With Jill Zarin, Alex McCord and Kelly Bensimon axed from 'Real Housewives of New York City' there's extra money to play around with, which means pay raises for the other three veteran women. Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer and LuAnn de Lesseps are making nearly twice as much this season as they have in seasons past. 

The ladies initially would have made $275,000 but with a huge pay raise, they will not be banking $500,000 for the 16 episode season and two-episode reunion. It helps that the new ladies who signed up are reportedly only banking $100,000 a piece for the season. An insider says Ramona and LuAnn were happy to get rid of Jill and the others because, "this freed up the budget to get them paid more."

Filming for the next season began on Monday, and there's already tension between the old and new ladies. Sonja was presenting at the GLAAD Amplifier Awards and the new ladies were also there. Sonja and Romona were forced to speak and hang out with them and a source says, "It was all very awkward and cold, which is making for good footage already."

Bringing new b!tches on the show is exactly what they needed to do to add an extra spark to the show. Perhaps they could also give Ramona an additional pay raise to wear sunglasses all season so I don't have to see those googly eyes.

Photos: WENN