R&B sensation Ciara is well known for her raunchy moves and sexy footwear. Here she talks to Pride about shoes (of course!) and money matters. By Cynthia Lawrence
Money Mindset
I feel I’m very frugal, and I do pretty well with money at this point. I always try to find a bargain. If I go to the grocery store, for example, I have a grocery card, so that I can get discounts at the counter when I’m finished. I’m definitely money-conscious! Also, I have a couple of investments to make more money and get my finances to work for me. But, of course, one of my biggest investments
is in myself!
Blow the Budget
When I go shopping, my most extravagant purchases are normally going to be shoes. I just love shoes and go for what’s hot. I like everything from Louboutin and Dr Martens to Versace and Fendi. A person should always be able to afford extravagant shoes. I think I probably own maybe a thousand pairs… I don’t know! It depends on the items, but on an average shopping trip I probably spend a minimum of $1,200. It’s not that bad! On average, I will spend about $11,000 a month.
Humble Beginnings
It’s funny, because as a child I was supposed to do chores around the house. We would start off with routines like that, but then somehow I would always end up wriggling my way out of doing them! We used to get really cool rewards for doing well in school, too, and I always got money from my dad and grandpa. I’m a daddy’s girl! As I got older, I definitely became a bit more conscious of how I would spend my money. My dad used to always tell me to save for a rainy day, and I will always remember that saying. Although it took me a while to understand that!
My First Job
I never really had a job that was every day from 9 to 5. But when I was about 14 years old I worked in the summer to save money. I had an opportunity to work at the Atlanta Braves baseball stadium; my friend and I used to work at the concession stand. We made a lot of money for our age, and I remember spending my first paycheck on getting my nails done.
Shop till you drop
I do love TopShop when I come over to the UK – they have some really fly things! I also love a store called Intermix, and Barneys. I just have to be wise and ask myself, “Do I really need this?” Besides shoes, my other weakness is food. Food is the answer! I love going to a restaurant called Houstons. I also love Mr Chows. I don’t like credit cards. Every time I go to a store, they offer me credit cards, and I always say no. I only have one, and I don’t think it’s necessary to have a whole lot of extra credit cards. I don’t like owing money, and I don’t like bills. I hate them!
