Money is something I’ve always been really open about, mainly because A) I like being open about most things and B) I never made any until recently. It’s very easy to admit you make absolutely nothing, right? Or maybe it’s not, but I always have anyway. :)
That said, I got the sense that the below email, despite being from a fan, was a bit, errr … passive aggressive. But email tone is tough, and I tried to silence the jaded, cynical, everyone’s-out-to-insult-you New Yorker in me. Pushing that out of my mind, I sent her a fairly detailed response - hey, I can understand the curiosity. After all, I’ve cobbled together a very strange, very transitory lifestyle, but trust me, it’s eminently affordable. Well … As long as you’re single and have a flexible job where you can work from anywhere. Obviously families have totally different economics.
Still, after living this way for two years, I’ll tell you: I’m not convinced constantly bopping around the US (and sometimes to Europe) is necessarily the best lifestyle choice - I mean, I’m sick AGAIN, and I think that’s not a coincidence - but if that’s what you want, let me assure you: it can be accomplished with very little actual cash outlay (it does, however, depend heavily on friends’ couches!!)
And if you’re into international travel, I’ve heard that can be done on the cheap as well - just check out the numbers in Tim Ferrriss’ 4 Hour WorkWeek. They’re shockingly reasonable. He also has great strategies for transforming your chained-to-a-desk gig into something a bit more free - without losing the paycheck.
Bottom line: Celeste is absolutely right - I *am* blessed to do the things I do - but ANYONE could do them with the proper preparation and determination (it took me about three years). I am not special in this regard. I promise you.
From: Celeste
Date: October 21, 2009 12:38:55 AM EDT
To: julia@nonsociety.com
Subject: Mo Money Mo Problems
Hi Julia,
First of all, let me preface this by saying I’m a longtime follower and huge fan of yours!! You are truly blessed to do all the things that you do! I mean take this week for example… SF, Chicago on Wed, NY on Sat, Boston on Thurs, LA on Fri, then back to Boston?? That’s quite the social calendar.I know money questions are always a sensitive subject. But you live your life like an open book and I’d truly like to know how you’ve been able to live (and live well in Manhattan) and support yourself over the years? Where does your money come from? Do companies sponsor you to blog? If you could detail your financial plan, that would be so helpful and finally settle all my curiosity! Sorry to bring up a taboo subject but I knew if anyone would answer, you would.
Best,
Celeste
From: Julia Allison <julia@nonsociety.com>
Date: October 21, 2009 5:02:10 AM EDT
To: Celeste
Subject: Re: Mo Money Mo Problems
Hi Celeste,
Thanks for the email :)
Well, it’s not really that expensive to travel [the way I do] … Boston is a $20 bolt bus ticket, and I’m headed there to speak at a Harvard business conference. I stay with my college roommate, so that’s free. SF was a little pricier - but I [usually] fly Jetblue, and even that only cost about $350, total. I stay with my friends, so that costs no money, and I take the train or shuttle or borrow their cars (for which I fill their tanks - but that can be cheaper than cabs in NY!)
As for LA, a major network is flying me out for a test shoot for a tv show, so that’s not out of my pocket, and Chicago is just on the way home to New York from SF, so I only had to shell out an additional $200 to get there … I was in Philly two weeks ago to speak at Wharton, but we just drove out there (didn’t stay the night, so … no cost except gas!)
I usually like to fly Jetblue, because the tickets aren’t that expensive, even last minute, and I can get points (I’m almost at a free trip!)
Anyway, my point is this: travel really isn’t as expensive as you think, as long as you don’t stay in hotels or rent cars (and I rarely do either).
As for my income, it comes from my show, TMIweekly, from companies like T-Mobile or SONY, whose products I endorse, or from giving speeches, writing articles and appearing on tv shows. I make enough to pay my rent as well as all expenses - and I also usually save 30-40% (approx). I’ve never gotten money from my parents, except for a graduation gift of 10k (in 2004, five years ago).
I hope this helps you understand :)
xo
j
PS. Just in case anyone was wondering - I am not sponsored by Jetblue. I buy my tickets on the web, just like everyone else, and pay the same prices everyone else does. Sometimes more, because I change my flights way too much for my own good. Working on that for 2010. :)
Dear Readers,
You know, I’ve been trying out the comments system for the past two or three weeks, and while I’m thrilled to hear from some of you who wouldn’t have otherwise piped up, I’m really disappointed (although not entirely surprised) at the bad apples who are about to ruin this for the whole bunch.
