Kaitlyn Bristowe got a stipend from ABC before becoming the Bachelorette

Kaitlyn Bristowe was famously sent home from The Bachelor during Chris Soules’ season. Her exit set up the perfect opportunity to become the Bachelorette, however, Bristowe had to wait a bit before that could happen.

While on fiance Jason Tartick’s podcast, Trading Secrets, Bristowe revealed what occurred in the downtime between leaving The Bachelor and being announced as the Bachelorette. I was pretty surprised to learn ABC’s tactic, but I’m not shocked, considering what happens in this franchise.

Kaitlyn Bristowe reveals what ABC did before she became the Bachelorette

“[ABC] paid me a whopping $1,500 just because I didn’t have a job,” Bristowe said. “I was like, ‘You guys are making me wait around to see if I’m the Bachelorette and I can’t work.’ So, they gave me $1,500.”

Wow, $1,500? Don’t bust out all the money in the bank at once!

Bristowe was previously a restaurant server, a job she quit when she decided to be a contestant on The Bachelor. She revealed that she essentially went into debt to get a new wardrobe for the show, which she still calls “an investment.”

Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette was unique because there were two leads that year, including herself. Britt Nilsson was the other lead who ultimately got voted off when the contestants voted for Bristowe in a weird competition ABC decided to do that year.

With the $1,500 stipend ABC gave her, Bristowe shared she used it to cover expenses over the next four months. As of this writing, ABC has not commented on Bristowe’s statement regarding the stipend.

It was a big deal for Kaitlyn Bristowe back then, and it helped her stay afloat while ABC decided who they wanted to give the lead to. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’ve been working as a server at a restaurant hoping to make tips, any money in the bank is a win.

All these years later, Bristowe is happily engaged to Tartick, and all that happened is in the rearview mirror. I guess she has her Bachelorette vision board to thank for that!

Just $1,500, ABC? Come on, you could have done better than that!

Did you know about the stipend debacle? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!