Posts Tagged ‘cost of living’

The formula might be old, but the story is still capturing teenage audiences across the nation. Today’s “90210,” a remake of the ’90s series “Beverly Hills, 90210,” follows the Wilson family, which has recently relocated to Beverly Hills, Calif., from Kansas. The family moves in with Grandma, a retired actress, while dad’s the principal at West Beverly High School; mom’s putting her photography career on hold to get the family settled.

With classmates driving fancy cars and wearing designer labels, will Annie and Dixon Wilson fit in with the teen crowd at West Beverly? Can Harry Wilson really support his family of four on a principal’s income in one of the most expensive regions in America? Or should viewers suspend disbelief as they watch the Wilson family shop, spend, and charge it all on their credit cards?

What’s the deal with Beverly Hills?

The Beverly Hills lifestyle doesn’t come cheap. According to Yahoo Real Estate, Beverly Hills has a median home value of $3,236,076, a median income of $85,398, and a cost of living index of almost triple the national average.

How much does Henry Wilson earn as a principal?

A principal in a California high school does well compared to the national average. According to the California Department of Education, Harry Wilson could earn anywhere from $82,898 to $109,001, depending on the size of the fictional West Beverly Hills High School.

Can the Wilson family make ends meet in Beverly Hills?

Assuming that they arrived in Beverly Hills with little or no debt, they might be able to do well in Beverly Hills. If Harry Wilson’s mother has handled the mortgage on the home that the family lives in, and they were able to pay off their house in Kansas, it’s likely that they are able to enjoy a decent lifestyle in an extremely expensive region.

Keeping up with the neighbors
To save for their children’s college tuitions, keep the family well clothed and well fed, and continue to go out and do things as we see them doing, the Wilson family would be better to keep their credit cards in their wallets when they can. For convenience, debit cards or charge cards (such as American Express cards) would keep the family from overspending.

Though the Wilson family might be able to stay afloat in Beverly Hills on Harry Wilson’s salary, they would certainly be on the lower end of some of the other inhabitants of the famous ZIP code. If Annie and Dixon, or their parents, start to feel the need to keep up with their classmates or friends, they could quickly get themselves into some serious credit card debt, or even financial ruin.

Thanks to Grandma, the Wilson family can stay afloat in “90210.” But don’t expect every high school principal to be able to raise a family of four in Beverly Hills and still be able to put food on their (very expensive) table in their (very elaborate) Beverly Hills mansion.

Kelly Herdrich

With five children, a house in Queens, a car of his very own and a job working for the New York Police Department, Detective Elliot Stabler of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” lives an often-stressful life. He is a senior detective who spends his days investigating sex crimes, as well as crimes against the young and the elderly. It may be a living, but does it pay the bills?

Feeding the Family

Stabler’s five children are definitely a lot to handle, though one has left the house and another is only an infant. His wife, Kathy, does not work, but she has her hands full taking care of the kids.

We learn in the first season that Stabler married his wife because she was pregnant with their first daughter. They wed shortly after he left the military. He landed a job on the force because he needed a way to support his already growing family.

Today, Stabler and his family live in a nice two-story home in Queens, which is probably worth between $400,000 and $500,000, according to Trulia.com. On a cop’s salary, that probably means a hefty mortgage each month. Additionally, his wife recently gave birth to child number five, which means medical bills and plenty of diapers to buy. Stabler is fully covered under the NYPD benefits plan, but he certainly has a number of financial responsibilities.

Stabler has gotten himself into trouble numerous times, usually because of his quick temper and his desire to put sex offenders behind bars. Suspensions and several periods of forced time off for psychological evaluation have meant interrupted income, putting him and his family further behind the eight ball.

Stable Stabler

When a stressful financial situation arises, it’s rarely about debt. Stabler is likely to benefit from rewards credit cards that feature discounts for everyday purchases. Charge cards, such as American Express cards, also include rewards for purchases made a grocery stores and gas stations.

