It costs so much money to just exist.

Even death is expensive. 

$15,000 is baseline for a simple, no frills funeral.

I have spent the last 4 days bogged down with Queen E. billing.

Owning property is a great investment, but the upkeep even on an empty house is astronomical.

I am living in an altered financial state.

The basics are also unbelievable…groceries, gas, utilities…I am not telling you anything you don’t already know.

I’m not that old.

My first brand new car cost less than $3000.

Parking in a lot in our neighborhood just went up to $1000 a month.

I just booked travel to Los Angeles.

Now there’s a basic airfare category.

If you want to book a coach seat in advance rather than being assigned a middle seat by the rear bathroom on departure day, it’s an extra $30.

If you don’t want to sit in the back that runs an additional $72-$99 and that’s just for domestic flights.

It’s Restaurant Week in NYC and LA starting next week.

What a bargain.

$26 for lunch.

When did lunch become such an expensive meal?!

To celebrate my biannual teeth cleaning, I met my husband for lunch at the local sushi bar.

The lunch specials were always such a deal…all of a sudden the price when from $9 to $13.

Still a relative bargain in NYC, but that’s a big increase.

Coop and condo dues go up as frequently as the rising tide.

Today’s reality check…spending $150 on shoes feels like an obscene bargain.

I never go to Starbucks anymore, but I received a gift card at Christmas.

A grande cappuccino is now $5 for mediocrity with too much milk no matter how many times you say make it dry.

Cocktails have doubled.

I paid $24 for a martini recently. You can buy a bottle of Absolut for the price of one martini.

I am addicted to spin class…one 45 minute class is now $36…now I know why parents say, “Go outside and play!”

You used to be able to buy a lovely gift for $25…good luck in 2019!

Broadway is bragging about the 2018 banner year.

Sure, when tickets run an average of $150 and up, the increased revenue is a no brainer.

NFL tickets are a bargain at $200 for nose bleed mediocrity. It doesn’t include parking and food.

Movies are $16…forget popcorn and a drink. It’s like dining out now and people still talk, text and light up their phones.

Cable charges are absurd.

Pet care and vet bills are now comparable to human medical costs.

Private education and health care are prohibitive and Americans are so heavily taxed.

I could go on and on.

If the quality of services improved with the escalating costs then it would be an easier pill to swallow, but that doesn’t happen.

You can’t even have an intelligent discussion about basic service because most utility, cable, airline and credit card customer service centers are outsourced to the Philippines and if they aren’t reading it off a card then there is no room for reasonable discourse.

My New Year’s resolution was not to freak out about money…I failed.

I am doing much better with eliminating sugar intake then I am with maintaining an even keel about finances.

And let’s not forget the stock market.

Beautiful sunsets, walks on the beach, Central Park, a good book just don’t cut it anymore as a reasonable relaxation outlet…there’s no escaping reality.

Anybody have any roses for me to smell?!