Posts Tagged ‘careers’

Fictional Finances: Alexandra Rover from “Nim’s Island”

In the movie Nim’s Island, Jodie Foster plays Alexandra Rover. This agoraphobic author spends her life in a townhome writing best-selling novels. She never leaves her home and has only the company of the Internet and her fictional alter ego, Alex, the main character from her books. In the midst of her Internet life, Alexandra is contacted by a girl named Nim, who lives on an island with her father. This girl is expecting her hero, Alex Rover, to come to her rescue because it seems her father is lost at sea.

Is Agoraphobia Good for the Budget?

According to SimplyHired.com, a typical best-selling author makes an average of $49,000 per year. Since Alexandra lives in a townhome, she most likely pays less per month for rent or a mortgage than if she owned a home. Monthly heating and lighting costs will also be lower. Since she doesn’t go anywhere, Alexandra has no gas or other transportation expenses. However, her household supplies and food may be slightly more expensive than the average person because everything has to be delivered.

Credit Cards and the Internet

Living Online
Since Alexandra buys everything online, she would be best served having a cash back credit card card. The Discover More card is one of the few remaining cards that offers 5% cash back. For bulk delivery of common items, the TrueEarnings card from Costco is a wise choice. At the very least, a prepaid debit card can be used anywhere credit cards are accepted, and most can be reloaded online or through direct deposit.

Because Alexandra is agoraphobic, she must rely on the Internet for her needs. If she hasn’t come out of her house in years, she must have credit cards to pay for all her supplies. Factor in the costs of shipping and doorstep deliveries and she may have some hefty balances on those cards. She might actually do all right, considering she only has to support herself. She’d be wise to have a savings account handy for emergencies.

Daring Budgeting Moves?

Spoiler Alert: Alexandra makes the daring move to leave her home and dash off to Nim’s Island to rescue the girl. This decision made in haste implies that she’s either got some cash to spare or she’s running on credit. By the end of the movie, Alexandra makes an even bolder decision than her first and ends up staying on the island with Nim and her father, with whom she has fallen in love. Nim’s father is a research scientist.

SimplyHired.com figures that a research scientist makes an average yearly salary of $76,000. Combine the two incomes and that would be a decent annual salary for a family of three. Living the island life can be cheaper than the city life, as food could be gathered from the island. There already is a nice solar-powered home that Nim’s father has built himself, so there are virtually no heating and electrical costs. Some things would still need to be ordered from the Internet or picked up in a nearby town, but for the most part, the family could live pretty comfortably and have money left over to send Nim off to college and still allow the adults a comfortable retirement.

Momie Tullottes

When Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS isn’t arresting arms dealers or chasing serial killers, he’s working on a boat in his basement. Although he lives in Washington, D.C., he doesn’t seem to avail himself of the local nightlife or enjoy much of a social inclination. Obviously, he saves on many luxuries, but can Gibbs really afford his lifestyle?

Sniper to Special Agent

Gibbs is a former marine sniper, having served in Desert Storm, and he joined the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) after he was wounded in combat and discharged, presumably in response to the murder of his wife and daughter. When the NCIS series began in 2003, Gibbs was already a supervisory special agent.

Moving Up in the World

In the third season of NCIS, Gibbs was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal for his work leading the investigative unit, and it is later revealed in the same episode that he has received many commendations, including a Silver Star for his efforts in Desert Storm. This indicates that Gibbs is successful in his career and is therefore awarded regular raises in pay.

According to the Department of Defense Pay Table, NCIS investigative agents can make anywhere from $26,461 to $133, 985. Assuming that the top of the pay scale is reserved for the brass, such as the NCIS director, Gibbs doesn’t take home the maximum.

Paying the Exes

The bottom of the third pay band is the high 70s, which is a healthy income for a single investigator whose only hobby involves woodworking. However, it is revealed throughout the show that Gibbs has been married four times, three of which ended in divorce.

Knowing that divorces are almost always messy, and since Gibbs mentions many times that he suffers under the burden of alimony, we can assume that Gibbs gives at least a portion of his income to his ex-wives.

