Sarah Palin Makes $12 Million: Why Does She Need That Much Money?

Palin Earns Big Bucks, But To What Use?

When in 2009 Sarah Palin announced her resignation from the position of the Governor of Alaska, many pondered the strategic impact of her decision. One thing is clear now, Palin definitely improved her personal finances ever since she left the Governor's seat empty.

ABC News released an estimate of Sarah Palin's earnings, saying Palin earned at least $12 million in royalties, fees and salary since she left the post of Alaska's Governor. It is estimated Palin used to earn $125,000 a year in her Governor's position.

Palin landed some pretty sweet deals since her resignation. In November of last year, she released her memoir Going Rogue: An American Life that sold 2.7 million copies in the first two weeks. In March of this year, Palin landed a reality TV deal with TLC to host a show about Alaska. Although Palin' honorarium was not disclosed, it was rumoured that former Alaska Governor could be paid as much as $1.5 million per episode of the show. It is reported that Palin is charging as much as $100,000 for speaking engagements.

• 'Sarah Palin's Aslaska' To Air On TLC: Discovery Wins Bid
• 700,000 Copies Of Sarah Palin's Book Sold In First Week Of Sales

In 2010, Palin made the shortlist for Time's list 100 most influential people in the world.

But, how do Palin's earnings compare to salaries of other top female politicians? As an example, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes $186,600 a year. And, the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi earns $223,500.

But, why does Palin need so much money? Is she trying to save enough money to guarantee a smooth Presidential campaign in 2012?  That could be. The New York Times estimates candidates who were planning to reach Election Day in 2008 needed more than $500 million each. The overall cost of the 2008 election was estimated to have exceeded $1 billion. Of course, sponsorship and donations are the two most important fund-lines for an election campaign. But, the more sponsors, the more opinions to take into consideration. So, does Sarah Palin want "to command the parade" so to speak, and have as independent of a Presidential campaign as possible? After all, the 2008 Presidential campaign has left Hillary Rodham Clinton in debt. Clinton had to write off $13 million in campaign debt that she lent it herself.