MIDYEAR REVIEW OF INVESTMENTS AND PERSONAL FINANCE : Money Moves of the Rich and Famous

Celebrities have to manage their money too--and some of them are pretty good at it. So eat your heart out, Robin Leach. In their own words, six notables shared their savvy moves with free-lance writer Susan Jaques.

Kelly Lange, Newscaster and author of “Trophy Wives”

I have always been fascinated with houses--probably because growing up we never owned one. In the ‘80s, when real estate was king, I set out to buy myself a house. That’s when I discovered the magnificent Mediterranean villas of builder Fred Smathers, and I made the decision to build.

That was the best financial decision I ever made, because besides making money, I had a great time. Fred and I went on to build some palaces together in Nichols Canyon. Each time, when the power was turned on for the first time, I would stand on the street, watch my house light up, and cry. In the end, I sold the houses for profit, but the larger payoff was the process. I don’t invest in somebody else’s restaurant or movie or baseball team--investing in my own dream works best for me.

My motto is: Invest in what you love. You’ll work harder at it, it will have a better chance of succeeding, and you’ll have a good time doing it.