Caffeine and Caf-Pow

Easy Does It
Not being a big-spender, and because he’s an all-around cautious guy, Gibbs doesn’t likely carry a lot of debt—or the cards that contribute to it. Look for a carefully-selected low interest credit card in his wallet, but don’t expect it to get abused.

Gibbs’ drink of choice is coffee, and he is rarely seen in an NCIS episode without a cup in his hand. He mentions a few times that the coffee served in the NCIS building isn’t worth the cup it’s poured in, so he leaves the naval yard to purchase his own java. Whether he’s drinking Starbucks or McDonald’s Premium Blend, he’s shelling out his own cash for caffeine.

Additionally, he rewards his forensic scientist, Abby Sciuto, with a fictional beverage called Caf-Pow, which is also purchased off-site, whenever he wants to motivate her. Other than a few indulgences in fine scotch, Gibbs doesn’t seem to have extravagant tastes.

The Bottom Line

Working for the government is considered by many to be a thankless job, but men like Leroy Jethro Gibbs focus on serving their country. Even if he only makes $50,000 a year, he does because he feels strongly about his purpose.

In real life, an NCIS special agent with three ex-wives and a mortgage would need to save every penny he earns. Countless trips to a coffee shop every day combined with eating out nearly every meal might bankrupt such an agent in just a couple of years.

The high cost of living in Washington, D.C., such as the median home price of $450,900, would also stretch an NCIS agent’s bank account.

Steve Thompson

Fictional Finances: Walt White from “Breaking Bad”

A life-threatening illness brings with it a host of problems, not the least of which are mounting hospital bills and spiraling credit card debt. After a grim diagnosis from his doctor, however, chemistry teacher Walt White (Bryan Cranston), the anti-hero of the AMC original series “Breaking Bad,” comes up with an unusual method of making some desperately needed cash.

Walt White Has Two Jobs, a Mortgage and a Baby on the Way

A dedicated family man, Walt works at both a local Albuquerque high school and a car wash to provide for his pregnant wife and a teenage son with special needs. When medical tests indicate that he has inoperable lung cancer, White worries that his wife and children won’t be able to survive financially once he’s gone.

Teaming up with a former student named Jesse, Walt draws upon decades of scientific experience to produce high-quality methamphetamine, which he then sells to local drug dealers. The teacher learns a lot about dealing with the criminal element and, at the same time, discovers what he’s willing to do for the sake of his family.

Mortgages, Medical Treatments and Meth

Walt and his family live in a comfortable, middle-class home on the outskirts of Albuquerque, a housing market that Realtytimes.com says is holding its value despite the current economic crisis. Based on the location and size of the dwelling, the Whites own a home valued at approximately $200,000.

Because Walt’s medical insurance is somewhat lacking, he has to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Instead of accepting a lucrative job offer with better health benefits, Walt decides to keep on making crystal meth to pay his medical bills.

Before starting his illegal chemistry experiments, Walt spent years as a teacher in New Mexico, which puts his estimated annual salary at about $43,000 per year. As for his part-time job at the car wash, Albuquerque’s minimum wage currently stands at $7.50 per hour, so if Walt worked 20 extra hours per week, that increased his gross salary by $7,800 until he quit. As a dedicated family man, the chemistry teacher also socked away what he could in a 401(K) retirement fund.

Walt’s Wallet
Being a conservative husband and father, Walt most likely has one MasterCard and Visa account in both his and his wife’s name; he also carries a debit card that’s tied to a joint checking account. But as the bills rise, transfering balances between balance transfer credit cards is a smart option–so long as Walt is cautious about the balance transfer process.

Life-threatening Illnesses and Credit

The United States government regulates what kind of personal financial information a creditor can obtain and report. Despite these regulations, credit card companies always are on the lookout for unusual transactions to ward off identity theft.

Most doctors and hospitals are glad to accept a credit card for payment of services, but if Walt did this on a regular basis, it could raise a red flag with his creditors and lead to a review of his accounts by credit card company auditors.

