Four-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara may have a $75 million contract to his name, but the Saints’ superstar is still ready to go back to his days surviving off a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter if he needs to.
The 25-year-old is conscious of living well within his means, he says in a recent interview for Uninterrupted’s “Kneading Dough” series.
“I’ve always known the value of a dollar,” the Georgia native says.
It’s a lesson he learned from his mother, who taught him the importance of hard work. “As a kid, I saw my mom work multiple jobs only to be able to afford the bare essentials.”
That appreciation for financial security has led him to be a savvy spender since his first day as an NFL player, when he received his signing bonus and only treated himself to a chicken wing dinner.
“I’m like, ‘Okay, this is more than I’ve ever had. My mom ain’t never had this much,'” Kamara tells Uninterrupted. “It would be a shame if I got this and lost it. I’m gonna keep doing the same thing I’ve been doing — [spending on] what I need and that’s it. I’m not about to go over the top, I’m not gonna live beyond my means.”
Kamara says that after four seasons in the NFL, he has yet to spend any of his football money from either his rookie contract or massive extension with New Orleans.
Instead, he lives off of the money that he earns doing endorsements. But Kamara is picky about what he lends his likeness to, partnering only with companies where he sees a future working together.
“I want to be a partner. I want it to be a real relationship to where it’s not just a one-off thing,” Kamara says. “All the brands that I work with I can call directly and talk to a CEO or somebody high up and have a regular conversation with them. It’s almost like a family. We’re working together, but we care for each other.”
Kamara also says that he is in control of all of his money. Nothing gets moved around without his approval.
“I keep it close like that because of the loaf of bread and peanut butter. I had to do it [before] and I’ll do it again if I have to,” he says. “But there’s no reason I should have to do that again.”
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