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Jennifer Pedranti Sheds New Light on Her Complicated Financial Situation: “I Had One Debit Card”
"It's scary to be 46 and have to figure out how to do things that other people learn in their 20s," explained the RHOC cast member.
Part of being a Real Housewife is being real — even if your reality isn't the most glamorous. This season on The Real Housewives of Orange County, we've seen Jennifer Pedranti come to terms with her complex financial situation ... and even ask for help figuring it out.
During Season 18, Episode 3 of RHOC, Jennifer detailed exactly what's going on with her finances. The conversation went down after she was unable to pay rent (in a house Gina Kirschenheiter found for her) and was evicted.
"I'm learning. I had no access to anything [financial]," explained Jennifer in the episode while sitting down with the ladies after a flag football game. "I want to stand on my own two feet. I don't want to not know finances. I don't want my car not being paid."
In a confessional, she expanded on her statement. "It's scary to be 46 and have to figure out how to do things that other people learn in their 20s," she said. "I've never had a credit card in my name, and I never knew what fear was, stress was. This is a new spot for me."
In the same conversation, Jennifer also told the women that her boyfriend, Ryan Boyajian, had agreed to absorb her debt. How much? $24,000.
"You need to make changes so that you're in the driver's seat," shared Gina. Jennifer agreed: "If something were to happen with Ryan, I literally am homeless and I don't have a car."
Here's What You May Have Missed on Bravo:
Jennifer Pedranti’s Boyfriend Ryan Sets the Record Straight on the RHOC Season 17 Drama (EXCLUSIVE)
Who Is Jennifer Pedranti's Fiancé? Get to Know Ryan Boyajian
Here's Where Jennifer Pedranti and Ryan Boyajian's Relationship Stands Today
Jennifer Pedranti unpacks her financial situation
During a July 2024 interview with BravoTV.com, Jennifer also opened up about her relationship to money and the complicated situation with Gina.
Why didn't Jennifer Pedranti pay her rent?
Explained Jennifer, "Gina got me in the house. My ex-husband was traveling at the time because we nest, and so Gina was just vouching. She pulled all the tricks out of her sleeve that she needed to, and it was perfect. Come four months and I'm living there, it's a great home for the kids and I, but my ex is going through something."
Jennifer noted that she didn't know anything had changed at first — she thought everything was as it had been for the first three years of her divorce where her ex-husband, William "Will" Pedranti, paid the rent and paid the bills.
"When he was with the kids, he was in the house; When I was with the kids, I was in the house," she said. "And Gina says she felt like when rent was not being paid, she feels like I was ruining her career."
While Jennifer noted she wasn't looking for sympathy, she did think Gina could have been more understanding of the situation. "I'm not a woman that would take out another woman's career, so that was surprising," she said.
Jennifer also explained that she dealt with the situation quickly as soon as she realized what was going in.
"I was not gonna put anybody through any more unpaid rent," she said. "I hate this feeling of me being somebody who's just frivolous and I don't care or take responsibility, I very much do. I can't say anything other than this is my life and this is me to be on this platform and share it."
Still, the women are "great" today — it's understood that Jennifer was in "survival mode."
How Jennifer Pedranti's ex-husband handled their finances
Elaborating further about her and her ex-husband Will's previous arrangement regarding their finances, Jennifer said, "People just don't understand my life at that time, and I don't know that I need people to understand it. At the time, I had one debit card. When I needed gas, I would text my ex and he'd move money. If I needed groceries, I would text and he would move money. So for people to say, 'Why didn't you pay your damn rent?' I mean, my ex was going through something and I don't communicate with him."
—With reporting by Tina Santomauro