A Cash Only Business

Walt and Jesse’s transactions involve quite a bit of cash, which puts the family man in an awkward spot thanks to the Bank Secrecy Act, a government initiative that’s intended to stop drug trafficking and money laundering. According to this regulation, if a customer deposits $10,000 or more into a bank account, that transaction must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

Even if Walt made several smaller deposits into his account, these transactions would create a paper trail that law enforcement officials could easily follow. The IRS also would be interested to learn how and why Walt’s bank account suddenly became so large.

Even with the best of intentions, Walt White truly is creating a financial house of cards for his wife and children to handle when he finally succumbs to his illness.

Steven Bryan

Nathan Petrelli may have a lot of issues, personal and public, but money is not one of them. Nathan Petrelli, of “Heroes,” was born in the lap of luxury. He is a complex man with fine taste and a string of women and financial obligations from his past. He tries to do what he thinks is right, and his family money has enabled him to do so.

Public Service

As a lawyer, Nathan Petrelli was able to fill his deep need to deliver justice and make the world a better place. As a prosecuting attorney, he potentially earned about 25 percent less than he could have as a private practice attorney. He could have earned $125,000 or $140,000 as a patent prosecutor, protecting The Company’s formula. Neither of those would have been the right stepping stone for public office.

Nathan Petrelli has been able to follow a carefully constructed education and career path, from military service to public service, with an eye on the White House. Unlike the average person, he was never concerned with how to pay for college and law school. He probably used his parent’s credit cards to live a high-flying lifestyle while in college.

Family and Child Support

A man like Nathan Petrelli, who comes from a moneyed family, never seems to fret about the cost of anything, despite the fact that he has been the subject of blackmail.

The departure of Petrelli’s once-disabled wife and his two children has only been implied. Based solely on Nathan Petrelli’s salary as a U.S. Senator, he could be paying, at minimum a monthly child support of $3,646. The amount could be even higher if his net worth was included and higher still if he was paying alimony.

New York to Washington, D.C.

Charge It!
His Martin Dingman wallet (retail price $395) is stocked with platinum credit cards with no limits, which he needs for his lifestyle. This increase in disposable income will help keep Nathan Petrelli happy in his indulgences: fine clothing, fine women and exquisite hotel rooms for trysts.

By moving from New York City to Washington, D.C., to assume his place in Congress, with a $174,000 annual salary, the current salary for a Senator, Nathan Petrelli actually increased his spending power. His disposable income increased to $4,784 with the move, according to Salary.com.

Add to that an additional salary of $100,000 for his Director of Homeland Security position, and Nathan would certainly not be struggling to meet expenses. While Nathan Petrelli would probably be happy to work in this position without being paid, because the power might be compensation enough, he still has spiffy bachelor lifestyle to maintain.

He also needs to stay in style new suits and his closets are most likely stocked with the latest Bottega Veneta ($3,800), Canali ($4,200) and Giorgio Armani ($3,595) suits. Nathan Petrelli does not seem like a cash sort of guy, as all those bills could way him down when he needs to fly. A quick swipe of his credit card, and he can walk out with a month’s worth of new suits.

Nathan Petrelli’s Retirement

If Nathan Petrelli is lucky enough to escape fate and actually live long enough to retire, he won’t have to worry much about his daily living expenses. He can continue to travel at will, wearing down the strips on his credit cards. With a substantial inheritance and government retirement pension ($35,952 to $60,972) he will be more than comfortable. Nathan should receive at least some retirement money from his time in the Navy, which will be the smallest portion of his expected retirement nest egg.

The Petrelli fortune has allowed Nathan to live the life he has without much concern for how his bills and credit cards get paid on time each month.

Pam Gaulin

Allison DuBois stirs up controversy in the NBC TV series “Medium” as a consultant to various police detectives, helping to solve crimes. She mostly helps out D.A. Devalos, but there are others as well. What’s so controversial about DuBois is the fact that her detective skills come in the form of dreams. She is a medium, possessing the ability to envision crime scenes from the past and future, envision the thoughts of others, as well as communicate with the dead. At first, only those whom she works with know her secret. As the series progresses, the public eventually becomes aware. This is where her job gets tougher.

Family Life for Allison DuBois

Outside of her career as a psychic consultant, Allison has a loving husband and three daughters. Her husband Joe is an aerospace engineer. They live in Phoenix, Arizona, where the median price of a home is $164,000. When the two are not working, they spend a great deal of time together, as well as with their three children. The family enjoys their time together, but is not seen spending extravagant amounts of money.

