The Ongoing Journey to Live Bank Free
I want to first thank all my followers for sticking around here on Steemit. I know I haven't been posting a lot the last year, due to my work in numerous crypto projects I have found time to slim down a lot around me to sit in front of the pc and blog. I still love Steemit and this community, learned a lot over there years through many of you and I can't thank you enough for that support.
Today I begun to notice that the Crypto community is beginning to grow again, not unlike how it was starting to grow in 2016 when I first held Bitcoin in my wallet. This is an amazing time and I firmly believe a moment that can once again change the lives of many people out there if they utilize all that cryptocurrency has to offer.
Many times over the years, I happen to have the same conversation now and then about the fact me and my fiance @cryptofrygirl have completely ditched our day jobs and journeyed into a long term experiment to solely live on crypto holdings. Many probably can't grasp that when we say we are FIAT FREE, that we actually mean a complete lack of fiat in our daily lives. Sadly the ways of the machine we do have to convert to FIAT for bills but we don't work for cash, nor do we hold any bank accounts. We truly live 100% off crypto earnings and its been about 3 years to the day since I have had a single dollar in my wallet.
So the usual question I get, how are you doing this for so long, and what are the pitfalls for doing so?
Well, I can tell you its not a complete easy ride. Where most with day jobs can utilize fiat to pour into crypto holdings, we had to find our own niche to do marketing in crypto and accept payments in coins we work for. Sometimes that has worked in our favor, other times we hold long term bags. Its a tricky area but one I think eventually will get smoother if we just keep at it.
Is This Lifestyle For Everyone?
The real question is usually not asked when these conversations come up. The questions to ask are: Can everyone live this way on crypto, and is going to work for society as a whole?
Honestly my opinion with the state of crypto right now, I think its worth exploring a fiat free life but I would say because it can have its down times like we dealt with from 2018 till recently, everyone should have back up plans to adjust for those moments. Me and my fiance had it really rough through this bear market, we had a blast in 2017 but when the bears come to play it truly becomes a wait and see financial moment for those completely living this sort of lifestyle. Its not for everyone in that area.
I do believe that with our belief system and our desire for a better world that the down moments is well worth the sacrifice. You have to live it to believe in something is how I feel. In our own way I feel proud that we maybe helping the cryptocurrency movement in a small way by being one of many that can show this is working for day to day usages.
My advice to anyone new or even those that have been around crypto a while and has a desire to leap in fully. You need to really evaluate your goals and make a serious effort to have some structure to deal with moments when the income might not be there sometimes. What I worry mostly for anyone choosing a crypto full lifestyle, is for families to convert with no plans when the markets are bearish, its tough and can shake you up if you don't have back up plans for those moments.
So How Does One Survive On Crypto?
First thing you have to remember, this is in many aspects is still a monetary system. Crypto is a better money in my opinion but its utilities and usage are still traditional in many ways. You have to remember, you need to have a way to earn, you need to understand the system completely in usage and laws, and most of all no matter how against the fiat system you may be...there is a necessary evil to use it on your exits to pay bills. Lets face it, Crypto is not fully adopted just yet, getting there but you will have to hand over cash usually to the non adopters to feed your family plus pay the rent.
I found using Bitpay or Coinbase my easiest exits for those fiat needed moments. You have to weigh the when hold them and fold them moments but eventually it becomes a very natural move to the card and pay the bill flow that you tend to forget about the conversation as a hassle most of the time.
Another thing, know your talents. I can not stress this enough. If you want to earn and live on crypto your gonna have to be crafty and take whatever natural talents you have and put them to use in this space to earn. For us we were lucky, we have sales and marketing in both our backgrounds, and along the way we had developed ourselves with the help of many great projects who gave us opportunities. That is a must in this space, you have to work with others and do the best you can to give your talents in a way to put positives in this community.
Traps are Everywhere to Slip You Up
Do not think having a big wallet full of crypto is gonna be the key to changing your life. Just like anything its gonna take your will power and forward thinking to make the best out of every move you make in this space. For a casual user that doesn't live solely on cryptocurrency, some mistakes are easily recoverable. For someone that lives completely on this, some mistakes can become a major life issue and disheartening moment to recover from.
Another thing in this space but its everywhere is to be very security minded with your holdings. You need to police your finances like a hawk and do your diligence to avoid every con and scam that pops up. This industry is wild still to this day, and many bad actors will try hard to find the weak to vulture off of.
It Can Be Done
While I have highlighted some of the ups and downs choosing a full crypto lifestyle for myself, I firmly still believe this is the most freeing option we have when it comes to owning your wealth in this world. The security of knowing I fully control my finances and that no human mistakes being made by bankers or third parties can come into play does make for well rested nights.
One thing I will never promote about this kind of lifestyle is that it will make one instant rich. It takes volume and bringing in volume from the start to get that kind of break in most cases. I more or less promote that when its good and your completely involved in this community that it will definitely help you live more comfortable, less stressful and if you play your cards right it can open doors to potential opportunity that you can do anything with. It just takes your own passion and skills to get there, that seems to be overlooked. Nothing is handed to you in crypto like anything in life but it does give many of us disheartened with the current financial system a new option to utilize.
I leave you with this, if you are new and need help to understand this amazing advancement in financial technology, I am with an open door on my Twitter to talk shop any day. I love meeting new people coming into our community but remember I don't have all the answers and always adapting and learning along the way.
I truly hope you can also one day say you have survived and thrived in crypto like we have. Its tough some days but I feel its definitely worth attempting for those with the conviction to make something of themselves in this community.
~sflaherty
Follow me here on Steemit @sflaherty
Join me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/sflahertycrypto
