Millionaire Madness: 20 Insane Things Rich People Casually Blow Money On

Insane Things Rich People Casually Blow Money On
Wealth Gang / EkaterinaPichukova/istockphoto / beekeepx/istockphoto

Before making a big-ticket purchase, you might agonize over the thought of spending money. Heck, these days you might agonize over simpler buys like name-brand grocery items. The super-rich, however, can drop tons of money without hesitation. From buying a new car outright to purchasing another house while their main residence is being renovated, here are the most insane things Redditors have seen wealthy folks spend their money on.

1. Buying a House While You Renovate Your Other One

Female real estate agent talking to senior couple standing by swimming pool while showing new luxury house on sunny day. Luxury lifestyles and new beginning concept.
Tashi-Delek/istockphoto

“My friends bought a house in Palm Springs, but the renovation was taking too long, so they just bought a second house in Beverly Hills to live in during the renovations. They kept both.” – u/nightpop

And sometimes the convenience is just too good to pass up, apparently: “A relative bought a house in Malibu Colony (right on the beach) to live in while their Palisades home was being remodeled. Then they told me they kept the Malibu home because it was just easier than driving back to the Palisades after a day at the beach.” – u/Suz626

2. Paying To Keep the Local Post Office Afloat

Stillwater, United States - June 27, 2014: United States Post Office building. The United States Postal Service provides postal service in the United States.
Wolterk/istockphoto

“Pay USPS to keep the local branch of their post office open (it had been selected to close) so they didn’t have to drive as far to go to the post office.” – u/capybarramundi

3. Relocating Your Actual House Across the Globe

Truck on a highway carrying a prefab house
MarioGuti/istockphoto

“My dad knows a billionaire who had a French chateau disassembled and reassembled in the US. He acted like it was just as normal as building a house. My dad’s been there a few times and said it’s an insane property with a huge man-made lake and huge sprawling lawns.”  u/Udbbrhehhdnsidjrbsj

Was the chateau made of Legos? Sheesh.

4. An Apartment Dedicated to Shopping Spree Breaks

Hispanic woman spending a day at home relaxing in the living room and taking some time for herself.
LeoPatrizi/istockphoto

“Going to their apartment in the city so they have a place to hang out in between shopping at stores. Their apartment is only for that purpose.” – u/GodHatesPOGsv2025

5. Multiple Private Jets

Four private jets parked on the runway, shot at sunset.
halbergman/istockphoto

“I was at a bar with the multi-billionaire CEO of the company I worked for. He made fun of Oprah for only having one jet, then went on to tell me to never buy helicopters because they are built by the lowest bidder – planes are the better choice.

Bob, my car didn’t even have air conditioning…” u/closetklepto

Imagine being so financially well-off you could confidently talk down on OPRAH’S money moves. 

6. Strangers’ Funerals 

Coffin, church and funeral service in closeup, memorial and event to celebrate life, worship and faith. Casket, burial and memory with death, mourning and compassion for farewell, sermon and religion
Jacob Wackerhausen/istockphoto

“So I work part-time at a strip club and we have some very rich clientele. Some of them come in all the time and we get to know a lot about them, and they get to know a lot about us. Well, one of our security guys died of a sudden massive heart attack. One of the rich clientele just called the funeral home and paid for everything.

Like there was no second thought. We were all taking up a collection to help a bit and he just dropped the whole bill just like that! I mean I see a lot of really rich behavior… But that one was just so mind-blowing.” now-deleted Redditor

This one is, dare we say, wholesome — which is interesting, given the context.

7. Yacht Trips That Last a Month

Couple looking at each other while sitting on sofa on luxury yacht.
simonkr/istockphoto

“I used to work at a jeweler and the stories are endless. Clients would talk about how they just got back from a months-long trip on a yacht or some exotic island.” – u/GarryWisherman

8. Paying To Get Someone Off the Stage at an Auction

Audience watching the speakers on the stage at the conference
ZeynepKaya/istockphoto

“I once saw Jeff Bezos pay $100,000 to get a guy off the stage at an auction event. The guy on stage wasn’t going to leave until he reached his goal, and Jeff was tired of listening to him. Bye, Felicia.” – u/georgekourounis

9. Tens of Thousands of Dollars Worth of Wine

Bartender at wine cellar full of bottles with exquisite alcohol drinks that have various sweet and sour tastes and dates of manufacture on large wooden shelves.
IL21/istockphoto

“There is a large liquor store near me, they have VERY expensive bottles in the back room.

One Xmas I was standing in line. The man in front of me, had one case of wine, 12 bottles of various variety.

The checker said….. OK, that will be $27,455.

