Thanks to their starring roles on 1000-Lb Sisters, Amy and Tammy Slaton have found success as reality television stars, but the pair of sisters weren't always making a reliable income. As Amy and Tammy have explained on the show, the duo comes from a financially unstable background, and it hasn't been easy for either of the Slaton sisters to find work due to their complicated health conditions. From their YouTube careers to Amy's disability benefits, here's how Amy and Tammy were able to make money before they landed their own TV show.
Amy and Tammy have described their childhood as nothing less than traumatic, largely due to the Slaton family's financial insecurity. Growing up, the 1000-Lb Sisters stars were practically raised by their grandmother because of their mother's busy schedule. As a result of the Slaton clan's lack of money, Amy and Tammy's mother Darlene was constantly out of the house working several part-time jobs. After Amy and Tammy's grandmother died, Darlene still had to work tirelessly to provide for her family, so the Slaton sisters had to feed themselves. Due to their inconsistent income, Amy and Tammy would often have to eat less expensive meals like frozen and fast foods. This contributed to the sisters' unhealthy eating habits that they're still struggling to break free from to this day.
Currently, the Slaton sisters have managed to increase their income thanks to their performances on 1000-Lb Sisters. On top of the salary they make from starring on three seasons of their reality show, Amy and Tammy have managed to make extra cash from selling merchandise and sending personalized videos to fans on Cameo. Before they had all of these means of income, however, it's unclear how the duo could've supported themselves. One way Tammy and Amy made money before they were reality stars was through disability benefits. Although some fans think that Amy's disability is the result of her weight, the 1000-Lb Sisters star clarified that she's legally blind. Amy explained she was born with an eye condition that severely decreased her eyes' functionality. Furthermore, Amy revealed that doctors estimated she will be completely blind by the time she turns 35. Amy received benefits for living with her disability.
On top of collecting disability for Amy's legal blindness, the pair of Slaton sisters have also made money through their YouTube channels. Although Amy and Tammy didn't star on their own reality show until January 2020, the pair have been entertaining the masses for almost a decade now. According to Amy's YouTube channel, the television personality created her account in 2011. Over the 10 years in which the duo of sisters was active on the site, they wracked up millions of views. Currently, Amy's channel has amassed over 48 million views. Although they started off making videos together, Tammy made her own YouTube channel in 2018, which has garnered over 5.8 million views in the past three years. With millions of views under their belts, Amy and Tammy made a profit from YouTube ads that ran in their popular videos.
Amy and Tammy might not have always had the most luxurious lifestyle, but the pair of 1000-Lb Sisters stars have always been able to make ends meet. From their financially insecure childhoods to the money they made from viral YouTube videos, Amy and Tammy's ability to earn an income despite their array of health conditions is impressive. Hopefully, Amy and Tammy continue to increase their salaries as they prove their worth as entertainers on 1000-Lb Sisters.
Sources: Amy Slaton/YouTube, Tammy Slaton/YouTube