Leo Gillick
In some cities, $20 will go a long way, often far more than just a day, but apparently that’s not feasible in NYC.
Videos by Rare
The challenge: The challenge was a simple one. Survive for a day in NYC for only $20. This didn’t include rent, bills, or even transport; it was literally just being outside and eating three meals. Indian YouTuber Aabir Vyas thought he would give it a try, but had a rather rude awakening.
- “Welcome to an episode of Barely Surviving with Aabir. The challenge is simple: manage breakfast, lunch, and dinner outside, all within $20,” he began his YouTube video in Hindi. His day started like many in NYC, with a trip to the gym. This, however, didn’t come out of his $20 budget.
First, he needed to find some food.
$20 Tricks
First meal: He made a savvy move first and headed to some street stalls to pick up some cheap fruit and veg.
- A bunch of 5 bananas only set him back $1, but he also made the unwise decision to buy a breakfast bagel. The first meal out of the way set him back $4, which isn’t too bad at all.
Second meal: He hopped on the NYC subway, which didn’t come out of his $20 survival budget. But lunch was next, and he picked up a protein bar and a coffee.
- The coffee was extortionate, coming in at $6.17, and the small meal reduced his funds to $7.45. However, now, he was in a cafe, and could sit and work, nursing his coffee.
The last meager meal: He drained the last of his $20 NYC day budget with a cheap can of sparkling water and chicken and rice with one of the bananas from earlier. The challenge wasn’t all that hard to do, but this only included feeding himself for a day.
Why it matters: The reality of living in NYC is much more expensive than just bananas and chicken. The rent of a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan is about $5,000 a month. This works out to $167 a day. So, before he had even started the $20 NYC challenge, he was already $-147.
Crazy.
