Kristin Cavallari recently opened up about a difficult experience involving a loan of $250,000 she gave to her father, Dennis Cavallari. On her podcast “Let’s Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari,” she reflected on how, at the age of 22 and while filming ‘The Hills,’ she lent him the substantial amount, but he never repaid it.
She recalled, “My dad came to me… and asked for a large sum of money to borrow. Six figures,” adding that it was a significant amount for her at that time. Although he promised to pay her back with interest within six months, that never happened. Instead, he asked for even more money.
She confronted him about the unpaid loan, saying, “You haven’t even acknowledged the first payment, and now you want more money?” Despite this, she ended up lending him more, admitting, “Because I’m such a f—–g sucker — or I was at the time.” Ultimately, she resigned herself to the fact that she likely would never see that money again, stating, “I will never see that money,” and reflecting on being in the hole with her own father for a quarter of a million dollars.
Cavallari acknowledged this as a poor business decision and recognized the lesson it taught her about setting boundaries with family regarding finances. She admitted, “I didn’t know how to set boundaries in my early 20s,” and noted how different her approach would probably be today.
She expressed frustration over how people often expect money from those who have it, saying, “And you are in no way, shape or form required or obligated to lend anybody money, especially if you’ve worked your f—king tail off for that money.” The experience, she felt, was akin to taking advantage of her youthful naivety.
As a mother now, she has difficulty understanding why her father would have asked her for such a large amount at a young age. Cavallari is the mother of three children and reflected, “I can’t imagine going to my kids when they’re 22 and asking for that kind of money.” She also described her relationship with her father as “very complicated,” hinting at deeper issues beyond the loans.
In a July podcast, she touched on the emotional toll of the unpaid loans, explaining that she has had to grapple with this financial loss and has ultimately found a way to make peace with it. This journey has informed how she plans to teach her own kids about money, especially the importance of knowing when to say no.
Reflecting on her father, Cavallari stated she hasn’t spoken to him in about three years, particularly after an incident that she claims traumatized her children. She expressed disbelief at his lack of accountability and the absence of a sincere effort to make amends. “To be honest with you, as a mom, if I had a kid, and I really f—– up with my kid, and they wanted to cut me out of their life, I would do everything imaginable to not let that happen,” she said, contrasting her approach with her father’s response.