The Family Budget

Credit Card Stash?
Even with some savings, Allison may have had a good stash of credit cards to keep the family going during that time when Joe was unemployed. For times of uncertainty, the best choice would be a low interest credit card. Many cards have a 0% interest rate for a 6 - 12 month introductory period. But resorting to credit cards to maintain a lifestyle is a bad idea.

The median income for a Phoenix psychic is around $53,000. A Phoenix aerospace engineer would make about $79,000. Combined, the two would average around $132,000 per year. For some, that would seem a comfortable financial level. But, factor in the cost of raising children and the price of a mortgage, as well as monthly bills, and $132,000 may not be as much as it sounds. However, it seems that the DuBois family is very good at budgeting.

It is only when Joe is without work for a short time that the family struggles with some financial burden. They make do with what they have for a while before Joe regains employment, which suggests some very good budgeting or that there may be some savings available or credit card usage going on. Being that Joe’s income is the highest, any time he is not working, the financial strain would be quite significant. A family of five used to spending a certain way would certainly be in trouble, losing over half of the annual income, even for a short time.

There also was a short period of time, after her secret went public, where she was unemployed. If she chose the credit card way, which is often the American way, that would mean that the family is dealing with credit card bills from that time, which could add a great deal to monthly bills, depending on how many credit cards the family had to resort to using. It also is possible that interest rates could be high, depending on the family’s credit score. Since the family is not very extravagant where spending is concerned, they may be able to pull off keeping those bills up to date, while also maintaining the household.

Momie Tullottes

The Dr. Sheldon Cooper Variable

Paris Hilton is said to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars just to show up at a party event. So how much does certified genius Dr. Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist with a Master’s and two PhDs make on CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory“? Gotta be at least twice or three times as much as the heiress with a prison record, yes? It is important to remember that Sheldon is currently part of the vast educational system in America, but despite being at the top rung of that ladder, he is still part of the educational system in America. No wonder that a man with two PhDs is forced to find a roommate to share expenses despite being almost preternaturally anally retentive in regard to handling his finances.

The Genius Conduction

Dr. Sheldon Cooper is currently teaching theoretical physics, as well as engaging in continual research into string theory, all after going directly from the fifth grade into college. He began his graduate work when he was 14 and received his very first PhD just two years later. Interestingly, the year before he received that PhD, he spent time in Germany as a visiting professor. The upshot is that Sheldon Cooper is a genius and is hardly representative of the typical American, and if he lived in a bizarro America that might exist in one of his many comic books, he could better enjoy the benefits of an America where brains and hard work are rewarded over good looks and personality. The future may bring a taste of that bizarro world, however, because Cooper appears to have a track toward one day winning the Nobel Prize. Currently, the monetary reward for winning is one million dollars and that amount should definitely have risen by the time Cooper wins a Nobel.

The Financial Exclusion Principle

The estimated yearly income for a theoretical physicist/college professor is $65,000. Despite the fact that he shares an apartment with another PhD who teaches at the same college, Sheldon lives in a rather pedestrian apartment building where the elevator has been out of service for two years. The lack of living quarters appropriately analogous to his earnings is coincident with his lack of a car. Cooper also saves money by rejecting the influence of the fashionistas. He is almost always seen wearing retro T-shirts and plaid paints, with at least one pair which was bought by his mother. The brilliance of Cooper’s economic status is, in fact, a persistent and predictable rejection of the influence of consumerism, except in regards to the vagaries of geek-dom: Cooper owns a large collection of comic books, a state of the art laptop computer, sci-fi and comic book memorabilia and both an X-Box and Nintendo Wii console.

The Savings Equilibrium

Perhaps because he is a genius, or perhaps because he rejects the concept of buying what he doesn’t need with credit cards, Dr. Cooper would be an ideal candidate for any kind of credit extension. He knows exactly how much of his after-tax income is spent on expenses — 46.9 percent. That means his disposable income is over half of his entire taxable income. Wow, Sheldon Cooper really must be some kind of genius. Of course, that would not explain why he keeps a wad of emergency cash stuck in a Green Lantern collectible figurine. Then again, it is said that Paris Hilton keeps an emergency wad stuck somewhere just as ridiculous, so who’s to say what makes one a genius.

