … I want [James] to be normal.”
Mick Jagger
The Frugal Facts: Jagger reportedly pulled out of buying a painting by bandmate Ron Wood because the $140,000 price tag “scared him off.” His ex-wife, model Jerry Hall, complained, “He always wanted me to pay for everything to do with the house and the children. He’s generous with gifts and presents, but yeah, he’s pretty tight with the day-to-day stuff.” He explains that he was taught as a child to be frugal: “We don’t like to throw computers away as soon as they don’t work — apart from out of the window in frustration. We like cars to be repaired instead of junked.”
Paul McCartney
The Frugal Facts: Paul McCartney is worth more than $1 billion, but he’s not likely to advertise it. At a birthday party for his ex-wife, he made the guests pay for their drinks. Even his fashion designer daughter, Stella, reportedly called him “a tight bastard” for sending her and her three siblings to local state schools rather than posh private ones. Nor is he resting on his investments.
Tobey Maguire
The Frugal Facts: Even after his price jumped up to $26 million a picture thanks to three ‘Spider Man’ mega-hits, Maguire is usually snapped wearing lived-in t-shirts and jeans. “You know those Lotto winners, who win big and blow through all that money? That would never happen to me,” says Maguire, who credits his poverty-stricken childhood as the impetus for his quest for financial security. “I just never wanted to put myself in the position where my spending was so huge that I had to keep making movie after movie.”
Halle Berry
The Frugal Facts: Halle Berry can make a fashion designer millions simply by wearing a gown on a red carpet. After all, she’s one of the world’s most photographed women. Still, this fashion icon would sooner hit the sales racks than fly to Paris for a couture fitting. Berry, whose mom struggled to raise her and her older sister after their father walked out when she was four, is an unabashed saver. “I am pretty frugal,” say the twice-divorced Oscar winner and new mom. “I save a lot because I’m always worried about when this trip is going to stop. So I’m saving for that day so I can have a life that is secure and comfortable.”
Jay Leno
The Frugal Facts: Despite his huge fortune, the only flashy thing about Leno is his collection of cars and motorcycles. “When I was a kid … I had one job which the money went in the bank and the other job that I lived off of,” he said in 2004. “I still do that to this day. I have yet to touch a dime of my Tonight Show salary. I live off the money I make as a comedian … Maybe it comes from having parents who grew up during the Depression.” Yet, While Conan O’Brien offered to cover the salaries of pink-slipped staffers during the writers’ strike, Leno only did so after being shamed by all the bad press.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
The Frugal Facts: Growing up, money was tight at Sarah Michelle Gellar’s house, especially when her dad walked out she was just six. Now after soap opera and movie fame, the New York native remains careful about her money. “I take my reusable bag to Whole Foods so I get a discount,” Sarah told Self magazine in 2007. “I go to Bloomingdale’s on double reward days. And I always print my dry cleaning coupons before I go. The main thing I want to do is make sure that I can take care of myself and my mother,” she said in 2000.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The Frugal Facts: Other than shelling out $2.5 million for an island near Belize in 2005, the environmental activist tends to live on the cheap. “I don’t pay lavish expenses,” he has said. “I don’t fly private jets. I still have only one car, and that’s a Toyota Prius. I don’t spend money on a lot. Money is very important to me because it allows me the freedom to choose what I want to do as an actor and most importantly because I want to accumulate enough so that one day I can do something really great and beneficial for other people, for the environment or for children.”
Heather Mills walked the red carpet at the 2008 Miss USA Pageant — the crowd booed her. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough — her boobs were crooked!
The former model’s overzealous attempt to lift and separate turned heads for all the wrong reasons over the weekend.
But the night went from bad to worse for the 39-year-old, was later booed and jeered as she was introduced on the judging panel.
Heather has previously claimed that public opinion of her in the US was “99 per cent positive,” and was left visibly upset when part of the audience at the Planet Hollywood hotel began to heckle as she took to the stage with hosts Donny and Marie Osmond.
The bad news for us? It looks like the rumors are true and Heather plans to move to the United States.
“In England, people don’t like me. But I’m going to move to America, Los Angeles hopefully. I love England but everything that has happened makes me realize I’ll be better off in the States.”
