Every month now, when the electric bill arrives, or a grocery trip ends with a heavier total than expected, many Egyptians pause out of necessity. What used to be manageable monthly routines, from filling a car tank to paying a gym membership, now require calculation, restraint, and in many cases, sacrifice. “I had to cut my monthly shopping budget in half,” Ahmed Hassan, a 28-year-old financial support manager, told Egyptian Streets. With modest comforts such as eating out or buying clothes having shrunk into luxuries, he cut off lower-priority expenses, like gym supplements and spending on other hobbies. Electricity, fuel, and food price increases pushed Hassan to dip into savings, but soon he developed a stricter system. He attempted a side job, but found it disrupted his life balance and eventually abandoned the effort. Still, he said he remains on the lookout for additional income sources, while “holding onto cost-cutting” as a buffer against future uncertainty. Toqa Mohamed, a 29-year-old graphic designer, shops only during sales and avoids personal purchases altogether. “I used to buy something for myself every month,” she said. “Now I don’t have a surplus to afford…
