This book does not claim to be a textbook, does not in any way cover economic problems in their entirety, and does not provide comprehensive answers. The author’s tasks are much more modest - to introduce the reader to the basic economic concepts that he may encounter in his daily life, and most importantly, to try to explain: “How does it work?”, “What place does it occupy in the economic mechanism?” and “Why is this necessary at all?” For a wide range of readers, high school students, students of non-economic specialties, as well as for anyone interested in the world of economics. With the assistance of the Interregional public organization of consumers “Union of Financial Services Consumers” (“FinPotrebSoyuz”).