The Relatable Way Jodie Sweetin Spent Her Earnings From Full House

Actor Jodie Sweetin is perhaps best known for starring as the chatty, sarcastic middle child Stephanie Tanner on ABC's hit show "Full House." She started on the show when she was just five in 1987 and was an integral part of "Full House" until it ended after eight seasons in 1995. The actor and author even reprised her role in the five seasons of the revival called "Fuller House" on Netflix. 

While we don't know exactly how much Sweetin made as a child star, there are some reports that it was $40,000 per episode by the end of the show.

However much she made, as a child actor, it was definitely more than most kids are making, and it turns out that Sweetin was pretty savvy when she spent her hard-earned "Full House" money. "I bought my first car, and I paid for college," Sweetin told People. That's pretty smart forward-thinking! Sweetin went to Chapman University in Orange, California, and as that institution is a private university, it's definitely on the pricier side.

Jodie Sweetin may have had to pay more in tuition than her classmates since it took her more than the traditional four years to get her undergraduate degree in elementary education. That was because she wasn't always prioritizing her schoolwork. In a speech at Georgia Highlands College in 2006, Sweetin talked about partying at school, so much so that "my freshman year of college I had a .9 GPA. You really have to work hard to get a .9 GPA," according to Six Mile Post. She also talked about how she'd had to take a break from college, and upon her return, she was able to turn things around, eventually making the dean's list.

The actress has been candid about her struggles with addiction in the decades after "Full House" ended, particularly in Sweetin's memoir, "UnSweetined," which included several surprising revelations, including her drug and alcohol use — as of 2024, Sweetin's been sober for over 10 years. She's also been open with her daughters about her issues with alcohol. Sweetin has two girls, who are growing up to be her twins, and her oldest, Zoie Herpin, is almost ready to go solo behind the wheel of her first car soon; Sweetin shared an Instagram video in July 2024 about Herpin learning to drive.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).