Brittany Cartwright made plenty of appearances on season 4 of Vanderpump Rules — but her bank account didn’t look like it belonged to a Bravo star.
“I didn’t get paid my first season of Vanderpump Rules — until the very, very end. I was broke,” Brittany, 34, recalled during the Friday, August 11, episode of her “When Reality Hits” podcast with husband Jax Taylor. “It took a lot out of me.”
During the episode, Brittany and Jax, 44, broke down how much money they spent in the early days of their relationship. Jax said a lack of funds — and long distance — led to Brittany making the move from Kentucky to Los Angeles months after they started dating in 2015.
“It was costing her. This is the beginning of the show and it was costing her $800 to $900,” Jax said about Brittany flying in to see him. “She was in Kentucky [working at a bar and Hooters] and $800 is a lot of money [to spend on airfare].”
Brittany, for her part, added: “It was like three months in. Because I had to work, I was going back and forth to see you. I was at work for a week and then would see you the next week. It was like two months.”
The couple aren’t the only ones who have offered a glimpse at how much they made on the hit Bravo series. Kristen Doute recently discussed the small amount of money she brought home after season 1 of Vanderpump Rules.
“We had very little in our bank account,” Kristen, 40, recalled during the July 27 episode of her “Sex, Love, and What Else Matters” podcast. “It was $5,000 and if we became a primary, we got an additional $5,000.”
Jax and Kristen were original cast members on Vanderpump Rules when it debuted in 2013. Brittany subsequently joined the series in 2015 after she started dating Jax before becoming a main cast member as well.
Following major ups and downs, which were filmed for the show, Jax and Brittany tied the knot in 2019. One year later, they announced their departure from Vanderpump Rules.
“The last 8 years on Vanderpump Rules have been some of the most challenging, rewarding and fulfilling years of my life,” Jax wrote in a statement shared via Instagram. “Although this is difficult to share, Brittany and I will not be returning for another season of Vanderpump Rules. We are excited to take this time to focus on our growing family and share with you our new endeavors. @bravotv, @evolutionusa and our Vanderpump castmates will always remain close to our hearts. Thank you to all the fans who have shared our journey with us and supported us through everything. We love you.”
Kristen, for her part, was fired alongside Stassi Schroeder in June 2020 due to past racially insensitive behavior toward former costar Faith Stowers.
After taking a break from the spotlight, Kristen, Jax and Brittany teamed up for a Vanderpump Rules spinoff series. The upcoming show, which received an eight-episode order from Bravo, will focus on a group of friends as they leave their wild younger years behind in exchange for parenthood and adult life in California’s San Fernando Valley.
The trio have been spotted filming since late last month with former costars Scheana Shay and Lala Kent potentially making appearances. Before Lala, 32, was seen filming with Kristen, Jax and Brittany, she offered an update on what fans can expect from the show.
“It is fully happening, and I think they start this week. It is so weird that they have a show, and they aren’t on our show,” she said during a July Amazon Live. “And as of now, we aren’t on their show. We are all best friends, and we should be filming a show together.”
