Certain "Givens"

There are certain "givens", in life.
Price-tags that I must pay,
with varying monetary degrees;
trades that I must make.

With options that I need to barter, for:
to help adhere the word "comfortable", to the phrase, "my future".
I truly understand this principal; but, I'm not too happy about it...
..but, all that's part of the bargain, that's called, "Life".

Of late, these certain "givens"
have all seemed to increase their price-tags,
but, their intrinsic value, has remained the same, or dropped !
And most of the trades I've had to make,

have increased the echo in my wallet, as well.
Plus, either my bartering skills are slipping away,
or just about everyone else has made a pact with the Devil
and unfairly increased their chances, in the bargain called, "Life".

Consequently...given these," new and improved" "givens",
and the price-tags associated with said "givens",
not to mention the collective cruelty of their values,
I find myself wondering about the possibilities of option shop-lifting !

No...I have yet to make a "pact" with the Devil, although it's being considered.
but, the rules have changed, considerably;
and I'm one of those "dogs", that are too old to learn new tricks, with any proficiency!
So I'm beginning to see less, and less value, in the bargain, that's called "Life".