‘Modern Family’ Star Julie Bowen Is ‘Frugal’ With Money Even After the Show’s Success
TV star Julie Bowen is known for playing Claire Dunphy in Modern Family. Although she starred in a successful series, Bowen is careful with her money. She has chosen to remain “frugal.” Here’s what she shared about her personal finances.
Julie Bowen is careful with money
Bowen says she refrains from splurging despite her wealth. During an interview with the All Good Things With Jason Nash podcast, she says she won’t be “buying a private island” or making outrageous purchases.
One reason Bowen is careful with her cash is because she went through a divorce. She has seen how finances can be affected when a marriage dissolves.
“First of all, you and I are both California divorced,” she tells Jason Nash (via E! News). “That’s its own financial situation, and you roll with it. I can’t go into the details, because I have a lot of respect for my ex and we chill and we have really great kids together, but I did not go off and buy another house when Modern Family was done.”
Julie Bowen describes herself as ‘frugal’
Bowen describes herself as “frugal.” She says her Modern Family co-stars were ready to spend their cash, but she chose to remain conservative.
“A lot of my cast members were like, ‘Maybe I’ll buy an island.’ I was like, ‘Huh, I am not going to be doing that.’ I am pretty frugal. I’ll be perfectly honest. Before, I never had business managers or accountants, and I literally took all my money and kept it in cash in a checking account.”
Bowen reveals she has always been worried about whether she would be able to get another acting job. She was concerned about her next job being the last.
“I’m so afraid that I’m never going to work again and, I’m not kidding. I have such fear.”
Despite her fears, Bowen admits she once turned down $700,000. The job would require her to be away from her family. She wasn’t willing to do that.
“It was a job that I didn’t want to do because it would have taken me away from my kids, across the country or something,” she says. “I was like, ‘I can’t do it.’”
Julie Bowen learned to trust financial professionals with her money
Bowen learned how to take control of her money. It took some time, but she became comfortable with allowing financial professionals to help manage her finances.
“Bit by bit, I handed over different little cash accounts that I had,” says Bowen. “It was $10,000 here and $30,000 there. Then, after six years [my manager] goes, ‘Is that it? Are we done?’ And I was like, ‘Were done.’”
Bowen says she doesn’t see the residual checks from old TV episodes. Instead, her business manager handles that. This likely keeps her from spending more than she should.
“No, I don’t actually see the checks,” Bowen tells Nash. “It goes somewhere, but I don’t see them. I don’t go to the mailbox and open the check.”
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