Her appearance at the beauty pageant came just days after she launched an astonishing tirade against Sir Paul McCartney and “his three girlfriends” on GMTV, saying: “I wish all the girls the best of luck. Better them than me.”
I fear for this woman’s life.
source: Heather Mills’ wonky cleavage scores low marks as she’s booed at Miss USA pageant [daily mail]
Paddling in the azure waters of the Caribbean with a stunning new girlfriend at his side, these are the pictures which show Paul McCartney is well and truly over Heather Mills.
Sir Paul jetted off on a romantic break with wealthy American socialite Nancy Shevell just seven days after his divorce from Heather was finalized.
Shevell is a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, to which she was appointed in 2001 by then-governor George Pataki. She is also a vice president of her family’s business, New England Motor Freight, based in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
This post is dedicated to the sheer pleasure of annoying Heather.
source: A stroll in the surf: The beach beauty who’s bringing Sir Paul back to happiness [daily mail]
The details of the Heather Mills and Paul McCartney’s divorce trial are spilling into the media with fervor. After the dirty pirate hooker’s gold-digging entrepreneur paid off yesterday, the High Court judge was not shy in his feelings towards Mills. While Judge Bennett made his ruling, he was steadfast in his opinion that Heather and her claim “is and was unreasonable, indeed exorbitant,’ He also called her evidence “not just inconsistent and inaccurate but also less than candid. Overall she was a less than impressive witness.”
To add to her already unlikable and immature character, Heather dumped water over Paul McCartney’s lawyer. Fiona Shackleton saved the former Beatle millions and made a strong case against Mills. In retaliation to Fiona’s defense strategy Heather dumped water over her head in some sort of in-court baptism/revenge. Unless Shackleton is made out of sugar this proved nothing but the fact that Mills is a complete moron and lacks the courage to be the better person. (Now that you have your scratch, please buy some dignity and someone to do your thinking for you. )
England may get a much needed/wanted break from Heather. She has hired Gloria Allred to represent her in America. In what is a hypocritical move for Mills, she plans to utilize the service of the well known legal pariah and cross the pond.
“With at least $33 million burning a hole in her pocket, Heather Mills has hired Gloria Allred to be her advocate in the United States. Gloria, who says she’s honored to represent Heather, tells PageSix.com, “Heather was delighted with the outcome today. It was about justice. Heather was a winner before she met Paul, and she will continue to be a winner. I admire Heather for her charity work.”
Sweet mother of all that is sacred in this world! Keep her over there. We don’t want her! Although if the U.N is willing to barter…if they take Mariah Carey, Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton….we’ll take Mills.
Source: Heather Mills throws water over Paul McCartney lawyer over £24.3m divorce [Times Online UK]
I would be to if my gold digging investment just paid off. Mills was awarded almost $50 million in her divorce settlement with Paul McCartney.
The trial has been a drawn out process spanning over every dramatically point including phantom limb issues. After the court made is decision Mills happily told reporters that she was giddy.
“I am so glad it’s over. It was an incredible result in the end to secure my and my daughter’s future. And that of all the charities I plan on helping and making a difference with.”
The two share a daughter, Beatrice, who will be taken care of by Mills. She is pissed that her daughter only gets $70,000 a year and says the income is meager and lower class.
“Beatrice only gets $70,000 a year so she is obviously meant to travel B class while her father travels A class. But obviously I will pay for that.”
Yeah, I am sure Bea will be going to school wearing dirty old pillow cases on that. Because the rest of us all crawl around like vermin on a $70k a year income. Now that you have further insulted everyone, why don’t you go take your millions and buy a new peg-leg you dirty pirate hooker. Money can’t buy class. Just an FYI.
Source: Heather Mills Gets $50 Million From Sir Paul McCartney [Bump Shack]
Heather Mills, who is yet to be divorced from Paul McCartney has decided to sue her former attorneys, to whom she currently owes almost $3 million, for giving her “bad advice“. What a crock!
Mills owes almost 20 months of unpaid legal bills to her divorce lawyers Mischon de Reya, one of Britain’s top and most well-known divorce firms.
