A childhood memory begins the film, as Rebecca’s mother buys her brown shoes that will last forever but aren’t fashionable, while other girls get cute fashionable shoes. They laugh at her mundane shoes, and Rebecca feels unworthy. She sees a lady using a credit card and is fascinated by them, coveting one.

Now, Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher), living with her best friend Suze Cleath-Stuart (Krysten Ritter), has moved to Manhattan to get involved in the New York City magazine world. She has several credit cards, and a shopping addiction. She’s a journalist for a gardening magazine but her dream is to join the fashion magazine “Alette”. Unfortunately, when Rebecca gets to her “Alette” interview the male receptionist informs her that the job has been filled by Alicia Billington. He advises her to join another of several other magazines owned by the corporation, Dantay West and make her way up to “Alette” since the company likes to promote from within. He tells her there are interviews being held at Successful Savings.

On the way to her second interview, she is distracted by a Denny & George sale, eventually buying a green scarf. Her credit card is declined and sale items cannot be held so Rebecca races to the nearest hot dog stand offering to buy all the hot dogs if the seller gives her back change in cash. Rebecca lies, saying its a gift for her sick Aunt Ermintrude. Finally a man offers her $20. When she interviews with Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy), the editor of Successful Saving, she realises he is the man from who loaned her $20. Whilst he talks on the phone, she hides her scarf in a cubicle outside his office. The interview doesn’t go well, when he asks her why she chose to learn Finnish fluently and about the current fiscal crisis. She tries to distract him without any success. Luke’s assistant Hayley comes into the room and tells Rebecca that she dropped her scarf. Rebecca knows her game is up and leaves the interview.