Bethenny Frankel is one of the biggest success stories of “The Real Housewives” franchise, but she wasn’t rolling in money when she joined “The Real Housewives of New York City” in season 1.
In a TikTok video with Us Weekly shared on August 13, Frankel recalled, “I had no money. I was broke … the contract said $7,250 for the season.”
Referring to what’s now known as the “Bethenny Clause,” which allows the network to take a portion of the stars’ business profits that are promoted on the show, Frankel said, “I’m not good at reading contracts, but there was something jumping off the page.”
“I didn’t even think I’d ever have anything. I really didn’t. I just wanted to make some money. I never thought I’d be this successful. But I was like, ‘Let’s take that out,'” the reality star continued.
She added, “And what did they care? I was nobody.” Frankel went on to say that the network started caring after realizing what a loss not enforcing the clause was, so they began including it in all of the “Real Housewives'” contracts.
Frankel Splurges on Big-Ticket Items Once in a While
Frankel knows when to splurge when it matters, and between helping out relatives and last-minute transatlantic trips, she drops some coin every now and then.
“Money is great when you have an aging parent or someone reaches out to you and they need help, and you want to help another human being. For me, it was an estranged stepparent, but I’m the one who could do it. They had family members, but everyone turned their back on them,” she told Us Weekly.
The entrepreneur continued, “This is something that money makes available to you. I was in Europe, and I couldn’t sleep, and I was having anxiety because of this move, and I just like to be home. And it was four in the morning.”
“I’m like, I’m gonna go to the airport, and my ticket ended up being, like, $6,000 more, something crazy. I had a crazy, amazing points ticket, but I wasn’t feeling well. I’d been sick, and I was like, ‘This is what money’s for,'” she said.
Frankel Defends Flying Commercial
With all her wealth, Frankel still flies commercial, which she found herself defending when a fan called her out for taking a recent JetBlue flight.
“Like with everything else, I don’t mind spending money, but I never waste money. I don’t waste food, I’m in a brand-new, gorgeous house good enough for major design magazines to want to cover, but 40% of it is pieces I had in my former home,” Frankel told fans.
She added, “I believe in highs and lows, just like with clothing. I don’t need to flex. I don’t need it to be a label. I’m not insecure in that manner. So I just don’t waste.”
Frankel went on to say that her recent flight was a short one, so she felt it was “wasteful” to fly private. She did note that she occasionally charters a private jet, but she’ll either share it or it’ll be for special occasions.
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Bethenny Frankel Reveals the Jaw-Dropping Paycheck She First Received on ‘RHONY’