Hmm..
Your mechanic is pretty spendy...I think they see Benz and go "ka-ching!"

Don't spray the belt...if you spray it, it will lubricate it and begin to slip.
I would loosen the belt and perhaps take it off. (remember how it goes back on!)
Then turn everything by hand (apart from the crankshaft) and see if anything gives you greif. Something might be loosing a bearing or whatnot and thus be cuasing the belt to have to work too hard.

The shocks are not hard to install...you don't need a terribly large amount of strenth to do them.

I am not sure on your body style if the shocks are inside or outside the springs...on mine they are outside and a very easy job...only requires taking the wheels off and then unbolting the shocks.

Do some more searching and find out some more info about the shocks...I think with some pictures and a floor jack/lug wrench/basic tools you could do the job.

I would look into the belt first though....