Sticker shock is a real, visceral thing. Say you’re perusing clothes in a nice boutique, letting your mind wander imagining wearing them, deciding which items you like and don’t like, what would look good on you, etc. And then you make the mistake of looking at the price tag and your fantasies are swiftly and immediately shattered. You realize, «This store is not for me» and it bruises your ego. You almost get angry at their audacity for charging $1100 for a wool scarf. «The world is ridiculous and unfair,» you think. And you’re right. 

Sticker shock is even more painful when you’ve already committed to paying for something. Maybe you’ve decided to buy your friends a round of drinks and you realize martinis don’t come cheap. Or maybe you’re out to dinner, in for a bit of a splurge, but aren’t quite ready for the number that the server slyly puts forth. It has happened to the best of us.