Is Rachael Ray Broke? Her $40 A Day Comments Spark More Worry

Rachael Ray's comments on Mother's Day evoked images of her struggling to live on a few dollars each week, igniting worry among her fans — but is there actually anything to worry about? On Mother's Day 2025, Ray, who's dealt with a few tragic years, celebrated the holiday by sharing the survival skills her mother instilled in her in an Instagram video. "When I lived in New York as a very young woman, I was very, very poor," explained the Food Network star. "And I didn't want to bother my mother. I didn't want her to feel scared for me, so I would never ask for money. And I didn't have any." 

She continued, "Eventually, I did a show called $40 a Day," in which she'd travel to different restaurants and try to eat for under $40 per day. But she only had $40 per week when she was just getting started. "I would buy a week's food, and I only had $40."

Fortunately, Ray's family and upbringing prepared her for the art of making a little go a long way. "I always felt so grateful that I came from people that taught me how to buy dry beans, a few vegetables, very little protein, and to live on that for a long time," shared the star. "And I am deeply grateful for it. It has changed the course of my life. It's made my life what it is." Even better? Even though Ray lost her home in 2020, it wasn't because she was struggling financially (she lost her home to a fire in New York). In fact, it's quite the opposite. Ray is living quite large and quite lavish (and definitely better than the average chef).

Make no mistake about it: Rachael Ray's pockets are deep. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ray is worth a cool $100 million — not bad for a lady who doesn't even consider herself a real chef. "I'm a cook, not a chef," Ray explained to CBS News. "I grew up in industrial kitchens ... Our family was always in the kitchen." She continued, "I think that everybody should have to be a dishwasher. I think that everybody should learn how to take an order and serve people, you know? It's very humbling, and I think it's the luckiest thing that ever happened to me that I was born into that industry."

Despite her humble beginnings, Ray is now one of the richest Food Network chefs of all time — and it's afforded her a dream life. For example, although Ray has cycled through several multimillion-dollar properties over the years, she finally achieved her ultimate real estate dream by scoring a property in Italy in 2021. "I'm writing this just before I go to Italy for the first time in three years," Ray shared in "Rachael Ray In Season" magazine (via People). "I love it there and have missed it. My mother's family and both of John's parents' families hail from there. My husband and I got married there. And three years ago, I achieved my life's goal of buying a property there, in Tuscany." Also, can we acknowledge the flex of her announcing her fancy Italian property in her own magazine? Goals!