Category Archives: Pop Culture

Celebrities and Money, Pop Culture, Relationships

Inside Taylor Swift’s reported $2 Billion Dollar Prenup

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Happy belated 4th of July!!!

As we come out of out post 4th haze of fireworks and celebratory drinks for America’s 250, we come back down to reality.

For Taylor Swift, who got married in a $30 million-dollar wedding on Friday, July 3rd at Madison Square Garden, I am sure this means shoring her her finances and protecting her assets. She is worth a reported $2 billion dollars.

Who is Taylor Swift and how rich is she?

Taylor Swift is now the richest female music star in the world, boasting a staggering net worth of $2.1 billion (£1.6bn), according to Forbes. Her landmark The Eras Tour is the highest-earning tour of all time, having grossed over $2 billion (£1.5bn). 

Swift’s record-shattering The Eras Tour kicked off in March 2023. The monumental tour became the highest-grossing of all time after surpassing the $1 billion (£736m) gross mark. By the time it wrapped in December 2024, the tour had grossed an estimated $2 billion (£1.5m). When factoring in other revenue streams such as merchandise, The Eras Tour generated an estimated $4.1 billion (£3bn).

Swift reportedly earned an average of $13.6 million (£10m) for every concert she performed. However, touring isn’t the only income stream that’s helped her join the ranks of the exclusive 10-figure club…

Her Eras Tour movie grossed $261 million at the box office.

She has sold millions of records worldwide.

In yet another money-spinning move, Swift released The Eras Tour Book in November 2024, further capitalizing on the success of her record-breaking tour. The self-published book retailed exclusively at Target for $39.99 (£30). A roaring success, the book sold almost one million copies within its first week.

This is a tough blow for publishing as she cashed-in on her own popularity without a book deal. Ms. Swift, like AI, is disruptive!

She bought back her music masters or $360 million.

In her new record deal with Universal Music Group in 2018, she negotiated to retain full ownership of her future masters.

But that wasn’t the only groundbreaking aspect of the deal. Her contract also includes a key provision that benefits thousands of other musicians. Universal Music Group must share a portion of any future profits from its Spotify shares with all its artists, not just Swift.

This agreement ensures that UMG’s artists will receive payments from the sale of Spotify shares on a non-recoupable basis, meaning they’ll get the money even if they haven’t fully paid off their advances.

Taylor is killing it out here!

She is a capitalist queen. And the queen of Spotify.

Swift reportedly earned over $100 million (£74m) from Spotify alone in 2023. She was named Spotify’s Top Global Artist of 2023 after achieving a staggering 26 billion streams on the platform.

Overall, Swift has achieved over 100 billion streams on Spotify, earning her close to $500 million (£368m).

Property Portfolio

In total, Forbes estimates that Swift has amassed $800 million (£589m) from royalties and touring. Meanwhile, her music catalogue is valued at a plump $600 million (£441m). 

In addition to her music income, Swift has grown her fortune through savvy real estate investments. Forbes estimates her property portfolio is worth $110 million (£81m). Her enviable collection includes a luxurious penthouse and a Greek-inspired mansion in Nashville, as well as mansions in Los Angeles and Rhode Island, and another penthouse in New York City.

Social Media Master Influencer

With a staggering 280 million followers, Swift is also one of the most-followed stars on Instagram. For some degree of comparison, this mammoth figure is larger than the populations of Pakistan (240 million), Brazil (216 million), and Russia (144 million).

Over the years, she’s leveraged her huge fanbase to secure numerous lucrative endorsement deals with big-name brands such as Diet Coke, CoverGirl, Keds and Elizabeth Arden. According to Entrepreneur, she’s earned at least $33 million (£24m) from the various collaborations.

Breaking down the Prenup

According to the New York Times, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce reportedly signed a 40-page, highly specific prenuptial agreement ahead of their wedding. Given Swift’s massive $2 billion net worth and Kelce’s $70–$90 million fortune, the ironclad agreement is designed to protect their respective empires and future earnings.

While the couple has not publicly disclosed the exact details of the contract, legal experts and financial analysts expect it to include the following clauses:

Title-Based Asset Division: All intellectual property—such as Swift’s highly valuable music catalog—and pre-marital wealth remain separate property. Similarly, Kelce’s existing endorsement deals and trademarks stay his.

