“I Have the Money, You’re Broke!” Ben Affleck’s Parenting Rule Comes With a Pricey Lesson

Say your teenage son tells you to get a Lamborghini. You have the money. Most people would expect a famous millionaire to say yes. Ben Affleck said no, and he said it twice. His son Samuel, now 14, has a history with a yellow Lamborghini: at age 10, he backed one into another car. Now Affleck says his son’s taste for fancy things looks very familiar.

Samuel Wants Dad to Own a Lambo, and Dad Said No

Samuel wants his dad to own a Lamborghini. Affleck, 54, shared the story on actress Kerry Washington’s podcast, “Street You Grew Up On.” He said his son told him to get a “Lambo.” Affleck laughed, then said no. He asked if he would look like a show-off driving a yellow one to the club. Samuel’s answer was yes. Affleck says it shows how much his son is like him.

Samuel Has Backed Into a Fancy Car Before

This is not Samuel’s first run-in with a yellow Lamborghini. In June 2022, Samuel, then 10, visited a luxury car rental shop near Los Angeles with Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Affleck let him sit behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Urus. Samuel put it in reverse and tapped a white BMW. The car rented for $1,475 a day and was worth about $250,000, the New York Post reported.

The Scary-Looking Crash Cost Nothing

No damage was reported, and the shop did not seem upset. Representatives for both Affleck and the dealership told the New York Post that neither car was damaged. A shop worker said there were no hard feelings. Samuel hopped out to check the cars, and photos show Affleck hugging his son afterward. A fender-bender with a $250,000 car could have been a very pricey lesson. This one was not.

Affleck Believes Kids Should Earn What They Want

Affleck wants his kids to earn what they want. In April 2025, he told “Today with Jenna & Friends” that parents who give kids everything do them a disservice. He said children need to learn that wanting something means working for it. Affleck shares three children with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner: Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel. So when Samuel eyes a luxury item, the answer can be a chore.

“I Have the Money, You’re Broke!” Was About Sneakers

Affleck’s “no” has a famous comeback. In March 2025, a video showed Samuel admiring $6,000 Dior x Nike sneakers. Affleck told him, “That’s a lot of lawns you gotta mow there.” Later, Affleck told Access Hollywood that his son argued, “We have the money.” Affleck’s reply: “I have the money, you’re broke!” He joked that once you tell a kid to mow a lawn, the shoes suddenly lose their appeal.

His Kids Aren’t Impressed by Hollywood

Kids are not easily wowed by a famous parent. Affleck told Seth Meyers that he once hoped his movie career would make his kids proud. Then he learned they do not really care. “The most cool thing I’ve ever done, in my kids’ eyes, is, like, become a meme,” Affleck said. For a dad who wants his children to work for what they get, that is a good reminder of how little fame buys.

A Coffee Spill Made Him Cool at Home

That meme was a photo of Affleck juggling Dunkin’ iced coffees and a box of Munchkins outside his Los Angeles home in December 2020. It went viral. Social media users joked that his tired face summed up that rough year. In 2023, Affleck teamed up with the coffee chain for its first Super Bowl commercial. When he asked his kids why the meme was cool, they said, “You’re relevant.”

Samuel Is More Like Dad Than His Siblings

Samuel is not like his older siblings. Affleck says Violet and Fin made parenting easy, because they said no to fancy things. Samuel is different. Affleck says his youngest is a lot like him, with a taste for luxury. That makes saying no harder. It also makes the lesson matter more, because a kid with big wants has the most to gain from learning to earn them.

The Real Price of a Lamborghini Is Earning It

Back to that Lamborghini request. Samuel has the taste, and his dad has the money. Affleck’s answer, though, is not about cash. It is about effort. A $250,000 car and a $6,000 pair of shoes point to the same rule: earn it first. As for the yellow Lamborghini, Samuel can still dream. He may just have to mow a few lawns.