12 things US presidents have to pay for themselves

Being the president of the United States is a tough job. Though it comes with a few perks – living in the White House, travelling in Air Force One, and the $400,000 annual salary – not everything is included as part of the job.

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Though the White House comes with its own chef – which comes with the residence – presidents and their families must pay for their own food. First Lady Michelle Obama confirmed this in a 2018 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

If the president or first lady wants to wear designer clothing, it’s something they need to pay for themselves, Katie Vigilante, senior lecturer in political science at Oxford College of Emory University, tells Reader’s Digest. There is a loophole, though: designers can gift presidents and first ladies outfits, but they have to be donated after one wear and that includes many of these inaugural gowns worn by first ladies.

Not only do presidents have to pay for their own designer clothes, but they also have to cover the dry cleaning, according to CNN. This means that some Washington, D.C. dry cleaner is entrusted with the president’s dirty laundry – literally.

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Whenever a president holds a private party in the White House, they are responsible for paying the hourly costs for waiters and cleanup crews, Vigilante says. This aspect of the festivities is not covered by taxpayers. This may deter some presidents from hosting private events in their government residence.

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When other heads of state or government visit the United States, there’s an expectation that the president of the United States will give them a gift. But according to Jennifer Capps, curator and historian at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, presidents must pay for these gifts out of pocket. Not only that, but there’s a special Gifts Unit within the Office of the Chief of Protocol, which works closely with the staffs of the president, vice president, and the secretary of state to help select the gifts presented to foreign dignitaries from the United States.

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When a president goes on holiday, they have to foot the bill for the hotel or rental house where they stay with their family, Vigilante explains. The exception to this is Camp David, which is covered, as are the costs of security and travel to and from the holiday.

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If a president wants to hold a private event outside of the White House or Camp David, this is also an expense they must pay for on their own, according to Vigilante. However, unlike private parties held in the White House, the staff are paid for from the public purse.

Former First Lady Laura Bush was keenly aware of all the attention that previous women in her position got for their hair. To help her look the part, she hired her own hairstylist to give her a daily blowout, which the Bush family paid for themselves, CNN reports.

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Most households need certain things to function, like toilet paper, toothpaste, and garbage bags. And while the house itself – that would be the White House – is a perk of being president, the stuff inside is paid for out of pocket, according to the Reeves Law Group.