How to Afford Being on The Bachelorette or The Bachelor

With the latest season of the Bachelor (more appropriately, the Bachelorette) winding down, you may be asking yourself an important question. How does anyone pay for a month (or more) of not working? It seems expensive, that is for sure.

It starts with one man or one woman and a cast of some 25 eligible matches for the star. Over a period of several weeks, the people get to know each other. There is no doubt that all of the lavish trips are paid for by the show, and so is wardrobe, the location and all of those long stem roses. However, how can you afford to take weeks off like those here?

If you want to be the next Bachelor or Bachelorette, you will need to plan. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

* Put money in savings. Plan to be able to leave work for weeks at a time. Do not forget that you will need to try out for the event and that can mean flying across the country to do so. Having money in savings can help.

* To pay for any flight that you have to (some of these may be company paid for) do consider the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase. (only through August 10th 2011) It comes with two free flights after you make your first purchase. That way, you do not have to pay out of pocket for the airfare.

* You will need some spending money, just in case you do end up popping the big question or you need to update your look while there. Try the Chase Freedom Visa for this. It gives you a $200 Bonus Cash Back offer for making $500 worth of purchases in the first three months, and you will earn sizable cash back as long as you use the card.

* After you max out your cards and find yourself looking for a way to consolidate it all when you do get back to work, choose the Citi Thank You Preferred Card. You can transfer balances from all of your cards onto this one and pay no interest for 15 months. That should be long enough to get over the loss of the should-have-been love of your life.

For those who wish to participate in the next season of the Bachelor, think long and hard about it. It does require a time commitment and putting your heart out there. For those that it is right for, though, it could mean changing your life forever. On the other hand, if you just want a reason to getaway for a few weeks, and your boss will let you then go for it. It may prove to be a once in a lifetime event.