Timothy Sexton

British actor Damian Lewis portrays calm, serene-faced Charlie Crews, the fruit-loving unconventional LAPD detective in NBC’s critically acclaimed drama series “Life.” Framed for a triple homicide he did not commit, Detective Crews discovers the “Way of Zen” while serving 12 years of a life sentence.

Credit Where Credit is Due

Charlie credits Zen for saving his life, but credit should go to Constance Griffiths, his lovely and talented public defender. She reopened his case and provided Charlie with his second chance at life. Constance won his exoneration plea and defended him pro bono in a successful, $50-million lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department and the City of Los Angeles.

Big Bucks, Big House, Big Impulse Purchase

Blinded by newfound wealth and freedom, Charlie is like a little kid in a candy store. Given enough cash or credit cards, he might have bought anything. His attorney helps him shop for a house, and he impulsively buys the first one he sees –big, new and empty.

Charlie might have checked the Los Angeles Times Home Finder. It reveals a wide variety of homes suited to wealthy, credit-worthy home buyers like Charlie. An eight-bedroom country style English Tudor in Bel Air is listed at $10 million. With qualifying credit and $2,000,000 down, Charlie could have purchased this lovely home at a 6.28-percent interest rate with a 30-year mortgage. Monthly payments would run about $49,413. This doesn’t include property taxes and insurance.

He still needs to figure in the cost of monthly utilities, home maintenance and repairs. Charlie probably paid cash for his home. If not, with monthly expenditures like these, he will certainly need wise investment choices to keep up with ongoing home expenses.

Salary, Stable and Steady

Driven to find who framed him for the triple homicide, Charlie settles into his new life as a police detective with his newly assigned female partner, Detective Dani Reese. His job provides him with purpose, stability, a steady income and the opportunity to secretly continue investigating his own unsolved case.

Charlie’s police detective’s wages are above average and while unable to pay for a millionaire’s mansion, they do afford him his daily fresh fruit fix. According to The City of Los Angeles’s Personnel Department, the annual salary for a L.A. police detective ranges from $72,391 to $100,328. Since Charlie doesn’t discuss money or credit much, we are left to speculate how much he actually makes as he gives us a charismatic smile and bites into another big, juicy red apple.

Cash, Credit Cards and Car

Charlie’s large new home was purchased empty, and for the most part, Charlie keeps it that way. You never see him using credit cards to buy himself a house full of furniture or artwork. Bare floors and walls are no concern. But he does buy a couple of nice new suits and a new car. Charlie could certainly exclaim, “It’s nice to be rich!”

With a new appreciation of life, speeding down the road in his brand new, black Bentley, Charlie repeatedly chants, “I’m not attached to this car,” but later, undeniably proclaims otherwise. The Bentley not only looks expensive, it is. Charlie’s dream car has a base price of around $330,000 before taxes, title, license and a $4,500 gas-guzzler tax. The estimated annual fuel costs for this car alone would run Charlie around $4,000. And don’t forget the added expense of vehicle insurance.

But with plenty of money, acquiring insurance and new gasoline credit cards should be no problem. Charlie goes to see a doctor and a dentist. As a member of the LAPD with benefits, health care access is not an issue. His insurance card or platinum credit card will open the door to any medical facility.

Finances, Felons and Friends

Charlie soon finds his former cellmate, Ted Earley, newly released from prison after spending two years for embezzling millions in pension funds. Ted had been a widely successful financier before getting caught and sent to prison. Charlie knows that deep down Ted is not a bad guy, so he offers him a room above his garage and a job investing his money.

Ted is loyal to Charlie, but trusting millions to someone convicted of embezzlement may not be such a smart idea. Then again, Charlie feels getting too attached to money isn’t such a bright idea, either.

