Cherry's Cash Dilemmas Page #6

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'But she's working to a tight budget,

'which means walking the five miles into town to save on bus fares.'

How much have we got to spend today and what do we need?

Right, my budget for today is 15 to spend on things for the picnic.

'Money is desperately tight

'and overspending on as little as a pound could leave Claire

'short for electricity and other essentials.'

We can't have sweets today, OK?

Because we haven't budgeted for those, right?

But when mummy gets paid we'll treat you to some. Is that OK?

'There is no chance of going off-list

'and I'm amazed at how the boys really understand this!'

- OK, what do you say, boys?

- Thank you.

- Good boys.

- SHOPKEEPER:

- No problem, thank you.

- Ta-ra, thank you.

I'm so impressed with Claire's budgeting.

I'm definitely not this careful.

I definitely don't go to the cheapest shops -

there's no way I would have got this much, for my money, the way I spend.

'I'm really interested to find out from Claire

'just how important money is to her.'

- Do you think money brings you happiness?

- No, I don't.

Best things in life are free.

I think the more you've got, the more you want,

you just get more and more greedy.

If you've got children, that's going to be passed on to them.

Are the boys losing out from not growing up with money?

No, I think they're gaining.

I really think that they're better people for it,

their morals,

they understand that they can't just walk into a shop

and pick up an Xbox.

Do the boys feel hard done by?

I don't think so, but I make them aware.

I say, "Look how lucky you are.

"Your mum and dad love you more than anything in the world."

They seem so content. They do.

I think they are, I think they're really happy.

You never know what's round the corner. You need to appreciate every minute together

and just make the most of it

and always say you love the person you're with.

- Boys, what have you found today?

- I found an old lock.

You found an old lock? Wow!

- And I found pottery.

- You found pottery.

- I found an old gas pipe.

- An old gas pipe?

And you found a pram wheel?

- Guys, you're like treasure hunters, was that fun?

- BOYS:
Yeah.

Bye.

- Bye guys!

- You going to give a hug, before we go?

Do I get a little hug? Oh!

- Bye!

- Bye!

So nice to meet you.

- What a treat! Aww!

- Bye!

Four hugs! That's amazing!

All right, bye, guys!

Have a lovely day!

- Bye!

- Bye, Claire.

'There's no denying that Claire still faces

'a daily struggle to make ends meet.

'After all they've been through, I thought Claire

'would be more reliant on money.

'But the loss of a child has forced Claire to address

'what really matters, and for her, it's not money.

'Other women I've met might feel differently,

'but I really admire how she's been able to cope, so well.'

Claire is one of most inspiring people I've ever met in my life.

She has so many reasons to... go on benefits

and to sit and feel sorry for herself but she doesn't.

Meeting her has definitely made me rethink...

the importance of money in my life.

'Growing up in one of the country's most deprived areas,

Claire has managed to make the best of her situation.

But how different is it, when you've lived the high life and lost it all?

The best things in life are free

But you can give them

To the birds and bees

- # I want money

- # That's

What I want

That's what I want...

'I am in one of the richest London boroughs to meet Birgit Cunningham.

'With a name like that she has to be posh.'

- Hi! Nice to meet you!

- How's it going?

Growing up, were you upper class?

I think, I think I'd say we were upper class,

mostly because of the schooling, we always went to private schools...

- I got myself into Roedean and...

- What's Roedean?

Roedean's a boarding school, it's a bit like Eton but for girls,

and it was all these international girls and princesses

and ambassadors' daughters and it was just stratospheric,

you know, big money

and I just, this was a world

I was unaware of but I suddenly thought, that knew what I wanted.

It was the early '80s and I'm like, "This is what I want."

I wanted to be in the super-rich crowd.

And there was nothing that was going to stop me!

'After a stint as a yacht broker, Birgit moved to Hollywood

'and became pals with some serious A-listers.'

I lived with Julia Verdin and Elizabeth Hurley

and we dressed, we were decked in

Dolce & Gabbana and Versace,

and Gucci and Chanel,

Elizabeth was always wearing Chanel.

I have dated some of the richest men on this planet.

I'm a serious stud in that department.

I managed to get Kevin Costner.

- What? You dated Kevin Costner?

- Yes.

- Can I ask a really, dirty question?

- BIRGIT LAUGHS

What was he like in bed?

I can't say anything but I can smile.

Really?

- I so want that to be true because he's so dreamy.

- Oh, yeah, my God.

So you grew up rich, loads of money, very wealthy.

Yes, definitely grew up very wealthy.

What's life like for you, right now?

Well, I think karma's taken a big...role in my life -

I've gone from being a snobby b*tch

to being a...

ending up in a council flat on a council estate

with absolutely no money to my name,

single mum, on benefits.

I left my soul down a hole

Now I'm signing on the dole

And there ain't no more

Money coming my way...

'After six fast living years in Hollywood,

'Birgit returned to London and got pregnant.

'But the relationship with the father didn't work out.

'Her parents were no longer in a position to support her

'and Birgit found herself alone and signing on.'

So how did that feel,

that first moment, going from the glamour

of your Hollywood, LA lifestyle to signing on?

It was just such an eye-opener of how most of the world lives, actually,

so, I'd really fallen from my tower

and I was... I felt it was more

a case of... You know when you're driving around London,

and you look at one or two buildings and you think,

"God, who lives there?"

"Who lives in that tower block?" Now I know.

'Birgit gets out her photo album

'to give me a glimpse of her former life.'

That's you and Liz Hurley, where's that?

That's doing the Cannes Film Festival.

Hugh Grant took that photo, actually.

Oh, my gosh!

- Did you take these?

- Yeah, I took those pictures.

Does it not hurt to look at these photos and think,

"I used to date Kevin Costner, in LA?"

I have to say, it did take me a long time to get over that one.

Who are these guys in this picture?

That's Zac Goldsmith, MP now,

Jemima Goldsmith,

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson,

Elle Macpherson, and me.

Those were the days that I knew people,

That was right before I became pregnant, actually.

And that was when it kind of ended?

Yeah, pretty much, that's what I fell from.

'But with a bump down to reality it's school closing time,

'and we have to pick up her son, Jack.'

- Hi, I'm Cherry. Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

'Tired of the stigma of being on benefits,

'Birgit wants to return to work,

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