By the time Elias reached the vegetable stalls, his bag was surprisingly light, but his wallet was nearly empty.
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 SHOPPING 200K.txt
He grabbed a few liters of vegetable oil and a crate of eggs. By the time Elias reached the vegetable stalls,
A single bag of rice, which used to be a standard purchase, now ate up nearly half his budget. Today, it was simply "the grocery budget
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