Let's face it — living on your own as a 20-something can be expensive!
Bills, groceries, the occasional mid-week splurge (hello, chocolate!), dog food, social events ... it all adds up.
So, my new mission? Trying to spend $20 or less on everything from beauty to home decor items. (Yes, I can feel you cringing from here.)
In this first episode of "Change for a $20," I've attempted to put together a date night look at a secondhand store in New York City for, you guessed it, less than $20. I quickly realized I had my hands full.
I thought I'd be able to find at least two items in my budget — and maybe even an accessory or two if I got lucky.
But with tops or light cotton dresses at roughly $13 each, finding a second piece was proving to be extremely challenging. It was time to get creative!
Here were my options:
1. Find a simple dress and add a handkerchief as a neck accessory.
2. Scout out a nice skirt and dress it down with a T-shirt.
3. Trade in an item I was wearing. (I'm only half joking.)
In the end, I came across the most adorable and versatile cat T-shirt that I combined with a fun striped skirt from Zara ... tags still on and everything!
Sadly, I didn't leave with any change for my $20, but I did leave with an outfit I could dress up or down based on the occasion — and the satisfaction of knowing I found something cute on a tight budget.
New episodes of "Change for a $20" are released every other Friday at 12 p.m. Eastern time on TODAY's YouTube channel. For more like this, be sure to subscribe here.