Infidelity Clause: Rumors heavily suggest the agreement contains a morality or infidelity clause, with high financial penalties if either party violates the terms. It is being reported this could be as high as $20 million per violation!

Joint Purchases: Any homes or major assets bought together during the marriage would likely be divided based on the exact financial contribution each spouse made.

Whew! That’s a lot to unpack.

When you have this kind of money though, it just makes sense.

Regardless of whether Swift and Kelce even have a prenuptial agreement, prenups aren’t just for the rich and famous. Younger couples are driving a rise in their use, and many Swift fans have voiced support for the idea of the singer protecting her assets with one.

I concur. With the divorce rate in this country being 50%, best to protect your assets in case of a split.

The prenup boom

Not just Ms. Swift, but more engaged couples are signing prenups.

I guess with all the newly minted millionaires from AI startup IPO’s, more people are saying sign this prenup before walking down the isle and saying “I do.”

According to Bloomberg , they cite a growth in women’s earnings, people marrying later in life and marriage being an institution primarily reserved for well-educated, affluent people who have more assets and earnings as some of the potential reasons why prenups are on the rise.

While it varies by city and state, a prenuptial agreement can cost between $1,000 to $10,000 to have drafted, according to The Knot.

So it cost a pretty penny to protect big bucks!

I am not a romantic when it comes to money.

I firmly believe anyone with significant assets that they want to protect should sign a prenup.

Tons of relationships go bust every year.

Recently in the news, I have seen 20 plus year marriages end.

No one wins in divorce, but having a prenup sure makes things easier in the end. It is always better to do things in a state of love than in a state of hate.

About the Author

Miriam started Greenbacks Magnet in 2016 to keep a scorecard of her goal of $1M in investable assets. Armed with a Master in Management (MiM) and a calculator, she teaches readers how to achieve financial independence while also helping them learn how to smell the roses along the way. The palpable response she got from sharing her personal finance goal in a public speaking course at Georgetown University encouraged her to share her story and teach finance on her website. She invests in AI companies as artificial intelligence is the new iPhone of the moment as she likes to invest in companies that are disruptive.

Financial Independence, Investing, Pop Culture

LA28 Olympic premium tickets $5,000 price tag costs more than a mortgage

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Happy Spring!! The weather is slowly warming up and that means new concerts and the summer movies season has begun. The Mario Galaxy movie has brought in over $800M+ worldwide.

This weekend the Michael biopic exploded or should I say moonwalked to a $200M+ global box office opening!

Not only are the movies generating a lot of buzz, but so is the upcoming Olympics. This is the first time the U.S. will host the games since 1984. Therefore, demand for tickets are sky high! This will all go down in Los Angeles in 2028 (LA28). However, tickets are dropping a full two years prior to the start of the games.

LA28 Olympic ticket prices average under $200 per ticket, with approximately 75% of all tickets priced under $400. While over 1 million tickets start at $28, premier seats for high-demand events exceed $1,000. Ticket purchases include a mandatory service fee of roughly 24%.

Reports stated that premium events could fetch as much as $5,000 per ticket. That’s insane!

Key Pricing Details for LA28 (as of April 2026):

  • Average Cost: Stated by LA28 to be under $200.
  • Budget Options: Over 1 million tickets are available for $28.
  • General Availability: Roughly 50% of tickets are under $200, and over 75% are under $400.
  • Premium Pricing: About 5% of tickets, primarily for high-demand events, cost more than $1,000.
  • Fees: A ~24% service charge is added to ticket purchases.
  • Inventory: The first drop sold 4 million tickets, with subsequent, more expensive inventory expected in late 2026.

Although, the Olympic committee states that there are one million $28 tickets, those sold out fast. That’s when the backlash started.

According to Fox news Los Angeles, LA28 Olympic ticket sales have sparked backlash, with many marquee event tickets listed as premium seats exceeding $5,000 during the initial “Drop 1” in April 2026. While organizers emphasize that 30%–50% of total tickets are under $200 and many are $28, high-demand events like the Opening Ceremony are seeing significantly elevated prices.

