Gene Simmons recently reflected on how his mother instilled in him the importance of money management. During an appearance on “The HoneyDew”, a storytelling podcast hosted by comedian Ryan Sickler, Simmons explained that cultural perspectives shape how people talk about money: in general, being careful with finances is seen as “frugal,” but when it comes to Jewish people, the same behavior is often stereotyped as being “cheap.”
He also pointed out how the idea of “a penny saved is a penny earned,” popularized by Benjamin Franklin, has changed in modern times due to taxes—now, he joked, a penny saved is actually worth two pennies.
Gene Simmons stated that he raised his kids, Nick and Sophie, without allowances, teaching them to work for money by doing chores so they’d learn its value.
He further stressed the importance of hard work over entitlement, criticizing younger generations for expecting things like free healthcare and living without earning them.
Gene Simmons believes that being born into a wealthy family does not automatically entitle children to financial support or inheritance. Instead, he believes each person has a duty to themselves to figure out the right choices in life — the “right thing, right place, right time.”
To illustrate this, he shared how, as a baby in Israel, his mother had to chew his food for him because baby food didn’t exist there yet. He compared this to how parents once provided everything for their children — feeding them, cleaning up after them, and meeting all their needs. But eventually, that support ends, and a person must take responsibility for themselves.
