Monica Seles, a name synonymous with tennis royalty, reveals a surprisingly grounded approach to personal finance in a candid interview featured in the “NYT Talking Money With” series. While her career afforded her a life of luxury, Seles maintains a practical and almost frugal mindset when it comes to managing her wealth. This peek into her spending habits offers valuable insights, even for those outside the world of professional sports.
Seles’s down-to-earth nature is evident in her shopping preferences. While she enjoys occasional splurges on jewelry at Tiffany’s, handbags from Kate Spade, and shoes, her choices reflect practicality over extravagance. She humorously admits to a past obsession with Manolo Blahniks, owning over 30 pairs of the iconic high heels. However, practicality has since prevailed. “I don’t have anyplace to go in them,” she quips, highlighting a common-sense approach to fashion and spending. This shift from extravagant “Manolos” to comfortable J.P. Tod’s shoes illustrates a mature understanding of her needs versus fleeting desires.
This pragmatism extends to significant expenses like travel. Seles diligently tracks her frequent-flier miles, employing them to minimize air travel costs. Even while traveling with an entourage that includes her mother, coach, trainer, and physical therapist, cost-consciousness remains a priority. “I have to worry about expenses,” she states, emphasizing the substantial costs associated with professional travel. Her willingness to fly coach, and having her team fly business or coach (never first class), demonstrates a clear understanding of value and a resistance to becoming overly accustomed to luxury. She reserves first-class travel for situations where it truly enhances the experience, such as longer personal trips, showcasing a balanced approach to spending on comfort versus necessity.
Interestingly, this dedication to financial prudence extends to her Sarasota home. Despite her wealth, Seles and her mother forgo the expense of a housekeeper, choosing to clean the house themselves. While they employ a groundskeeping service, this hands-on approach to home maintenance further underscores her inclination to save where possible and avoid unnecessary expenditures. This might be attributed to her mother’s influence, instilling in her a strong work ethic and a value for self-sufficiency.
For Monica Seles, money is not about lavish displays of wealth but about something far more personal: independence. “For me, the biggest thing with money has always been independence — just the biggest,” she reveals. This statement encapsulates her financial philosophy. Money, for Seles, represents freedom and self-reliance. It empowers her to make choices based on genuine connection and love, rather than financial dependency. This perspective offers a refreshing and insightful take on wealth, emphasizing personal freedom and genuine relationships over material possessions. Her approach serves as a compelling reminder that true financial wisdom lies in aligning spending with personal values and long-term independence.
