How Much Money Does RHOSLC Star Monica Garcia Really Have? Here's What We Know
When Monica Garcia joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" for Season 4, she took to Instagram to promise fans she would be "real, open, vulnerable" with them. And at first, she was. Cast alongside wealthy entrepreneurs such as Beauty Lab + Laser owner Heather Gay, Vida Tequila founder Lisa Barlow, and jewelry-designing caviar queen Meredith Marks, Garcia was relatable to fans who didn't live Housewives-level lifestyles or have a collection of Louis Vuitton bags.
Garcia, a former assistant to fallen "RHOSLC" star Jen Shah, is a divorced mom of four who started an online baby blanket business so she could stay home with her kids. Per her Brea Baby website, the Bravo newcomer claimed she started the business after becoming "exhausted from working 9 to 5 and feeling like a failure as a mother." During the Season 4 episode, "Vacation Crashers," Garcia further explained why she started her business in a confessional interview. "At first, it started as kind of a hobby," she explained. "Now, going through a divorce, it has completely turned into a lifeline for me and my daughters because I don't have the same resources that I had while being married."
Of course, by season's end, "RHOSLC" viewers found that Garcia had a secret past as the mastermind of Reality Von Tease, a troll Instagram account aimed at taking down the "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" cast members. Given that bombshell, her Bravo paycheck could go up if she is asked back for a second season. But how much money does she have right now?
Monica Garcia has a higher net worth than you may think
There's no doubt that Monica Garcia lives a simpler life than her "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" co-stars. Several Season 4 scenes were shot in her modest, ranch-style home, and in one episode, her mother, Linda Darnell, temporarily repossessed her car because she allegedly missed payments. But following Garcia's divorce from her ex-husband, Mike Fowler, The U.S. Sun revealed that she was awarded $2,636 a month in child support for daughters Jaidyn, 13, West, 7, and Kendall, 6, as well as $4,000 a month in alimony. The November 2023 report stated that Garcia was also granted possession of the former couple's home in Utah, provided she gave Fowler his share of the equity. The three-bedroom house is worth $424,000 and still has a six-figure mortgage on it, according to Life and Style.
At the time of her divorce, Garcia hinted that selling $20 baby swaddles wasn't cutting it. In the court docs obtained by The U.S. Sun, she claimed Brea Baby has "zero value at this present point in time." She also claimed that she did not have "any countable income from any source." Life & Style reported that Garcia's net worth was estimated to be $300,000 to $1 million in 2023. But while that asset range is nothing to sneeze at, not everyone thinks it's an income worthy of a Real Housewife.
Jeff Lewis doesn't think Monica Garcia is rich enough to be a Real Housewife
During the "Ask Andy" panel at BravoCon in November 2023, Bravo mainstay Jeff Lewis questioned why Monica Garcia was cast on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," given her past as a struggling single mom. After saying he watches the "Real Housewives" franchise because he wants to see lavish homes, luxury hotels, and private jets, Lewis asked host Andy Cohen, "What is Monica doing on the show? I mean, she's on food stamps for f***k sake." As scathing as that may be, Lewis wasn't finished. "I look at that little house and all those kids — and I get depressed," Lewis added. "And you know what? ... She's got that Range Rover, but I guarantee she's three payments behind."
Cohen defended casting Garcia and pointed to a scene in which she worried she didn't have the "right clothes" for an event. The Bravo host called Garcia's panicked scene "one of the most relatable and powerful moments on a 'Housewives' show." But Lewis doubled down, telling The Messenger, "I don't believe Monica is the right fit for 'Real Housewives.' It's not an aspirational lifestyle." Lewis explained that while Garcia might be relatable to some viewers, most people watch the Bravo reality franchise to see the cast's extravagant way of living. Speaking on "Watch What Happens Live" in January 2024, Lewis said he wouldn't trust Garcia if he were one of her cast mates. "Honestly, I would hold my wallet close," he said. "I would nail everything down in my house. I would never let her in my house."