Stabler’s Credit Situation

With a mortgage, car payment and lots of bills related to family life, Stabler has probably used credit from time to time, if not on a frequent basis. Although he often defies authority and likes to live life on his own terms, he is also devoted to his family and loathe to cause them pain.

The average salary for a New York City detective is around $48,000, according to Indeed.com, though his experience in the military and his loyalty to the NYPD might increase his salary somewhat. Living in New York, where the cost of living is quite high, Stabler would have difficulty meeting his financial obligations without relying on credit of some kind.

Steve Thompson

A look at the finances of Chloe O’Brian, counterterrorism expert from the hit Fox drama.

Chloe O’Brian has been a staple of the hit Fox show 24 since the Day 3 episode. She’s a no-nonsense spitfire, an anti-social technical genius who proved to be an invaluable asset to Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida and the late Bill Buchanan. Not one for trendy fashion, flashy cars or even splurges on beauty regimens, Chloe’s spending habits appear to be a bit of a mystery for most. With Day 7 in high gear, figuring out Chloe’s spending habits may not be that much of a mystery after all.

Life at CTU

For most of Chloe’s career, she worked in Los Angeles for a fictional division of Homeland Security called the Counter Terrorism Unit in an IT/intelligence-related capacity. An equivalent position within Homeland Security in Los Angeles would pay Chloe up to $91,801 a year. Chloe is not one to spend frivolously, and because she spends most of her time at work, it’s likely a lot of her pay goes into a savings account.

Capital Living

Immediate Access
While working with Bill and Tony, Chloe was sure to rack up expenses. A credit card seems a plausible way to pay for all those costs. Considering the line of work she is doing covertly, a platinum credit card would be ideal.

Now living in the Washington, D.C., area, Chloe and her husband Morris are likely to own a home to raise their toddler son Prescott. A new single-family home in Washington, D.C. costs an average of $434,540, although foreclosed homes — and there are lots of them in the nation’s capital — cost significantly less. Being the frugal types, Chloe and Morris more than likely came up with about half of the asking price for a new home, leaving them with a mortgage of about $220,000. Sensible Chloe would want the family home paid off as quickly as possible by opting for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.737 percent, with a monthly payment of $1,709.75 per month.

Family Finances

Raising a child is not cheap and with Prescott in his toddler years, the O’Brians can expect to shell out at least $10,000 a year until he reaches school age. Chloe and Morris have opted for a family-friendly SUV to tote Prescott around. But Chloe’s employment situation is sketchy; she has been working covertly with Buchanan and Almeida for the past three to six months uncovering government corruption at the highest levels. There’s no sign she was paid for this work. It seems Morris must be the breadwinner of the family for the moment to keep the family afloat.

With her covert ops work coming to an end, Chloe may be sought after by the FBI for possible employment. With two incomes possibly coming back to the O’Brian household, Chloe, Morris and Prescott could be sitting pretty financially. Until Day 8 arrives.

ShawnTe Pierce

Fictional Finances: Rick Castle from “Castle”

Comedian Steve Martin once said that to make a million dollars, the process was relatively easy: “First, get a million dollars.” Although making money is never as straightforward as that, for Rick Castle, the mystery writer-turned-detective in ABC’s Castle, money is never an object.

Castle Kills His Golden Goose

Played by actor Nathan Fillion, Castle says he got his very first plot idea from a daytime soap opera. Through the years, he also made a fortune from Derek Storm, the central character in Castle’s popular crime novels. The “Storm” books have allowed the author to lead a lavish New York lifestyle and also take care of his mother (Susan Sullivan) and level-headed daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn).

Whether it’s a sense of professional integrity or pride, Castle’s latest novel, Storm Fall, marks the end of the line for Derek Storm. Castle’s publisher, who also happens to be one of his ex-wives, is furious that he killed off their cash cow. At a poker game, another successful author criticizes Castle’s decision, saying that he’s going to keep his own character alive long enough to keep fuel in his private jet.

