Paris Hilton Pleads Poverty  8/21/06

Socialite Paris Hilton insists she understands the plight of fans who struggle with their finances because she was broke when she first arrived in Los Angeles.

The hotel heiress insisted she was cut off from her famous family financially when she moved to Hollywood because she wanted success on her own terms - not because she could buy it.

Hilton says, "When I moved to LA, I swear on my life I didn't have anything.

I was living in a crappy model apartment.

"I told my mom I didn't want any money and I've done it all on my own. All this, I bought for myself: my cars, my house."