WtF??! The guy hands over his Credit card. I followed him out and he drove away in a Bentley.” – u/ntgco

10. Costly Construction at Temporary Homes

installing a pool handrail
JodiJacobson/istockphoto

“Contactor here. A lady did not like the shape of the pool at the new house. We get the job to change the shape. Do the job. So I tell her we can guarantee the workmanship for 5 years, but not any longer. She says ‘Cool, we are only here for 3.'” – u/reffak

11. Spontaneous International Travel

Travel summer vacation concept, Happy solo traveler asian woman with hat relax and sightseeing on Thai longtail boat in Ratchaprapha Dam at Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
Peera_Sathawirawong/istockphoto

“I had a friend of mine casually asked if I wanted to go to Dubai for a week to do some skydiving training in a couple of weeks. My response was ‘No, I have to work for a living.’ Blew my mind when they asked me like it was no biggie to duck out for a week and blow $15k.”  u/SwoopnBuffalo

12. Buying a Home for One Specific Fixture and Discarding the Rest

Close-up of public town hall of Ambronay, Blains Castle 16th century. This photo was taken outdoor in the small village of Ambronay near Bugey mountains, in Ain departement, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in France, in Europe, shot during a sunny autumn day.
Gregory_DUBUS/istockphoto

“I live not far from an old (now abandoned) castle in France. It was bought decades ago by a Chinese couple, they had the staircase taken out and shipped to China and just left the place and never returned. It’s been neglected since.” – u/KillingCookies

13. Paying To Transport a ROCK From One State to Another 

manipulation, stabilization, tenuissima, capillata, stipa, flower bed, positioning, move, mulch, pebbles, gray, crane, boulder, stone, hang, pick up, lift, heavy, granite, tied, strap, placed, hole, dirt, ground, gloves, worker, stability, garden, landscaping, rock, rope, weight, turn, rotate, save, danger, dangerous, work, hold, hand, man, men, builder, park, white, orange, lawn, green, wall
beekeepx/istockphoto

“Went to a wedding as a +1 at a mansion in Greenwich Connecticut (the bride’s parents’ home). Her father was talking about the landscaping and how his wife liked a rock (which was about the size of a small car) that was at their other home outside of Denver, so they had the rock moved from Denver to Connecticut. Seriously, they moved a rock halfway across the country. A f*****g rock.” u/waterford1955_2

Cue Donkey from “Shrek” saying, “That is a nice boulder.”

14. Decompressing With a Getaway

Rear view of woman reclining on folding chair outdoors
Tom Merton/istockphoto

“Get stressed from a true crime podcast and book a tropical getaway to decompress.” – u/cmontgomeryburnz

15. Paying Cash for a Brand New Vehicle Off the Lot

Close up of unrecognizable salesman giving car keys to his black customer in a showroom.
skynesher/istockphoto

“I watched a guy walk into a car dealership and buy a suburban. He literally walks in, goes up to a sales guy, points to the one in the lobby, and goes ‘I’ll buy it, I don’t want to haggle or any high-pressure bulls***. I’ll pay sticker and I need to be done in 10 minutes.’

He was driving it out of there 10 minutes later.” – u/gaqua

16. Blowing $50K on Wedding Flowers

Decorative design of a wedding chair with flowers. High quality photo
EkaterinaPichukova/istockphoto

“I worked a million-dollar wedding once, they dumped $50,000 worth of flowers in the trash after the ceremony. They didn’t even wait til the wedding was over or donate the flowers. I was walking to the porta potties they made the help use, passed the dumpsters, and there they were. I thought it was an apt metaphor for the rich.” – u/tomatopotatotomato

17. Renting a Jet Instead of Using the One They Own

Young lady Diva exits airplane
Trish233/istockphoto

“‘My wife doesn’t like our private jet so she rents a NetJet whenever we travel. I just meet her at the resort.’

Real quote, verbatim.

Didn’t know how to respond genuinely so said, ‘Ahh, hate when that happens.'” – u/greenweezyi

18. Paying Someone To Pay Someone Else For You

Man playing the piano
Arturo Peña Romano Medina/istockphoto

“Pales in comparison to some, but this guy paid me $100 just to walk over to the pianist at the fancy restaurant where I worked, and hand him $500 to play another Elvis song. He was a Texas oil guy.” – u/SourCreamWater

19. Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Overseas 

Airlpane over cityscape of Rome, Italy.
Michal Krakowiak/istockphoto

“My friend told me she was running low on good extra virgin olive oil so would have to go to Europe soon.” – u/Evangeline-

Yeah, totally. Same here. If we’re calling Costco “Europe” now.

20. Spa Weeks

Taste this. Table with sweets and alcohol drinks in women hands. White plate with berries and marshmallows
YakobchukOlena/istockphoto

“My wife was invited to a spa week with a friend that cost $17K. Do we have the cash on hand, yes. Would we ever waste that kind of money on a spa week? No.

The friend was so nonchalant about it, too. She’d just come back and was going again the next month.” – u/Soggy-Maintenance

Author
Rachel Schneider

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing and English. Throughout her career, she has dabbled in a variety of subject matter from finance and higher education to lifestyle pieces and food writing. She also enjoys writing stories based on social media trends. Find her on Instagram @rachel.schneider922