There was actually an odd bit of comfort when he saw that he was not the only one who was taken aback by the prices. For what one coat cost him, back in his day he could have bought not only an entire season's wardrobe but a place to house it in as well.
"I actually don't know the city that well yet. I was thinking of going over to the Salvation Army."
While he was reluctant to trade style and fashion for money, the truth was that he had never been very good at saving. His meager pittance from his library job was hardly going to cover the expenses of a brand new coat and his rent. It was probably a good thing that he didn't eat solid foods but even his blood supply cost him money. Bribing a night guard at the local hospital got to be very expensive.