High cost of living it out in the city

After being back in Beijing for a year, I am starting to come out of my honeymoon period.

I no longer rave to friends in New York about spending 30 yuan ($4.40) for a fantastic manicure when they have to pay $20, because I realize it cost me another 40 yuan in cab fares to get to and from the nail salon. Plus, how do I assess the value of 40 minutes spent inhaling exhaust fumes in gridlocked traffic under Changhong Bridge?

The bargain deals at Yaxiu have also lost their appeal. I have to throw away two batches of trendy clothing I bought there since they fell apart after a few washes. The shoes also needed to be repaired after a single season. Luckily, my signature Ray-Ban glasses are still holding up, but when the temples on these 15 yuan babies give out, I'll probably replace them with authentic specs. As they say, yi fen qian yi fen huo, "you get what you pay for".