Part of the appeal of the Real Housewives franchise is the Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous aspect, but RHONY star Bethenny Frankel says that some of her castmates are just a few Bravo paychecks away from being in financial trouble. Frankel says that many of the women are living beyond their means.
Page Six says that Bethenny Frankel explains that she knows of what she speaks because she’s been in debt, and when she started RHONY she made less than $10,000 for the season.
“They can’t afford the lives they’re living. And if the music stops, they’re going to get in some trouble.”
Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail company in 2011 for $100 million guaranteeing her solvency, but she says she remembers struggling with extreme credit card debt.
“Until my late 30s, everything was just an anxiety and a struggle. It’s like the way people feel when they eat something and they don’t feel good about it. I’d be on the phone begging to get the [fees] reduced.”
Frankel gave an interview to Money saying that she used to think that credit card debt didn’t count in terms of true debt, but it really does in the big picture.
Hats on to Orlando pic.twitter.com/2xh5WppQNe
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) August 2, 2018
Frankel says that her advice to the other Real Housewives is to have a plan where if in an emergency, you could pay off all of your debt.
“You can’t put yourself in a position where, if the s–t hit the fan, you couldn’t pay all of your bills at one time. If the world came to an end, I would be able to pay for everything. I might not be left with much, but I can afford what I have.”
Other Real Housewives have weighed in on the cost of keeping up with the other housewives. Erika Girardi (aka Erika Jayne) of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills says that it costs about $40,000 a month to maintain her look and her lifestyle. People Magazine says that this includes hair, makeup, and clothing.
“If you want to look good, it’s hair, it’s makeup, it’s wardrobe, and then those people that help facilitate that. They’re not cheap.”
Bethenny Frankel explains that she moved into her dream home in May, a $4.2 million loft in NYC. Frankel says she realizes she’s come a long way since starting on RHONY , and she’s committed to giving back.
“I feel humbled. It took me three days to feel like this is my apartment. Wow, I can’t believe I live here.”