A Bright Investment

And speaking of bright ideas, Charlie has a dream about light. He decides he should buy a solar farm. Investment-conscious Ted advises him against it, saying it won’t turn a very huge profit. But ever Zen-minded Charlie doesn’t care. He is more interested in helping restore harmony on the planet than making money, flaunting his wealth or having a wallet full of credit cards.

Curious how much a solar farm cost?

A proposed 8-megawatt solar farm capable of powering more than 2,600 homes along the Front Range and other parts of Colorado was billed the largest electric farm in Colorado. SunEdison estimated its cost at $60 million. Charlie better think smaller here. Even his millions wouldn’t be enough to purchase a solar farm this large. However, wind and solar energy may be wise investment choices, especially with government tax incentives for “green” technology.

Financial Forecast for Charlie’s Future

Charlie Crews sees the world differently than the rest of us. He survived through years of darkness in prison. His world lacks social pretense and neither his police badge nor newfound wealth, can change that. Empowered by this knowledge of Zen teaching, Detective Charlie Crews will never stop trying to find the light.

Except for sudden impulse spending, Charlie is a fairly frugal guy. He needs to work out a more realistic budget based on income from his salary and investments. Managing millions is not easy, and his nonchalant attitude toward money may one day leave him bankrupt. Yet, somehow even then, we are left to believe he would leave the world a much richer place.

Rebecca Wrenn

Sandwiched between serious doctor shows and reality television, ABC’s “Scrubs” stands apart as a humorous look at hospital life. Starring Zac Braff as John “JD” Dorian, Scrubs started following first year medical and surgical interns in Sacred Heart Hospital in 2001. Now in its eighth season, viewers have watched medical intern JD climb the hospital ladder, now an attending physician in his own right. But eight years after his med school graduation, viewers may be wondering if JD has managed to successfully pay off his undergraduate and medical school debt.

Who is John “JD” Dorian?

Viewers know that JD put himself through undergraduate and medical school, not something his traveling salesman father could afford. When fellow intern Elliot Reed’s parents stop paying her way and she feels that she’s in financial trouble, JD reminds her that at least she isn’t sitting on the mountain of school debt that he and surgical intern Turk have been facing. JD survived his residency at Sacred Heart, later becoming chief resident, and eventually a doctor of internal medicine and an attending physician at the hospital.

What has JD earned over the years?

Though everyone assumes that doctors make good money, it’s important to remember that they don’t necessarily start out that way, especially if, like JD, they graduate from school with debt. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine , their first year residents make approximately $45,000 a year. Salaries increase yearly at a rate of $2,000.

An attending physician, however, makes a good deal more money than a resident. The U.S. national average salary for a doctor of medicine is $117,207, according to CBSalary .

How do JD’s finances look?

JD has made some smart financial decisions over the years. Viewers never see him splurging on expensive items, and he makes a wise financial choice by sharing an apartment with both Turk and Elliot over the years. Rather than run up his credit cards in early seasons when his income was held back by his school loans, JD was seen stealing toilet paper and pudding cups from the hospital. As time passes, he states that he has a small investment portfolio, but attempts to enhance it by purchasing a lot, where he simply builds a deck since he can’t afford a house. JD rarely uses or discusses credit cards, leading viewers to assume that he manages to live within his means without acquiring any credit card debt.

While it’s unlikely that JD has paid off the hundreds of thousands of dollars of debts that he has accumulated with his schooling, it is likely that he’s now able to make his monthly payments without emptying his bank account.

Though he doesn’t appear to be raking in the cash, JD appears to be keeping his debt to a minimum and living within his means. As his income increases and he’s able to pay off his school loans with a bit more room to breathe each year, JD makes mature choices, including living alone.

Even though JD started off with mounds of debt, this fictional character does appear to live within his means and keep his debt down, credit card or otherwise. What an example for recent college graduates and struggling medical interns.

Kelly Herdrich

From ancient burial grounds in Cuba to horrific crime scenes in New England, Dr. Temperance Brennan of Fox’s “Bones” uses her expertise and experience in forensic anthropology to make the world a better place. She worships at the altar of facts, working with her fellow “squints” to determine cause of death for FBI Agent Sealy Booth. But how can Brennan afford her spacious apartment in Washington as well as her designer wardrobe?