Key details regarding high-priced tickets and ticket sales:

  • Pricing Structure: While “premium” or marquee event seats can exceed $5,000, LA28 states that only 5% of tickets are priced over $1,000, and 75% are under $400.
  • Ticket Drop 1 Issues: The initial global sale, which began on April 9, 2026, saw high demand, with many users reporting only expensive, premium, or hospitality-level tickets remained for top events.

The 1st ticket drop just happened two weeks again and already the low cost tickets are basically all sold out!

2028 Olympic Opening Ceremony tickets range from approximately $329 to over $5,500 for a single seat in the initial sales, with many lower-priced options selling out instantly. While 75% of total, general tickets are under $400, premium, high-demand tickets for the ceremony are reaching $5,000+ per seat, often carrying a 24% service.

That means other drops have not even happened yet so many folks will not get to see the historic Olympic games. And for those Angelenos that did not win the ticket lottery to the first drop, many of them will be priced out of the games happening in their own backyard.

Keep in mind that the average mortgage payment for all homeowners is $2,005.

According the the National Association of Realtors, as of early 2026, the average monthly mortgage payment in the U.S. has exceeded $2,000 for the first time, with some estimates putting the average closer to $2,300–$2,700 for new buyers when including taxes and insurance. Payments for existing homeowners are generally lower, while new buyers face higher, record-setting costs due to increased interest rates and home prices.

That means if you want those marquee seats for LA28 events such as the opening ceremony, then you have to pony up two whole months of mortgage payments!

Most folks cannot justify spending thousands of dollars for a 2-3 hour sporting event.

A recent article in Forbes reported that had you invested in this one stock just one year ago, you would be a millionaire today.

Based on April 2026 reports, a $35,000 investment in SanDisk (SNDK) one year prior would be worth over million today. The stock surged by $2,700%. If I had a crystal ball, I would have bought this stock instead of vacationing in Florida!

Just earlier this year in February, it was reported that 50% of Americans have $0 saved for retirement. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Says ‘Almost No One Is Close’ To Saving The Nearly $2.1M Americans say they need.

If so many people are unprepared for retirement, there is no way they can afford $1,000+ tickets for one event.

These ticket prices even made me blush and I have been preparing for retirement for years!

I cut expenses to the bone, paid off expensive debt including my $450 car payment, and starting saving and investing money like it was an Olympic sport (pun intended)!

That’s how your girl eventually ending up getting the greenlight to be a story featured on Business Insider.

See my post How this FIRE blogger got featured on Business Insider

My investment portfolio has only gone up from there.

I went from starting at $0 to eventually over $551,000!

My inital goal when I started keeping this digital scorecard was $100,000. After I blew past that, I went to my next goal of $500,000.

Going from zero to half a million took over a decade!

The next rung on the retirement success ladder is $1M.

All I know is if you are lucky enough to get your hands on $5,000, then you may want to invest in real estate or stocks. These assets and investments will go up in value over time.

See my post about real state investing with a Roth IRA

When I get my hands on any excess discretionary funds, I tend to go with putting it in my Roth IRA. It may not be as fun and sexy as going to the Olympics, but over $500,000 in investments later, I do regret my decision.

My advise is simple: skip the ticket buying queue and go buy some stocks!

About the Author

Miriam started Greenbacks Magnet in 2016 to keep a scorecard of her goal of $1M in investable assets. Armed with a Master in Management (MiM) and a calculator, she teaches readers how to achieve financial independence while also helping them learn how to smell the roses along the way. The palpable response she got from sharing her personal finance goal in a public speaking course at Georgetown University encouraged her to share her story and teach finance on her website. She invests in AI companies as artificial intelligence is the new iPhone of the moment as she likes to invest in companies that are disruptive.

Pop Culture, Wealth

You’ve Got Gold: Net worth of US Olympians with Gold Medals won in Paris

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As I write this, the USA has won the most medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, ranking them number one overall. Some of the most exciting events included track and field, swimming, gymnastics and basketball.

And as of today, Monday 8/12/2024, the Olympic flag has arrived in Los Angeles ahead of LA 2028. That’s right. The next Olympics will be played on US soil.

