How do seemingly minor celebs afford lavish lifestyles?

[likemindedarseholes]

Reading a Heat magazine and James (formally of Busted) mentioned living in the Hollywood hills. Also these 'Cribs' style programmes where someone who had one hit or was in one reality show has a great looking house... what's the secret?
Are they rented houses? Did James from Busted invest well? And how do people like Katie Price spend it all, she must have made loads with all the books, perfumes, tv shows? How??

One of my ex boyfriends owned the original Big Brother house - when I found that out, I soooo wished my dad was still alive, he always used to moan about how that lad will be Chancellor of the Exchequer one day.
NB I did not used to go out with Rishi Sunak...

Gemma Collins seems to be doing ok for herself ! By having a ridiculous GC image ! She’s obviously not silly she’s making some good money out of it ! I visited her shop a few years ago very small! In fact I went into a few of the towie reality celebs shops! Danielle Armstrong had a lovely shop and came across very down to earth when I spoke to her,

@likemindedarseholes

Help me out with James from Busted then. Not mega famous, I don't think they were the songwriters. Hollywood hills is pretty exclusive, if selling sunset is to be believed.

If you look on wiki it'll tell you what he's done. He's written a lot of songs, been in theatre, owns companies, has a record label...

Lots of things. They wrote their own music so they'll still be making a passive income from that. The Jonas Brothers bought Year 3000 to rerecord, for instance. And as others have said, he has written for other people. That, combined with sensible investments over the years and a good financial manager would set you up well. It's also plausible, shock horror, that his wife might have worked at some point.

Also if you watch Selling Sunset you'll see that property is a lot cheaper in the US. You could get a house with a pool in some of the fairly nice bits of LA for the same as a three bed house with a garden in London.

Through work I occasionally see the finances of minor celebs, I saw some a couple of years back from a member of a famous girl group (no longer a group) who were fairly successful. She didn't make much money at all from her 'music', she had previously made quite a bit from touring, most of her income was from promotional work but even then I was quite surprised that her annual income was only in the region of £100k and dwindling every year she was no longer front page news. Lived in a modest house, no nanny. She hadn't invested any of her income.
It must be quite hard to keep up with the image when you're still being photographed but not making much money.

@lickenchugget

There’s Towie ‘stars’ near me. They film in their in laws’ kitchens (they actually live in tiny, grotty flats), pretending it’s theirs. Their cars are leased, it’s all smoke and mirrors. Their designer gear is fake from North Weald market. Agree with PP, any money they do make is by dodgy means or instaflogging.

@lickenchugget - agreed re some of the Towie stars - I saw one of them (very well known) - in a jumpsuit which all her followers thought was designer (logo) - it isn't. I think she has actually made a bit of money otherwise but she also flogs her old clothes on Depop/Vinted etc whereas I'd take to charity shops etc. She can sell stuff - or tries to - but has no qualms about what she sells.

Duff McKagan from Guns N Roses ended up doing a business degree or similar because he wanted to know more about investing his money and not just spending it all on partying. I think he started a company advising other musicians on investments

I think ones with talent like song writers are writing for other people. I recall a interview with Chesney Hawkes (one hit wonder) and he was in a beautiful house in LA overlooking ocean and basically saying people take the mickey but he’s built a nice life as a songwriter/producer.

I dated a drummer from a one/ two hit album popular band maybe ten years ago. He was making most of his money at the time from DJing nights as XX from XX as places wanted a famous name.

Lots of things. They wrote their own music so they'll still be making a passive income from that. The Jonas Brothers bought Year 3000 to rerecord, for instance. And as others have said, he has written for other people. That, combined with sensible investments over the years and a good financial manager would set you up well. It's also plausible, shock horror, that his wife might have worked at some point.

He has been continually writing a lot for others, and is a great guitarist, potentially does studio recording too. His long time girlfriend is a Youtuber who was a Loreal ambassador (although she seems to have disappeared in recent years) but I'm sure she was earning a nice amount too!

There is a dad on the school run who was a minor celeb in the late 90s. He works as a joiner now. He built the outdoor bar at the local pub. He also has about 10 properties he lets out, and a second home on the coast. He lives in a pretty three bed rural cottage with a few acres.

Apparently his mum insisted he invested in property, and not frittered it. She was the one who viewed all the properties, and sorted everything out for him. He hasnt bought a buy to let for about 15 years now. He does a lot of repairs and maintenance himself.

Him and his wife appear to live a lovely life, although not wildly extravagant. They are very down to earth, and slightly hippy ish with vegetable garden and chickens etc.

