As you read this article, someone is spending more money than you’ll make in a lifetime on something silly. Famous Faces, Financial Fiascos WILD SPENDING BY THE WEALTHY Extremely wealthy people are often viewed as being wiser with cash than the rest of us, but these three tales of monetary misadventure prove that scale is the only difference between typical poor spending and the financial follies of the super-rich. PARIS’S POOCH PALACE There’s pampering your pets, and then there’s Paris Hilton’s jaw-dropping animal care. Sixteen years ago, she reportedly spent $325,000 on a dog house. What exactly did that kind of money provide her pooches? For starters, the structure was a miniature replica of her mansion. It was also thoroughly heated and air-conditioned, boasted a chandelier, and featured a closet to house the dogs’ outfits. If your dogs’ wardrobe and aesthetic needs aren’t as refined, you can still go big and opt for an extra-large insulated dog house for about $400 at Home Depot. BEZOS’ RARE BUST Speaking of pets, Jeff Bezos’ failed financial foray into the animal kingdom proves that even billionaires have bad days. In the late ‘90s, the Amazon founder tested his luck in online ventures by funding part of the pet retailer Pets.com. Despite Bezos’ high-profile support, the site tanked within 18 months largely because it sold pet supplies that customers could easily purchase at the nearest supermarket instead of waiting for them to arrive in the mail. Fortunately, he had his other online shopping enterprise to fall back on.
TAKE A BREAK
No-Bake Icebox Cake Inspired by AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS • 3 cups heavy cream • 1/3 cup powdered sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 (9-oz) package chocolate wafer cookies • 1/2 cup chocolate
DIRECTIONS 1. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing it to hang over the sides. 2. In a mixing bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. 3. Spread a small amount of whipped cream in the loaf pan and layer cookies in a single layer on top.
shavings or cocoa powder (optional)
4. Continue layering
whipped cream and cookies, finishing with cream on top. 5. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, until cookies soften. 6. To serve, uncover and invert on a plate. Dust
TRUMP’S GILDED GLIDE Five years before being elected to his first term as leader of the free world, President Donald Trump made his headline- grabbing activities as one of the world’s most flamboyant spenders reach for the sky. After dropping $100 million on a personal jet in 2011, he decided his purchase could benefit from a more grandiose interior. Before long, he paid even more money to have the jet equipped with 24-karat gold bathroom fixtures and seatbelt buckles. Whether the avid fast-food connoisseur also had gold-plated waste baskets installed for his McDonald’s wrappers is unknown.
with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder, if desired.
PATRIOT WEALTH | 919.322.4113 | P3
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