The Price of Independence
Language: en
In the supermarket, I stared at the ribs on the shelf. The price tag read $8.99 a pound. My bank app showed an available balance of $12.50. Today is November 27th. There are still four days until next month's $150 grocery allowance. I put down the ribs and grabbed a carton of eggs on sale. $2.99 for a dozen. Enough to last four days. At the checkout counter ahead of me, a middle-aged woman was swiping her card. The card reader beeped, displaying the total: $842. I glanced at her groceries—wagyu beef, king crab, and fresh cherries. I lowered my head and placed my eggs on the conveyor…