From Bones to Books

Dr. Brennan works full-time for the Jeffersonian Institute, which is loosely based on the real-life Smithsonian. She spends her days examining remains in the lab or traipsing through crime scenes with Booth, occasionally joining him for interrogations of potential suspects.

It is estimated that the average annual pay for a forensic anthropologist is around $33,000. However, Brennan states that the closest forensic anthropologist other than her lives in Montreal, which suggests that she is highly valued by the Jeffersonian.

Despite her lack of pop culture knowledge, Brennan is the best-selling author of several crime fiction novels, which certainly pads her salary from the Jeffersonian. Although the average salary for an author working 1-4 years is under $40,000, Brennan’s interviews with talk show hosts and numerous fans at book signings indicate that she is not the average writer.

Life in the Capital

Washington has a higher cost of living than most U.S. states, with high property values and expensive restaurants. Brennan lives in a posh apartment not far from the Jeffersonian and frequently mentions her acts of charity with the money she earns. On several occasions, she demonstrates her lack of social tact by mentioning her heightened intelligence and bank account balance.

From all appearances, Brennan is not worried about money and owns secure investments in addition to her liquid capital. She is seen pulling out credit cards numerous times throughout the show, but someone of her affluence probably pays off those exclusive credit cards every month when the statement arrives.

Nevertheless, other than her wardrobe and her residence, Brennan’s tastes do not appear to be extravagant. She mentions several times that she does not watch television, so it is unlikely she pays for cable. She probably paid off her apartment with the first few royalty checks from her book sales, and therefore does not have a mortgage or rent payment to fulfill every month.

She is rarely seen dining out in expensive restaurants, preferring the small diner on the corner where she meets Booth and the squints for drinks and dinner. And although she travels extensively, those trips are most likely covered by whoever has hired her to examine remains.

Hard-Knock Life

Brennan comes from a broken home, which might be the reason for her practicality with money. Her parents, who were bank robbers, abandoned her and her brother, Russ, when she was 15, leaving her a ward of the foster care system. She paid for her education and her living expenses on her own, and therefore learned how to manage money from an early age. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of credit card debt in her past, and certainly none in her future.

Steve Thompson

Ari Gold is the power agent in the HBO hit “Entourage.” He is a heavy hitter, a shrewd dealer, and he knows how to play the Hollywood game. As a power agent he rakes in the money, at least when his clients are working. To stay on top, Ari has to follow the cardinal rule of Hollywood: You have to spend money to make money.

Ari Gold — Earnings Potential

Hollywood agents typically make 10 percent of value of the contracts and royalties that their clients bring in. This means that when Vince signs an acting contract worth $60,000, Ari gets $6,000, and when he signs a $5 million contract, Ari gets $500,000. This is why Ari prefers when his top clients take on big-budget studio film projects instead of low-paying theater and independent film projects. If Ari’s average client makes $1 million a year and he has 10-20 clients each year, then Ari has the potential to gross $1 million-$2 million a year.

Business Spending

Credit cards play an important role in a Hollywood agent’s life. Credit cards are used to track business expenses without having to deal with loose receipts. Ari uses credit cards when he picks up the tab for entertaining clients and for business lunches and dinners. Ari Gold also uses credit cards to pay for business related expenses such as transportation to location shoots, printing business cards, paying for hotel rooms and paying for gifts for his clients.

Personal Spending

Credit cards are not only used for deductible business expenses, but also they are used for non-deductible expenses that relate to doing business as a power agent. For example, since image is everything in Hollywood, Ari uses his credit cards to buy designer suits that average $2,000 a piece and to pay for trendy salon visits that can cost several hundred dollars a session. He uses credit cards to pay for other status symbol items such as designer office knickknacks and furniture, which range from several hundred to several thousand dollars each. Finally, don’t forget the bling. Ari’s jewelry and timepieces are top of the line and expensive.

Credit Cards and Ari Gold

In Hollywood, credit cards are the preferred currency. They allow players to quickly make purchases and to spend beyond their means. The type of credit card that a Hollywood player carries also adds to his image, as some exclusive credit cards are only offered to financial power players like Ari Gold.

Eisla Sebastian