There's Another Level
There are a million things that money can buy—and a lot of them are things that most people don't even realize are an option. Here's a glimpse into the secret world that only the richest of the rich have access to.
The Titanium Amex
The Black Amex card is something of a legend, but it's even crazier than people realize. Called the Centurion Card, it costs $10,000 to sign up, and another $10,000 annually. What's that get you? Not only is it made of titanium, it gives you access to the Centurion concierge who can, and I'm not exaggerating, arrange to get you anything money can buy.
The REAL Smart Home
Alexa and Google Home are starting to catch up, but the Smart Homes that the hyper-wealthy have had access to for years still put today's commercial options to shame. Ever heard of Crestron Electronics? They're the billion-dollar Smart Home company that's been outfitting billionaires' homes for years.
Rosemarie Mosteller, Shutterstock
"Luxury Ice Cubes"
There's ice and then there's ice. Gläce Luxury Ice Co. ice cubes are perfectly square to provide "minimum dilution and maximum cooling" for your drink. And when we say perfectly square, we mean perfectly square. It's $325 for a bag of 50, which means that each hand-carved cube only costs $7. For ice.
Books By The Foot
Say you're wealthy and you want to put a library in your house. It could take a really long time to find enough books to fill your shelves—but luckily, there are wholesalers who will sell you books by the linear foot. The books are specified by size, color, and material to allow you to design the perfect look.
Who cares what's in any of them?
Private Train Cars
You've heard of private jets, but the REAL luxury is in a private train car. These opulent suites-on-wheels won't get you there as fast, but they'll get you there in style. Sometimes owners meet up and connect a few of their cars together for one trip to make it a real party.
A CEO...For Your House
Warren Buffett aside, the houses of mega-rich people are essentially condensed luxury hotels—and it takes an extremely organized and skilled person to keep it running smoothly. The responsibilities of whoever has this job is essentially akin to being the CEO of a midsize company—just for one person's house.
Your Own Personal Curator
Larry Ellison and many other hyper-wealthy people don't just have "maids" or "chefs". Their staff will include job titles like "Art Curator"—a role that's essentially identical to the curator of a public museum, just for one person's collection.
Actual Dinosaurs
A fossil that's survived being buried in the ground for millions of years is the definition of "irreplaceable," so of course it's common for very wealthy people to want to own them. In fact, artifacts in private collections that have never been studied by science is a major problem in fields like palaeontology and archaeology.
Though on the flip side, there are billionaire collectors of fossils who not only let scientists study them, but who fund the research.
David Tadevosian, Shutterstock
Private Boarding Gates At Airports
Going to the airport is miserable, and hyper-wealthy are not about to put up with it. There are completely private boarding areas at many major airports. Wait for your flight in a lounge with a full spa, bar, gym, sauna and more. Then when it's time to get to your plane? A BMW 8 series will take you there.
Gonzalo Carlos Novillo Lapeyra, Pexels
Truly One-Of-A-Kind Items
Fossils aren't the only one-of-a-kind items that are only available to the richest of the rich. There's owning an Aston Martin, then there's owning an original Aston Martin DB5...then there's owning James Bond's actual Aston Martin DB5.
DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Investment Cars
Everyone knows that a car is a depreciating asset as soon as it leave the lot. The same is even true for luxury cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis. But if you're wealthy enough and you have the right connects, you have access to limited edition cars like the McLaren P1, where only 375 were ever made and they were worth more than their $1.5 million price tag the moment they left the lot.
Axion23, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Rent-A-Celebrity
Most kids are lucky to get a birthday clown. But what if your kid wanted Tony Hawk at their birthday party? Or Demi Moore? That's no problem—as long as the price is right. It's more common than you think, especially in cities like Los Angeles.
A Vacation Prep Team
Going on vacation is a hassle. If you've got a little bit of money you can make things a lot smoother—but that's nothing compared how truly wealthy people vacation. There is an entire scouting team that will scope out the rented/purchased location and prepare everything you could possibly need.