I’m not going to talk your head off so let’s get right down to it. Sourced from a variety of sources from a quick Google search. Here are the US athletes with the most medal wins and highest net worth’s. You know, just in case you were wondering.

Credit: AP

And although he is not a USA athlete, I had to give honorable mention to Carlos Yulo. He became the Phillipines first male gold medalist and was gifted a 3-bedroom condo worth over $500,000 and prize money of approximately $346,000 plus free food for life!

KD is dropping buckets and minting money at a breakneck pace. As part of team USA, Durant won gold medals in 2012, 2016 and 2020. And after his last win on 8/10/24 this year, he has become the most successful athlete ever in an Olympic team sport.

Steph Curry also known as Chef Curry has become an Olympic Gold Medalist. The NBA All-Star first signed with Under Armour in 2013 in a deal worth about $4 million per year. Then he re-upped and got an even bigger contract, this time with an equity stake in the company. He helped the men’s basketball team bring home the gold in an electrifying finish in the last quarter.

And the richest USA Olympic athlete…LeBron James ofcourse!

Off the court, he is a shrewd businessman, who has his hands in multiple million-dollar endorsement deals with Nike, McDonald’s and Pepsi. he is said to earn $55 million yearly just from endorsements. It’s good to be King.

Concert Tickets, Pop Culture

Beyonce concert tickets securing the bag

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Beyoncé anuncia turnê 'Renaissance World Tour': veja datas e locais!
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It has been a long road to get to a point where wearing a facial mask is now optional.

Like most of the world, I too am suffering from pandemic fatigue. After watching the stock market drop 20%, housing prices skyrocket, inflation go through the roof, new car price sticker shock and the cost of food and college tuition go up, it would be great to go to a live concert as a way to unwind.

People, Woman, Dark, Night, Worship

Alas, this too seems to have priced people out.

In February, Beyoncé announced her fist World Tour in six years. There was only one catch: you had to be a Beehive member or a Citi credit card holder in order to get your tickets through Ticketmaster in the presale, if you wanted a chance to secure your spot.

Beyoncé tickets securing the bag

If you were not previously a Beehive fan club member prior to tickets going on sale, then you were out of luck as you could not sign up just to get in on the presale.

However, you could apply and get approved for Citibank credit card, but there are no guarantees there.

Basically, you had to be a person of considerable means to get concert tickets. Either through internet access or good credit.

According to the United Nations, an estimated 37 per cent of the world’s population – or 2.9 billion people – have still never, ever used the Internet.

And then there are those that are not the best off financially and lack good credit scores.

According to the FDIC, an estimated 4.5 percent of U.S. households (approximately 5.9 million) were “unbanked” in 2021, meaning that no one in the household had a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union.

There are many people who do not have credit cards, let alone with just one issuer. This means that billions of people had no way to buy concert tickets. Only those with means were able to do so in the presale.

And for those with means, you would not believe the lengths they were willing to go through to get them. Some even bought tickets out of the state or even the country to get access to them cheaper.

It is also hard to get tickets after the presale as the Beyoncé concert had a lottery system. If you did not get an access code, after winning the lottery, then you were sh*t out of luck.

Getting concert tickets are starting to be harder than getting into college.

The new status symbol: concert tickets

If you wait until after the presale, most tickets are gone.

Snatched up by the folks that could get access and then resold for a higher price. There were tickets going for as high as $9,800 on sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats.

I can’t even imagine paying anywhere close to $10,000 to go to a three-hour concert. That’s just insane! This is a one-night only event.

There were even tickets that were ranging for $500 all the way up to $3,500 for VIP. That is more than many folks are even paying for their mortgages across the country. There is no way to justify spending that type of money on one item or experience, if you truly do not have the resources.

ticetmaster.com

Money like that could be used for down payments or closing costs on houses.

It is becoming more expensive to go see your favorite artist. Concert tickets are starting to become another status symbol and only for millionaires.

My suggestion is to create a fun savings account so that you have funds readily available when you do want to go to concerts, sporting events or travel. Do not put this on credit. You could wind up paying for this expense for years just to have fun for a few hours.

My advice: skip anything that puts you into debt, even concerts. Better to have your financial house in order than having fun. The fun will come after the money is in your bank account and not when its on empty.