One of the reasons I did NOT have comments is that I don’t want to spend my day doing the following:
1) deleting nasty missives that say things like “your boyfriend will never marry you because you’re too old, ugly, fat” (that’s a nicer paraphrase of a variation I’ve gotten several times, probably from the same - shocking! - anonymous reader) or “your cleavage is offensive for X, Y, Z nasty reason” or “you’re a disgusting, vile X, Y, Z expletive” and so on and so on. Not interested. Not even remotely interested.
2) engaging in pointless, time-consuming debates which I try to enter into with an open mind, in which readers have an agenda and NO MATTER WHAT I SAY OR DO, I can do no right in their eyes. I do not think I owe these readers - haters, “trolls” - anything. Not details about how I make my money. Not details about what I do with my time. Not details on how many lawyers I consulted to make sure my internship was legal. Not details about my boyfriend or his family or what I choose to wear for my birthday or what sorts of photographs I take for glossy magazines.
I share moments in my life and things which inspire me with you because it gives me joy.
But let me be CRYSTAL CLEAR for those haters: I. do. not. owe. you. ANYTHING. You are neither my friends nor my family nor my bosses. Just because I choose to share SOME aspects of my life on this website does not - NOT - give you an all-access pass to become the ultimate arbiter - judge and jury - for my life. I don’t know who or what gave you that idea, but you are very, very wrong.
Suffice it to say: I will be canceling the comments if this nonsense continues. And I am no longer going to post ANY negative comments directed at me or aimed at spiraling the discussion into an unhealthy, unproductive place. You are welcome to say you don’t like a dress, but you are NOT welcome to insult me. I’m sorry. That’s not how it works. It’s like coming over to my house and slapping me repeatedly and then peeing on my furniture. The second time you try, I will not let you in the door.
Let me also bring up one other disgusting trend: these same people - under false names - have - for years - YEARS - contacted not only my employers to say disparaging remarks about me (like they thought it was inappropriate that I pose in Michigan Avenue magazine) - or back in the fall, emailed NBC to tell them I was lying about working for them (that was a surprise to NBC, since they were running my segments at the time), or emailed SONY to tell them they hated me. CREEPY, obsessive and disturbing. Even more nauseating, when I was dating my now-friend Taylor in the fall, they looked up his private email address and EMAILED HIM nasty things about me, which of course he forwarded to me with a note saying that he thought anyone who would do that had psychological problems. Frankly, I agree. WHO DOES THAT???
Listen, I get it: you don’t like me. Your point has been made. You can believe everything nasty you read about me, even if it’s not true. That’s your prerogative. BUT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Don’t contact my employers. Don’t contact my boyfriends. Don’t contact my friends or my family. AND DO NOT CONTACT ME.
Here’s an even better idea: DON’T READ ABOUT ME. Don’t think about me. Don’t talk about me. WHY BOTHER?? I’m serious. It makes no sense. It’s weird. I don’t sit around thinking or talking s—t about YOU, trying to find ways you’ve screwed up or ways you might potentially screw up in the future!
You are going to believe what you want to believe! It doesn’t matter what I say, trust me. It doesn’t matter what I do. I could join a convent and devote my life to saving the world and it still wouldn’t sway you - why? Because you have MADE UP YOUR MINDS.
But you should realize this: every second you spend thinking about me, obsessing over my life, trying to find things I do wrong, is a second you’re not spending with your own families, or with your friends, on your career or on something which truly gives you joy.
Please think about your real purpose here. Is it to “ruin” my life? You’ve tried very hard. You’ve made me cry many, many times. I don’t trust people the way I did even a few years ago. Are you proud of that? What is it, exactly, you want from me?? You’ve taught me that bullies last long after high school ends. You can continue your crusade and I can continue to find ways to block you from interfering with my life. But I’m not going anywhere. I don’t ever give up - ever. You haven’t noticed that yet?
Please, let’s end this. It’s been years now. It’s time to let go. Let it go.