The `Water For Elephants` actress - who has 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."
sections: Celebrities