Reality television can be an incredibly profitable field to go into. Many reality stars have cashed in big paychecks from their various networks, while others garnered massive publicity for their solo ventures and businesses. Others, however, have not been so lucky.
For every reality TV star who is smart with their money, others lose it all thanks to poor spending habits, bad business plans, or divorce. While this list is not conclusive, here are some of the most financially successful reality stars, and for the sake of balance, some of the quickest to go broke.
8 Cashed In: Lauren Conrad
Conrad used the money she made from Laguna Beach and The Hills to launch her own business The Little Market. The website is a marketplace that highlights and elevates the work of female artisans. As of 2022, Conrad is worth $40 million. She is far more successful than some of her previous cast mates.
7 Broke: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt
Heidi And Spencer lost everything thanks to poor financial planning and terrible spending habits. They spent several thousands of dollars daily on an almost endless series of luxuries. Overnight, Montag and Pratt's net worth fell from millions to a measly couple of thousand dollars. Heidi's failed ventures into fashion and music did not help their situation either.
6 Cashed In: Snooki
Of all the Jersey Shore cast, few became as famous as Snooki. Despite her highly publicized arrest and other setbacks, Snooki still sits on a net worth near $4 million. She continues to make money with regular TV appearances, book deals, and public speaking. Like many other stars, she started a Cameo account, which had a viral moment during the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, is running against TV doctor Dr. Oz, who is running as the Republican candidate. Fetterman continuously trolls Oz on social media because Oz only recently moved to Pennsylvania before the election when he has been living in California and New Jersey for several years. In a "good luck" message to Oz, Fetterman paid for Snooki to give Oz a shoutout via Cameo. Snooki's Cameos cost $300 a pop.
5 Broke: The Situation
Unlike his more fortunate cast mate, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino lost everything in 2018 when the IRS busted him for tax fraud. The Situation did eight months in prison, paid $2.3 million in fines and back taxes, and by the end of 2021, he was practically broke. He has since begun his return to reality television, and with his debts paid the possibility of him reclaiming his net worth has increased.
4 Cashed In: The Duggar Family
The Duggars, headed by conservative patriarch Jim Bob, sit on an accumulated net worth of at least $3.5 million. With their wealth and fame, Jim Bob announced a run for the Arkansas state senate in 2021 but lost. Several of the other Duggars are also doing well financially, like Jill, who now flips houses with her husband, although she has distanced herself from the family amid current controversies. The Duggar's contract with TLC was terminated when it was revealed that the family was well aware of Josh Duggar's perverted actions. Josh is now serving 12 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
3 Broke: The Gosselins
Unlike The Duggars, who have accumulated a large net worth to match their large family, the Gosselins have practically lost everything. After a messy public divorce, Jon Gosselin ended up with barely a few thousand dollars to his name and has since been forced to work any odd job he can land. He did once try to become a DJ but failed there as badly as he did in his marriage. Kate had a slightly easier time thanks to what she got in the divorce, as well as the alimony she got from Jon, but soon she fell in financial straights too and was forced to join the 9-5 workforce. She is now in nursing and healthcare.
2 Cashed In: Carlton Gebbia
Although only with The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills for one season, Carlton Gebbia both came and went as one of the wealthiest cast members in the franchise's history. Reports indicate that Gebbia sits on $100 million thanks to her work as a real estate developer with her husband and an interior designer. Her design firm, Gebbia Custom Estates, received plenty of free publicity thanks to her single-season bout on the show.
1 Broke: Sonja Morgan
Despite marrying into a family with a net worth of over $100 million, life has not been easy for Real Housewife Sonja Morgan since her divorce. Although she still has a decent sum to her name, around $8 million, that is practically nothing compared to what she used to be worth just a few years ago. In 2020, news broke that she was $20 million in debt and was forced to declare chapter 11 bankruptcy.
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