"Real Housewives" on a Budget

Aired on: November 25, 2008

The lavish lifestyles of Vicki, Jill and NeNe have been well-documented on the Bravo series The Real Housewives. "I like buying," admits Jill of New York City. "I never know what anything costs." So it would seem that Rachael's challenge would be right up their alley: to shop for a fashionable outfit that they would wear to an event. But there's a catch! The women will have only 45 minutes to shop, and they have a spending limit of $200! "Shopping on a budget?" remarks NeNe of Atlanta. "I don't shop on a budget -- but I'll try."

The women check out Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and Stein Mart to see what they can find, but when you're used to shopping at Prada or Dolce & Gabanna, having no credits cards and being forced to actually look at price tags doesn't come easy. Ultimately, the bargain hunter in each of them is able to locate a suitable ensemble on a real housewives budget. "You don't have to spend a lot of money to look good," says Vicki of Orange County, "because in the end, it truly is all about your attitude and how you feel in it -- no matter what your budget is."