The latest legal action comes as Ms Mills prepares to go face-to-face with her estranged husband Sir Paul McCartney for a dramatic five-day divorce hearing that will decide how much she receives from his estimated £825 million fortune.
Ms Mills, 40, will represent herself at the High Court hearing, which begins on Monday, having split from her divorce lawyers Mishcon de Reya. Insolvency lawyers at Mishcons are now pursuing Ms Mills for almost 20 months of unpaid bills and are expected to launch a legal action in the next two weeks.
A source close to Ms Mills told the Evening Standard: “There is a possibility of Heather Mills counter-suing. Whatever she owes Mishcons - whether it’s £1 million or £2 million - one would have expected her to get something for it and one fails to see what they [Mishcons] got her. There has been no divorce settlement and no outcome over all this time so draw your own conclusion as to the service she received from Mishcons.”
The accusations baffled lawyers at Mishcons, one of Britain’s top divorce firms, which found itself frustrated in trying to reach a settlement in a divorce case which grew increasingly acrimonious.
Sources said the firm will defend the advice it gave Ms Mills and suggested lawyers were frustrated that she often refused to take the legal advice given.
I believe it was her law firm, who suggested that Heather not make an ass out of herself on the string of talk shows not too long ago. Good sound advice if you ask me!
Paul has already offered Mills $22 million for their 4 year marriage, but she’s not content with that amount.
Mills is asking for about $75 million, ownership of several properties throughout Britain, and fighting against a confidentiality clause. Obviously, Heather wants a book deal.
source: Heather to sue divorce lawyers as they pursue her for £2m unpaid fees [this is london]
Sir Paul McCartney has undergone heart surgery, it has been revealed.
The 65-year-old musician has been mired in a bitter divorce battle with Heather Mills for the past 18 months.
He complained of feeling unwell in the autumn after a series of stressful rows with Ms Mills, 39, over arrangements for their four-year-old daughter Beatrice and the former model’s public tirades against him.
Sir Paul had a coronary angioplasty - a procedure that helps unclog arteries - after seeing a Harley Street specialist at the London Clinic, according to reports.
The former Beatle recovered from the surgery quickly because he took regular exercise and had a trim physique, a friend said, adding: “He has always been in exceptional health, which is remarkable when you think of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle he once had.”
Sir Paul was well enough to perform a duet with Kylie Minogue in front of millions of viewers at New Year. The pair sang his hit Dance Tonight during Jools Holland’s New Year special on BBC2.
What others said:
Dlisted says, “I’m surprised Heather didn’t burst into the operating room to steal his nuts.”
TMZ says, “It can’t help to be stuck in an ugly divorce battle.”
Looking sultry in a gold sequinned dress with the caption, Heather Mills has chosen a high-profile bill board campaign to announce her newly single status after splitting from Sir Paul McCartney.
From tomorrow she will feature in a series of ads which will have drivers literally stopping in their tracks.
In one of the posters for animal welfare charity Viva! A glowing Miss Mills in a figure-skimming dress lies on scorched earth to highlight how the meat and dairy industry is contributing to the greenhouse effect.
For someone who is afraid of all the attention she receives, she certainly sets herself up for continued ridicule.
source: The bizarre environmental ad campaign fronted by a sultry Heather Mills [daily mail]
The former model’s overzealous attempt to lift and separate turned heads for all the wrong reasons over the weekend. 
“With at least $33 million burning a hole in her pocket, Heather Mills has hired Gloria Allred to be her advocate in the United States. Gloria, who says she’s honored to represent Heather, tells PageSix.com, “Heather was delighted with the outcome today. It was about justice. Heather was a winner before she met Paul, and she will continue to be a winner. I admire Heather for her charity work.”
The latest legal action comes as Ms Mills prepares to go face-to-face with her estranged husband Sir Paul McCartney for a dramatic five-day divorce hearing that will decide how much she receives from his estimated £825 million fortune. 
Sir Paul McCartney has undergone heart surgery, it has been revealed.
Looking sultry in a gold sequinned dress with the caption, Heather Mills has chosen a high-profile bill board campaign to announce her newly single status after splitting from Sir Paul McCartney. 
