Core of Economics Without the Degree

You want to follow policy debates and make better money decisions without sitting a degree. This gives the twenty percent of economics that covers eighty percent of what you need: five core concepts in plain English, each with a real example, and an honest line on what economists agree on versus what's genuinely contested.

Give me the 20 percent of economics that covers 80 percent of what an intelligent non-economist needs to understand to follow the news, understand policy debates, and make better personal financial decisions. Five core concepts only, explained in plain English, with a real-world example for each. Tell me what economists mostly agree on versus what is genuinely contested.