Two Ex-Wives and Two Mouths to Feed

King of his Castle
Castle’s fortune supports his daughter, his mother and his ex-wives, covering all expenses and bills (credit cards or otherwise). And his credit score allows him the convenience of credit cards for excellent credit–very helpful for impulse purchases to curry favor. Being well known and well financed, Castle may be high profile enough to have the elusive Amex Black credit card.

Castle, his daughter and mother live in a very spacious loft apartment in New York City; the kitchen by itself is larger than most Manhattan apartments. The Manhattan Lofts Web site lists a comparable 2,300-square-foot condominium with three bedrooms and two baths for $3,225,000 plus monthly maintenance fees.

With state-of-the-art appliances, Rick Castle has a bank account that would make Bill Gates turn green with envy. In one episode, Castle’s daughter asks for an increase in her allowance and so does his mother, meaning his wallet always is open for business.

Castle has two ex-wives, who most likely receive some of the revenue from his best-selling novels. Since one wife also is his boss, she’s literally the one who signs his royalty checks and gets a percentage of the profits.

Inspiration for a New Series

Although Castle seems pretty well off, Storm Fall is not off flying off the shelves. To make matters worse, a serial killer is using Derek Storm stories as inspiration for real-life murders. Castle tags along with Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and ends up providing some valuable insights into the case.

Impressed by the beautiful Detective Beckett, Castle decides to write a new series of novels based on the hard-boiled, cynical female officer. With a little help from New York City’s mayor, Castle gets to shadow Kate while she’s investigating murders.

Literary Boom or Bust for Castle

Banking everything on his new character, Castle signs some legal waivers without the benefit of legal counsel. In essence, if he is injured, disabled or murdered while working with Detective Beckett, he or his survivors will not be able to sue the city for damages. If Castle ends up in a crossfire with criminals, the medical bills could bankrupt him.

Castle Likes to Spend Money

With a fat bank account, Castle and his mother aren’t afraid to spend his money. To curry favor with the police department, Castle even uses his credit card to order an expensive cappuccino machine so the detectives can have a decent cup of coffee.

Fortunately, his daughter Alexis is the smart one in the family and doesn’t go off on wild spending sprees with daddy’s credit cards. Like his lawyer, who he keeps around to get him out of trouble, Alexis is more like the parent than the child in this relationship.

Steven Bryan

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

Watching “The Office” is filled with painful moments for viewers, many of which revolve around the Scranton, Penn., branch’s regional manager, Michael Scott. Scott manages to both alienate and endear himself to viewers and his employees, often in the same episode. Unfortunately for him, it isn’t only his professional and personal life that is in need of assistance — his financial situation is disastrous, too. Are his financial situations realistic? And if so, how did he get this far gone?

Who is Michael Scott?

The regional manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, Scott is known for his socially awkward and often inappropriate behavior. But you can’t help but feel bad for the guy, who’s heart is often in the right place, even though he doesn’t know how to act. Though his salary specifics are never mentioned, it’s reasonable to expect that someone in his position, without a college degree, might make in the realm of $70,000. It’s likely that All Business School’s estimate of $84,000 is a bit high, especially considering the perk of a company car and the fact that Scott does not have a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, as they assume. We also know that Scott briefly made a comparable salary to warehouse director Darryl. Scott ’s financial troubles come to a head in Season 4, where he admits to his staff that he is in financial trouble and is considering declaring bankruptcy.

How did Scott get into financial trouble?

Scott’s salary of approximately $70,000 is a high one for the Scranton region, according to Simply Hired , which places the Scranton average salary at just under $29,000 a year. In addition, Scott’s only real investment appears to be his condominium, which he purchased in Season 2. However, he has repeatedly stated that he has no investments and no money saved. In addition, he regularly splurges, spending money on office gatherings that are unauthorized by the company, improv classes, and using his credit cards to treat office employees to lunches and special items from Victoria’s Secret.

