I’m sure that $50k is only running around money. She probably considers living expenses separate.
I’m sure that $50k is only running around money. She probably considers living expenses separate.
That’s also what I’m thinking. The way it is worded, one could assume that the $50,000 a year “personal allowance” is just that, her “personal” allowance; what she allows herself to spend AFTER things like the mortgage and utilities, property taxes and upkeep on the home including landscaping and a housekeeper, insurance, basic groceries and household items, etc. are paid. She’s also a spokes model for Channel so I’m guessing they and other designers give her a lot of clothes and “bling” to wear for public and red carpet events much like they do with other celebrities.
And from what I understand her and her husband previously owned a large apartment also in a trendy part of London. So if they made a tidy profit on the sale of that place and paid for much of or even the remainder of the cost of 6.5 M house upfront in cash (and if she banked and invested wisely on only just was she was paid for the 3 Pirates movies, that might be doable), they might not even have mortgage payment.
So if I owned a $6.5 M house paid for in full and made enough in income from my work and from wise investments to comfortably pay for the upkeep of the house, my taxes and all my true day to day living expenses, those absolute necessities and obligations that I had, AFTER all was said and done I had $50,000 per year to spend on whatever I wanted, what would that look like?
For anyone interested in doing the math (and I like doing the math) - that would be $961.48 per week in what I would call “mad money”.
Sure that’s probably a paltry sum compared to how a lot of celebrities live, and assuming I’m not buying more expensive jewelry than I can ever wear, expensive art works and useless trinkets, very expensive high performance sports cars that I’m constantly wrecking and paying lawyers to bail me out of trouble, going to rehab every few years or months and renting out nightclubs for private parties and keeping the expensive champagne and drugs flowing, and also paying the way for all my hangers on, in other words spending money foolishly and recklessly, I could live quite comfortably on a “personal allowance” of $961.48 per week. Couldn’t any of us?
Heck, just a few years ago my budget was so tight that after my meager bills; just my rent on my modest apartment, utilities (gas and electric and bare bones basic cable and a budget cell phone), car insurance and gas for my 10 year old fully paid for used car were paid, I had about $60 a week to spend. But that had to cover my groceries and household items, oil changes and car maintenance and clothing and the occasional Red Box movie or “night out” which were few and far between. I ate a lot of ramen noodles and mac and cheese and cheap store brand turkey hot dogs but I'm doing a bit better now although not by much. LOL!
So I don’t think Ms. Nightley is exactly suffering on a $961.48 per week "discretionary spending" budget if that is what it is. But OTOH, I will say good for her for having the common sense and personal restraint to even have one. I'm guessing that this is rare among many in the entertainment busisness : ),