Signing up for reality TV is certainly not for the faint of heart. But it does come with some undeniable perks.

Aside from the Instagram fame and teeth-whitening endorsements, a few lucky contestants get to walk away with some pretty sweet prize money (we’re talking in the six-figure range).

But while some contestants choose to spend their money on a car, a house, or even a crocodile (yes, really), the cash doesn't always last long.

In fact, a few have spent all their winnings in just a matter of years.

Watch: An honest reality TV job interview. Post continues below.

From The Block to Big Brother, here's how different reality TV winners have spent their prize money.

Justin Narayan,MasterChef.

Justin Narayan was 27 years old when he pocketed $250,000 after winningMasterChefin 2021.

Now, two years on, the WA youth pastor has shared he didn't spend any of the quarter of a million dollars on himself.

When asked how he spent his earnings, Narayan, told Yahoo he'd "never been asked this question publicly", before explaining he "wanted to be generous" with the cash.

"I ended up donating a lot of it and giving some away to some people that I thought needed it more than me. And then made some investments with the rest of it," he told the publication.

"I actually didn't spend any of it [on myself]. I probably should have, in retrospect. But I was kind of like, I’m not going to buy anything flash, I'm not going to do anything, and I don't have any regrets with it," he continued.

"Sometimes I'm like, ‘Why did I give it away, I could’ve bought this now’, but at the same time I’m like, I never wanted money to control me. I always want to be generous with it. There's heaps more where it came from. Just be generous, keep helping people, and things will work out."

Since the show, Narayan has launched his own online cooking school calledHouse of Hospitalityand runs a YouTube channel sharing his recipes.

He has also racked up millions of views on TikTok sharing his creative ways with food.

Jack Vidgen,Australia’s Got Talent.

Jack Vidgen was just 14 years old when he wonAustralia’s Got Talentin 2011.

At the time, the younger singer walked away with a whopping $250,000 in prize money.

But over 10 years later, the money is completely gone.

"I wanted to buy my mum a car, so that was a pretty big chunk out of it," Jack told New Idea in 2019.

"I grew up poor with a single mum, and at some points she was working three jobs, working her a** off just so we could eat. So I’d never seen that much money in my life."

The now 26-year-old also used the money to fund his music career in the US.

"I don’t think people realise how much it costs to upkeep pursuing a music career, especially with the level I got to," he explained.

"I funded it myself going across to LA and that costs a lot of money. If you think about all the transfers, the cars, the flights, it all costs money."

"It [the prize money] funded my career."

Jess Eva and Norm Hogan,The Block.

While Jess Eva and Norm Hogan missed out on winningThe Blockin 2018, they did find themselves $209,000 richer thanks to the profit they made from their property.

Unfortunately, within two years, the money had all dried up.

"It's all gone," Jess confirmed on Triple M’s Moonman in The Morning in 2020.

The couple spent their entire prize money on swimming pools for friends, gambling and a kind act for a stranger, among other things.

"The first thing we bought was two above-ground pools, and we handed them out to our friends like lollies," she explained.

The money also went to a big bet at the tennis and helping a stranger who they came across on a community Facebook board.

"When you come from nothing you’ve got nothing to lose," said Jess.

"If eve