Scott’s financial situation didn’t get dire, however, until his unemployed girlfriend, Jan, moved in with him, intent on spending his money left and right. Their financial situation was so bad, Scott had to take a second job to make ends meet. It culminated in help from employee Oscar, who helped him with debt consolidation.

Did Scott learn the error of his ways?

Though his financial situation, credit card debt, and money mismanagement came to a head in Season 4, it doesn’t appear that Dunder Mifflin’s regional manager has managed to get his financial situation back on track. After debt consolidation, Scott would have been wise to all but eliminate his credit card spending. Yet, we regularly see him spending money.

With Scott mismanaging his money left and right, viewers are reminded that even those with secure jobs and decent salaries run the risk of credit card troubles if they don’t watch their spending and live within their means.

Kelly Herdrich

Supporting your younger brother and his teenage son can be an expensive proposition, especially when your own spending habits run to the absurd. Charlie Harper, the older brother played by Charlie Sheen on “Two and a Half Men,” manages to pull it off, though.

A successful jingle writer and children’s musician, Charlie enjoys a two-story home on the beach in Malibu, a Mercedes in the garage, a surly full-time housekeeper, an expensive - albeit casual - wardrobe, the finest liquor and cigars, and a steady stream of female companions. On top of all that, he supports his brother Alan, a down-market chiropractor, and Alan’s son Jake, a dim-witted teen with a healthy appetite.

Charlie’s income comes from the sales of his enormously popular children’s album and live performances as Charlie Waffles. Additionally, he receives royalties from his earlier jingles, most notably the Maple Loops song. Since he was a moderately recognized recording artist prior to becoming Charlie Waffles, he was probably able to negotiate a royalty rate of around 15 percent on album sales, or roughly $1.79 per CD, which means he made almost $2 million when the Charlie Waffles album went platinum.

It’s a good thing, too. The average home price in Malibu as of December 2008 was a whopping $1,930,206! Even if he put 20 percent down on a 30-year fixed mortgage, his monthly house payment is still over $10,000 before taxes and insurance. His housekeeper, Berta, keeps the place clean and his bowling shirts pressed, but she doesn’t come cheap either. The average salary for a housekeeper in Malibu is $37,000 per year, or just over $3,000 a month. Luckily, her acerbic wit and wisdom are included at no additional charge.

His Mercedes easily ran him $85,000, and his signature bowling shirts sell for $44 apiece. He spends much of his time at the track and frequently returns empty-handed. He is a notorious barfly and prides himself on being the No. 1 bachelor in Malibu. With the average drink price in Los Angeles being 5 percent higher than that of even New York City, going out five nights a week gets expensive quickly. He’s not drinking the cheap stuff, either. He once quipped, “I’ve got two grand in my pocket that’s itchin’ to turn into twelve bucks and a hangover.”

The stunning beauties he often manages to attract are fond of the expensive gifts he lavishes on them and don’t seem to mind his frat-boy antics. Though his brother Alan attempts to be a voice of reason in his life, it is usually to no avail. Besides, Alan is pretty stingy, hoarding what little money he manages to keep from his ex-wife Judith and is more than happy to have Charlie cover the bulk of the expenses.

With all of his frivolous and irresponsible spending habits, Charlie never seems to use credit cards. He is clearly credit-worthy and has plenty of assets. But you never see him break out the plastic. The show implies that he is successful enough to pay cash for everything, from cars to booze to female companionship.

Charlie is a very funny character and provides a glimpse into the life most guys would love to have if they were rich and single. With all the daily aggravations he encounters, Charlie’s signature sense of humor manages to pull him through (with a little help from alcohol). At the rate he spends money, though, he’d better get to work on the next Charlie Waffles album soon!

Dave Guilford