Well, she's well below McCain's definition of wealthy. How can we possibly expect someone lower-middle-class like Annie Liebovitz not to have a few financial woes?

I 'eke' out a great life on a lot less and still manage to pay my bills and save for geezerdom. It's called personal responsibility.

Oh, sure, *focus* on a few teensy-weensy money issues. *Lens* remember she's trying to live on $2M a year in Manhattan. Under such pressure, I'd *snap*.

The Ed McMahon of photography? Not a pretty picture.

Suck it,
What's your secret? I'd sure like to know. I can't save anything.

hms, it's no secret, just live on less than you make. It might seem like small sacrifices now (less dinners out, bar nights, etc) but seeing the money grow makes me giddy. Another plus, when gas, groceries, etc go up, it won't hurt so much- you'll have a cushion.

It's good math, but you have to be at a certain starting point before you can even benefit from practicing restraint. Many of us don't make enough to live on less.

(Take it from the girl who has had to move back in with family no less than 3 times since graduating college.)

I disagree about having to be at a certain starting point to benefit, as long as your debt isn't insane. I was in debt (not huge but $5K feels like a fortune when you're 20) and too embarrassed to ask my parents for money so I went to school during the day, worked evenings/nights/weekends and actually did a freaking paper route starting at 3am (7 days a week- it sucked ass) to pay off that debt. It can be done but you'll basically have no life or free time for awhile til it's done. I have no regrets and that taught me a lesson I'll never forget- live below my means.

Oddly, I couldn't get the two paper routes I tried for. They're coveted jobs. Maybe it's just the part of the country I'm in and the fact that I have a vagina in said part of the country… but even great employers don't think about whether you can pay your bills, they only think about how little they can get away with paying you. It's always frustrating to me when someone tries to map out for me how it's totally possible to live on $8 an hour. Yeah when you write it all down it looks easy, I even end up with like $80 spending money a month, I should BE so lucky. But real expenses just don't happen that way, not for me.

I hear you. It's tough going. Keep your vadge optmistic- it'll turn around after the election- it usually does. You can always start your own business, that's what I did after realizing that I basically hate anyone telling me what to do. It took a few years of building clientele and a second job (again- no life at all) but eventually it worked out great. I even have a tiny life now (husband, pets) but I still work a lot but I don't mind it since the money is mine… well mine and the goddamned IRS'.

Stories like this make my stay-at-home-mom, two kids, one income, two grad school debts, Chicago-livin' stomach very, very sick. Literally. I guess that it could be that second cup of coffee that I just drank. Probably not, though. *Sigh*

Suck it - I am starting my own business. I am about a year in - under another company's umbrella, and hopefully in another year or two i'll be on my own. :) nice to know it worked for you!!

When high-profile figures like Anne Liebovitz do things like this everyone should be outraged. I will admit that having a certain level of celebrity might get you preferential treatment in some instances (getting into clubs or restaurants easily, free stuff etc.) but when you're not paying your debts that is too far. People like her think they're just such a boon for society that they don't have to honor their word. I cannot imagine that she somehow "forgot" about these issues….nor do I believe that the creditors weren't sending her notices about past due balances. Celebrities who try to manipulate the rules the rest of us have to live by (the late Anna Nicole Smith, her successors Larry Birkhead and co., Paris Hilton, Wesley Snipes, MARTHA STEWART! et al) make a mockery of our legal system and just negatively impact society as a whole.

I have 1/7th her debt (6 years, 2 degrees, 2 top schools) and will make like 1/30th what she makes (dammit, I should have gone into finance). This is ridiculous.

Is it too late? Anyone want to hire me? Jossip? Anybody??

Amen! That celebrity brings with it the untamed "right" to shirk legal responsibilities is disgusting. Moreover, it seems like these celebrities have a deep seeded need to sue anyone and everyone for what they "deserve"–like Anna Nicole when she sued to inherit a fortune from which she was specifically excluded. It's rampant and it's wrong.