And how many votes did it buy them?
Money can't buy you love and it won't necessarily buy you success in politics either, as last year's local body elections in Northland showed that those who spent the most didn't get the most votes.
The Electoral Office has just released details of how much was spent by mayoral candidates in the Whangarei and Far North District council elections, held in October.
And the figures show that the two successful candidates - Sheryl Mai in Whangarei and John Carter in the Far North - spent far less than their main rivals.
Of the Whangarei mayoral candidates - Stuart Bell, Glenn Chapman, Crichton Christie, Vince Cocurullo, Shelley Deeming, Sheryl Mai, Greg Martin, Isopo Samu, Stan Semenoff, Warren Slater, Warwick Syers and Graham Tadman - only Mr Semenoff and Mr Tadman had not filed their election expense returns as required as of yesterday.