I think his mum must have kept him level headed.

I've long thought that some reality stars' wealth comes from what is effectively prostitution, this "Dubai porta potty" thing just confirms that it is a lot more depraved than I imagined.

@MondaysChild7

Instagram / YouTube?

No matter how much money you have, if you’re bad with money you’ll lose it. Sarah Ferguson for example.

That's very true. Some people are just poor managers with finances. No matter how much they have, they get through it.

I can't say I've ever been very good with money and admire those who are. I've often been amazed at what people can achieve with little, all credit to them.

(However I'm getting old now, retired, so it no longer worries me which is marvellous.)

@CambsAlways

Gemma Collins seems to be doing ok for herself ! By having a ridiculous GC image ! She’s obviously not silly she’s making some good money out of it ! I visited her shop a few years ago very small! In fact I went into a few of the towie reality celebs shops! Danielle Armstrong had a lovely shop and came across very down to earth when I spoke to her,

@CambsAlways - Gemma Collins documents every detail of her life. She's just been on a freebie holiday courtesy of Wizz Air and onthebeach.com.

She will literally sell anything from collagen supplements to Muscle Food, anything as long as she gets a pay cheque at the end of it. all her old clothes and shoes - all on Depop/Vinted being sold, none of it going to charity, being sold.

She says she cares about animals then eats meat.

Cathy Dennis is another one who must be raking in the royalties. Minor pop star herself in the early 90s but since then has written loads of hits for people like Britney and Kylie.

With reality stars I think they can get paid stupid amounts of money for a short while. But I'd imagine like footballers, a huge number of them are probably bankrupt 10 years later.

@LBFseBrom - I was very good with money up until my mid 20s - didn't have a credit card until then. With a combination of credit cards, inheritances, badly paid jobs etc I did spend loads - too much but I got myself back on track in my late 20s and made myself be careful with money.

My reasons were that as a family, we didn't have much money growing up and the people I was mixing with back then, it was important to look good/dress well.

But I recall in my early 20s sales shopping with my mum and her telling me to get another pair of shoes as well as the one I had picked out as I could afford it!

@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant

Cathy Dennis is another one who must be raking in the royalties. Minor pop star herself in the early 90s but since then has written loads of hits for people like Britney and Kylie.

With reality stars I think they can get paid stupid amounts of money for a short while. But I'd imagine like footballers, a huge number of them are probably bankrupt 10 years later.

@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant - one of my best friends her ex boyfriend is married to a songwriter who writes/wrote for Sugababes etc. She makes a fortune out of it, or did.

I also know someone who's not a celebrity as such but he's written songs which have sold/been covered/used in TV etc but you wouldn't know his name, just maybe heard the songs.

@Gonnagetgoing, would be the absolute dream. All the perks of the music business without the downside of being famous!

Murder I nearly mentioned Cathy Dennis. Really good example of someone who was only known for a minor hit but is really a songwriter.
Another example is Karen Poole from Alishas Attic, probably only vaguely know for one catchy hit by people who were teens in 90s but quick google says she’s written 35 top 10 hits for various well known artists.

[quote MurderAtTheBeautyPageant]@Gonnagetgoing, would be the absolute dream. All the perks of the music business without the downside of being famous! [/quote]
@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant - this man’s songs are very pedestrian though! Musical enough to be sold/bought but certainly not chart toppers - in my eyes/ears anyway! He just fell into this as used to be a sound engineer.

www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/features/interview-karen-poole
Mentions all artists she’s written for plus interestingly writing for Korean and Japanese artists plus a musical. It’s a huge worldwide music market.
I always think of people like this when people start threads on here saying oh I have no idea where my neighbours income comes from implying they must be up to no good.

Oh yes, Alisha's Attic of I Am, I Feel fame. Good for her!

If I had a musical bone in my body I would definitely be all over the song writing.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Diane_Warren

Read that list, all songs written by Diane Warren.

Linda Thompson (ex girlfriend of Elvia Presley and ex wife of Bruce/Caitlin Jenner) wrote Whitney Houston’s biggest hit that was in the bodyguard film. People are surprised when she occasionally posts something about it. I imagine that’s still a decent source of income.

@DrMorbius

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Diane_Warren

Read that list, all songs written by Diane Warren.

@DrMorbius - her birthday is the day before mine. I was googling and saw I Didn't Know My Own Strength was written by her. Amazing songwriter.

Also, Green of Scritti Politti I'm sure he song writes for others.