Queen Elizabeth's Tea Is Cheaper Than New York's

One thing I had heard from everyone before moving to the big city but didn't quite realize until I moved here: New York City is expensive. No really, not just in the sense that nail polish remover costs 30 cents more than back home, but in the way that anything and everything costs more money than you'd expect.

Not everything is affected by the New York City Price Plague. You can still count on getting delicious $2 bagels and coffee from the food stand on the street corner, but some things are so inflated that you wonder how people can afford even the most basic necessities. I mean, $25 for a cheap drug store mascara? Am I getting a silver Lexus with it?

Part of avoiding spending too much is just trying to avoid things that aren't clear or too tricky. Let me tell you a little story about how I learned this the hard way.

Hipster-looking food is the biggest culprit of alarming prices. You may think you are strong and have will power, but when you're in New York City, every person on the street and their cat is practically a hipster. Every girl is wearing some expensive mod-looking boots and sporting lipstick so dark that it borders on gothic and Halloween costume. Heck, even the homeless people are wearing some circular shades from American Apparel.

So, I gave in. On my first day of class, I decided to stop by a cool looking tea place called "Tea Drunk." Every man was wearing brown glasses (despite having perfect vision) and rolled up khakis, so I knew I was in a typical hipster New York area. Check.

I looked up at the price board and saw that the tea flavor I wanted, chocolate mint, was priced at $2.65 for the smallest size. Not bad, right? In fact, I thought it was pretty cheap. I walked up to the register and boldly stated my order. (Not that boldly I guess, because I had to repeat it twice. I think the cashier might have been slightly deaf.)

Then, when I thought it was over, he started quickly asking me questions that I could barely understand. Would you like milk? What type of tea would you like? Slow brewed or regular? Do you believe in God? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?

(Okay, not those last two.)

My upper lip became sweaty and I froze. All I could do was smile and nod and say yes. The cashier then proceeded to type in a series of demands in the register until my total rang up as 9.59. 9.59?????? Wasn't it 2.65?!

Trembling, I handed over my credit card, while still attempting to remain cool. I couldn't possibly ask why it was so expensive. That would be so anti-New York.

When I finally recieved my drink, I sipped it slowly, having survived my first encounter with the New York City Price Plague. Was the drink good? Yes. Worth $9.59? No. Again, there was no Silver Lexus included.

So beware, friends. Even if the cashier seems nice and friendly, he may be rattling off options that are potentially making your drink 4 times more pricey. You don't have to say yes! Just say no! Snatch up your purse and just storm out!

(P.S. You don't necissarily have to make it dramatic. You could also just politely leave.)

#newyorkcity #tea #expensive #newyorkcitypriceplague #priceplague