He hesitated, watching a mother nearby haggle over the price of a single egg. He settled for a smaller bag of local rice to save room for proteins. The Protein Pivot
A single bag of rice, which used to be a standard purchase, now ate up nearly half his budget. SHOPPING 200K.txt
Elias stood at the entrance of the central market, clutching a leather bag containing 200,000 in crisp notes. Just a few years ago, this amount could have stocked a pantry for a season, or perhaps even served as a down payment on a small plot of land. Today, it was simply "the grocery budget." The Market Entrance He hesitated, watching a mother nearby haggle over
A decent cut of beef was quoted at a price that made Elias laugh nervously. Elias stood at the entrance of the central
By the time Elias reached the vegetable stalls, his bag was surprisingly light, but his wallet was nearly empty.
He grabbed a few liters of vegetable oil and a crate of eggs.
Elias returned home and spread his purchases on the kitchen table. The "200K" haul looked like a single week’s worth of survival rations for a small family. There were no treats, no new clothes, and no "extra" change.