Including, but not limited to: full wardrobe, jewelry, makeup, food, full schedule including all the best local locations. Now THAT is how you relax on vacation.
Pet Clones
Losing a pet is something every pet owner has to go through...but if you're extremely rich, you can pay six-figures to have your pet cloned, so you never really have to lose them!
Helen Rose Gabriel, Shutterstock
Private Banks
Rich people keep their money with banks like Chase just like you and me—except, they get access to Chase Private Banking, and that's a little difference. Ever had to wait for service at a bank? How about had to wait for a check to clear? Not with private banks.
It's not hard to get in, either: Deposit $3 million into your checking account and you'll probably heard from your bank's private division.
Booking An Entire Floor Of A Hotel
Different hotel suites will offer different levels of privacy, but there's nothing compared to renting out an entire floor of a hotel room, something wealthy and powerful people like Saudi Princes will do. Or pay $50,000 for a single meal, just to have the entire restaurant to yourself.
Edvard Nalbantjan, Shutterstock
Invisible Servants
Anecdotal stories from people who have worked for billionaires like Bill Gates is that they are paid to be as invisible as possible. Ensuring that any of your employer's needs are met at any time, while also interacting with them as little as possible.
Kidnapping Insurance
If you're one of the world's richest people, there's nowhere you can't go—but just in case, you might want some insurance. Hyper-wealthy people who, either for business or pleasure, want to travel to less stable parts of the world, can purchase "kidnapping insurance" to pay their ransom, just in case.
Private Concerts
Very rich people get the best seats at concerts...but what if they don't want to go out? No problem. Billionaires will hire celebrities from Christina Aguilera to Beyonce for personal, private performances on yachts or even in their homes. How much does that cost? Don't even ask...
Avatars For Going To Prison
In many countries of the world, if you are sentenced to jail and you have the money, you can simply pay for someone to serve the time instead.
Thomas Andre Fure, Shutterstock
New Releases At Home
Watching a new release movie at your home, though common now, used to be impossible—unless you can afford a $35,000 player and $500 per showing. Then movie distributors would happily let you watch whatever new release movie you wanted from the comfort of your personal home theatre.
Ways To Bend The Rules
Drinking in a car, even if you're the passenger, is very much against the law—but money can bend the rules pretty far. One wealthy man bought hired a driver, paid for his chauffeur's license, and bought a Jaguar that was juuust long enough to be considered a limousine—all just so he could drink in the back seat.
Impressive Friends
Building a network of relationships is key to success and happiness—but being hyper-wealthy immediately gives you access to the upper-echelons of society. Famous actor? Rock star? Olympian? Billionaire? Most people couldn't get in the same room as any of these people—but for the hyper wealthy, if you don't already know them, you almost definitely know someone who does.
Walt Disney Television, Flickr
Free Money
It's an open secret that once you rich a certain threshold, "being rich" is the last job you ever need to have. Though many hyper-wealthy people are titans of business, industry, and culture—there are still a lot of them you don't know about who just live off the millions of dollars their wealth brings in passive income.
Now that's a job I could handle.
Private Jet Timeshares
For the wealthy, but not quite hyper-wealthy, you can purchase a timeshare for a private jet with other people, just like a vacation home. In fact, some wealthy people prefer this service, because you can fly in different size jets depending on who you're with—an option you don't have if you buy one.
Secret Investments
There are many different ways to invest, but the world of investment opportunities that are available to the hyper-rich is so much bigger than most people realize. Imagine it like this: We're all out here betting on horse races before they start, while the hyper-rich don't have to place there bets until final leg of the race.
Shadow Yachts
If you have a beautiful, luxuries superyacht, you probably don't want a bunch of gaudy jet skis and pool toys ruining the look. Plus you've also got to house your guests and your staff. That's why some superyacht owners will keep a second, "shadow yacht" to follow around the superyacht and store all that stuff.
Drozdin Vladimir, Shutterstock
$100,000 Toilet
Yes it's gold.
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