In many ways, Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle has lived out the “rags to riches” fairy tale that so many of us dream of. Previously, she lived in relative obscurity and nurtured singing as a hobby. But her amazing performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 launched her into a life of fame and fortune at the age of 48.
In the years since, Boyle has released eight albums. This includes best-sellers like 2009’s I Dreamed a Dream and 2010’s The Gift, the former of which reportedly earned Boyle $2.4 million. In total, she’s sold over 19 million albums worldwide!
She is also the director and controlling shareholder of four companies that handle her music and merchandising: Duil Limited, Speur Limited, Speur Business, and Speur Films. In 2015, these companies were reported to have earned Boyle £2.5 million that year, or almost $3.2 million.
The sales from her albums, coupled with TV and film appearances (including Zoolander 2), touring, and merchandising have given her a considerable fortune. Celebrity Net Worth estimates her net worth at $40 million.
With all her wealth, you might be shocked to learn that is that Susan Boyle is very selective about her purchases. And what she has spent her money on is absolutely astonishing! Here is how Susan Boyle really spends her money.
A new house — that she quickly left for her old one
Perhaps Boyle’s biggest splurge of wealth was on a new house in 2010. But she had no plans to leave the Scottish town where she grew up for Hollywood.
The new house — which she dubbed “The Posh House” — is located down the road from her childhood home. And it is posh indeed: a five-bedroom new-build detached villa worth £300,000 (or about $383,000).
But Boyle soon realized that living in such fancy digs wasn’t for her. She ended up buying her childhood home for £65,000 ($83,000) and moving back.
She kept The Posh House as an investment, though, and has tenants living there, whom she calls “really nice people” in a February 2020 interview with OK! Magazine.
RELATED: 8 Reasons Why You Don’t Hear About Susan Boyle Anymore
Renovations on her childhood home
We typically think of celebrities as living in giant mansions. Despite her surge in fame and fortune, Boyle has chosen to live in the three-bedroom former council house she grew up in.
“It was my mum and dad’s house so I’ve actually lived here for 58 years — all my life,” Boyle told OK! Magazine. “Coming back here to the same street and house keeps me grounded.”
Furthermore, she loves her neighbors and they love her. “We all look out for each other and I feel safe here,” she says. “They are all used to me being here so I don’t get any bother.”
She has, however, spent some of her fortune on renovations, including a new kitchen, new bathroom, new floors, and new doors. “My favorite room is the bathroom,” she says. “I go there to get some peace. I sit and read my book.”
A fur coat
There are a few clothing items we automatically associate with rich people. That’s largely because wealthy people often dress very casually (just ask Mark Zuckerberg with his endless closet of hoodies).
However, one timeless staple of rich clothing is the fur coat. And while she didn’t say much about it, Susan Boyle confirmed to OK! that this was one of her major purchases.
However, Susan claims that she’s yet to wear the fur coat out in public. (Perhaps she’s aware that wearing fur is now considered taboo.) The coat pictured above is probably faux fur.
A piano
Boyle is primarily known to the world as a singer. But this hasn’t kept her from pursuing other musical talents as well.
That’s why Boyle bought a piano for her home. While she’s still learning how to play this instrument, every day brings her closer to additional musical mastery.
Perhaps that’s why she keeps a framed record celebrating one million album sales in the same room as her piano. That record is a powerful reminder of both her past success and her future potential!
A bike
Speaking of potential, one of her smallest purchases was a brand new bike. This would be an ideal way to travel around her neighborhood… if she ever gets around to it.
In her interview with OK!, Boyle was blunt about her bike: “I haven’t been on yet.” Of course, that was back in February 2020, so maybe she spent this summer biking all over the place.
Driving lessons
Here’s another reason Boyle may have ditched the bike: she’s holding out for something bigger and better!
She has spent some of her money on driving lessons in the hope of safely driving herself around. So far, though, she’s had limited success. “I’ve spent a bit on driving lessons, but I haven’t managed to pass yet,” she told OK!
Still, Boyle has an admirable sense of humor about all of this. “I’ve got a provisional licence, but they might put a giant cross on it as I nearly ran over my PR in the summer.”
Based on that story, maybe she should stick with the bike!
Dance lessons
TikTok is probably the last place you’d expect to see Susan Boyle. Then again, TV was the last place her friends and family expected to see her right before she became an overnight sensation.
Boyle danced along with two friends to Laxed (Siren Beat) by Jawsh 685. The video was uploaded to TikTok user GezRae’s account. And as it turns out, Boyle is not too bad at dancing!
Then again, it’s something she’s been working on. “I’ve got some moves. I’ve been taking dance lessons,” she told The Scottish Sun in February 2020. “Someone suggested I would be good on Strictly Come Dancing. Yeah, I would like that.”
Based on her TikTok debut, it looks like the lessons are already paying off!
Healthier foods
One of the last things Boyle has spent her money on is quite practical: she’s been buying healthier food.
While most of Boyle’s life in the last decade has been a whirlwind of success, she also faced unexpected challenges. This included an autism diagnosis and, later, when her doctor diagnosed her with type 2 diabetes.
She identified the root of the problem to The Mirror in 2019: “I need to stop eating sweeties and cakes. It’s the bane of my life.” And by focusing on healthier foods and exercise, she was able to shed 50 pounds.
The end result is that she’s looking and feeling better than ever. And you can’t put a price tag on that kind of feeling!