Reese Witherspoon hates excessive spending

Reese Witherspoon is "really thrifty".

The 'Water For Elephants' actress - who has two children, Ava, 11, and seven-year-old Deacon with former husband Ryan Phillippe - insists her worldwide success hasn't made her extravagant and she has kept the principles of her frugal upbringing in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She explained: "I'm pretty good with money. I'm really thrifty. I grew up in a really thrifty family so I don't spend a lot of money on things that are frivolous.

"I have a house, two cars, I have a regular life."

While she says she leads a "regular life", 34-year-old Reese - who recently announced her engagement to Hollywood agent Jim Toth - recently splashed out on a barn for the pets she keeps with her children.

She said: "I'm building a barn. I think it's cool. I really do have animal friends, I have donkeys, I have goats, I have pigs.

"I wanted the donkeys to be called Honky Tonk and Badonkadonk but the kids weren't so into it.

"Do I milk them? No. The goats are kind of worthless. They're pretty nasty and don't do anything. But I have chickens and they provide eggs."