Shaq's Tall Spending

Citing an accounting document from Shaquille O'Neal's divorce filing, the Palm Beach Post reported on its Web site that Shaq routinely spends $875,015 per month. Now Shaquille O'Neal can add another name to his already lengthy list of aliases: The Big Spender. The Miami Heat center is in the third year of a 5-year, $100 million contract with the team. Some of the Diesel's most costly monthly expenditures, according to the newspaper, are:

• $156,116 in mortgages on three homes (including his $20 million mansion on Miami Beach's Star Island), plus $31,299 in homeowners insurance;
• $110,505 for vacations;
• $26,500 a month for child care;
• $24,300 for gas;
• $17,220 for clothing;
• $12,775 for food;
• $10,065 for electricity;
• $10,000 for temporary child support;
• $10,000 for alimony;
• $6,730 for dry cleaning;
• $5,000 for car payments;
• $3,345 for phone bills;
• $2,305 for pets;
• $1,610 for lawn and pool maintenance;
• $1,495 for cable TV

Shaq also donates to the running of the U.S government in the form of $5.41 million in federal income taxes, and over $900,000 in property taxes.

I understand when you make a lot you spend a lot, but this is ridicules. The one that really stuck out for me was $26,500 a month for child care. Come on now! I know I can baby sit his children for, say, $20,000. And he is spending $12,775 a month for food. Who is he feeding, the whole neighbor? What is he watching on TV with a cable bill of $1,495? Over $24 grand on gas, well he is in Florida, maybe he has a space shuttle in the back yard.

Really this is just the first financial volley in his divorce proceedings. After all no one would give their earning and spending breakdown to the media. Why does anyone other than Shaq's ex, and both their lawyers really care about where or how he spends his money?
I like Shaq, but I wouldn’t spend that kind of money if I could afford it. He earns about $1.7 million a month, so maybe $875 thousand is not that bad for the lifestyle he leads. All I know is that he would buy truckloads of toys for inner-city kids when he played in Los Angeles. I only wish more of our so-called superstars in the various forms of entertainment would give back as much as he does.

When you have that kind of jack to spend, you really need a spouse that you can trust. After all she left one husband to get with Shaq. Can you say pre-nup? Remember people, its all about sowing and reaping.