This has been one wild ride! I got into cryptocurrency towards the end of 2013. i was working a low paying part time job and thinking about starting a small local web design company. I had some ideas for working online too and was looking for a payment processor. As I searched Google for payment processors I kept coming across links to sites about bitcoin.
I had heard about bitcoin early on. Honestly I thought it was ridiculous and thought everyone involved was going to get arrested. A few years later I was surprised to find it popping up all over the place. I did a little more research, seen it was growing in popularity. Nobody was getting arrested, and the more I researched the more I said, "Wow this is really cool"
I got it the first time around, but honestly didn't think it would stand a chance. Just like Jamie Dimon, the only thing we'd probably agree on, I didn't think any government would allow it. The fact that they haven't done anything idiotic like passing laws to incarcerate crypto users is baffling to me.
Based on that theory alone I was super skeptical. Sooner or later someone was going to put a stop to this. I was incredibly fascinated by the concept though, I loved the technology, and I love the anarchistic attitude of so many people in the space. A couple small altcoin exchanges had popped up too. I had watched some videos about altcoin trading on YouTube and it looked really fun.
It was at this time I discovered dogecoin faucets. At the time you could visit sites that offered a small amount of Dogecoin or BTC. Some sites you could visit once a day, others allowed you to return hourly. Each visit gave you a few satoshi in BTC some Litecoin or a few Dogecoins. I was already working at my computer all day and I decided to save my faucet earnings till I had enough to trade on an exchange. It took a couple months but eventually I had enough to make a few small trades....
So between 2014 until the end of 2016 I literally traded pennies worth of cryptocurrency on a couple smaller exchanges. I started getting involved with CryptoTwitter trying to learn how to trade. I kept doing faucets and using them to fuel my trading. Without investing a single penny I had traded from 0 to about $350 and had a lot of fun learning and researching. I was hooked.
It seemed like I was wrong about the legal implications, I was having the time of my life, I made a few friends on crypto twitter and was pretty active in the crypto community. At the start of 2017 ... pure luck in timing.... Starting with the $350 in faucet earnings I decided to put my money where my mouth was and I invested two whole paychecks into bitcoin and my trading accounts. It changed everything! I couldn't of planned the timing more perfectly even if I had actually tried!
By the end of 2017 almost everything I invested in rallied. Starting with under $1000 I had turned it into a five figure trading account. I won't get into specifics but it was life changing money for me. My initial investment in crypto was under $1000 and I've never added anymore of my personal money.
I took some of the gains from that 2017 rally and I invested in the stock market purely for diversification. I told myself and still tell myself to diversify just in case this whole thing goes tits up, I don't walk away with nothing.
Getting involved in cryptocurrency taught me the importance of investing. I learned about money management. I learned about risk management. I learned about the importance of taking responsibility of your own finances and making your money work for you, not working for your money. I learned about the fiat system and government control of money. Blockchain technology changed the way I thought about money and how I earned my money.
I'm still a relatively small trader and I'm OK with that. Cryptocurrency trading has given me the ability to survive comfortably within my means. For the most part I trade full time, work the gig economy for security. I have the freedom to enjoy my days. During the summer months I tend to slack off more traveling around on my motorcycle and camping outdoors in the wilderness. In the winter months I tend to get more focused on trading and working on web design projects. I also consider HIVE to be part of my side hustle even though I rarely take money out of it.
Getting involved in crypto has been a life changing event for The Dood. I'm really happy I decided to look into it. More than the money I've earned, I've also met a truly great community of people here on HIVE and also the crypto community in general. I feel blessed and honored to be here in this moment as we all participate in making history. What we're doing here on HIVE has the ability to change social media forever and what we're doing with cryptocurrency will have the ability to change the future of finance forever. We are the new pioneers on a digital frontier paving the way for future generations. This is our modern day cyber version of the San Francisco gold rush.
I guess to sum this up, Crypto and Blockchain has given me financial freedom and something to believe in, in this crazy world. I've had a decent bank account since 2017, food in the fridge, a roof over my head, a couple motorcycles in the garage, and I've done a little traveling. What else could a Dood want in life? What more do we need?
I think I've taken the road less traveled and the journey has been simply incredible. I often reference the Grateful Dead, "What a long strange trip it's been" Indeed!
Why not join the #CryptoFinance initiative and tell your story?
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
That's an awesome story, @the-bitcoin-dood! I might do one of these as well (time permitting) but the tl:dr version is that
SteemHive is the first anything (crypto or otherwise) I've ever invested in, and I agree - it's been a wild and crazy ride!And even though I've never held any Dogecoin, that gif really makes me wish I did! 🤣
Speaking of rides someday, after this virus stuff is just a bad memory (because that's gotta happen at some point, right?) it would be super cool to figure out a way that hubby & I (and maybe even our son, who has his drivers license but still hasn't tested on his bike). could go for a ride with you - his poor motorcycle gathered more dust than miles on it this past season. I'm assuming by that time we'll all be crypto zillionaires, so we can just fly our private jets to some awesome location, unload the bikes, and go!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I like the idea of private jets unloading the bike anywhere we choose. If that doesn't happen, we could always try to find somewhere to meet up at the halfway mark from both of us. Sooner or later I want to get around to Cape Cod, Kentucky, and Colorado.
We've loosely talked about a crypto bike run on cryptotwitter a couple times. I think I even started a list of CT people that ride and are into crypto. It would be pretty cool to put together a US HIVE / CryptoTwitter bike run. How fun would that be?
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Nice!
Cool story about the faucets too. When I first learned about them, I wrote them off and didn't dive in....Slapping myself for not using them earlier lol
Awesome to hear the success stories man...Amazing what this crypto stuff can do for everyone!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
It's been a wild ride for sure. Crypto has done a lot of good for a lot of people. Same with HIVE. I always find your posts super motivational and inspirational. Thanks for reading.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Yeah the days when things were cheap and a 100 satoshi for pressing a few buttons could mean big money today.
I would imagine, with the run up in Bitcoin, people would have thousands in their wallets from faucets.
At least on Hive, we have our own "faucet" of sorts.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
No doubt. I tell people that all the time. For someone that wanted to get involved in cryptocurrency and not spend cash to get started investing TIME in HIVE can definitely be worth it to them. I really can't think of a better way to get started.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I agree with you.
It is one valuable asset we have here. The sad part is so few can see it.
We are at the point where people are starting to grasp what is taking place.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Lol this was funny, nice story here. I remember hearing about Bitcoin 2015/16, but when I googled it, I didn't find any useful resource, I saw more of blogs talking about scams and wallets which I had no idea how to go about, so I closed the chapter and idea of it till late 2017 when I found Steem.
Excellent closing remarks, I couldn't have said better. Thank you
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
It is exciting to be a part of.
Actually, makes me anxious to get to the new system. But time takes time.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I think STEEM introduced a lot of new people to crypto. Especially the people that were curious but didn't want to get involved with wallets and exchanges and KYC and everthing else that came with it. I met a lot of people who started in crypto on Steemit and Hive.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
This is why I still always think Hive is more suited to bring mass adoption of crypto, it gives the opportunity to participate in something that is not found in other places.
Personally, everything is still so new that I feel communities is yet to take off. When it eventually does, we will have people streaming into communities in numbers that ever came to hive at once.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I started off playing with faucets, but never really made much. I missed the boat with cheap Bitcoin. Never mind. Can't worry about what might have been.
I think we were all skeptical of "cheap" bitcoin. I still can't believe we're back up in the 20K range a second time. So many opportunities in this space now though. Hive is a great example. If this rally continues I can't see HIVE price staying this low forever.
I'm the same way. I should be on a tropical island with my DASH back in the Darkcoin days.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I see everything has fallen back a bit. I keep an eye on the prices out of interest, but it makes little difference to me. I just want to see Hive ranking much higher as it deserves to.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
These stories keep bringing up the same point to me: freedom.
I love how you exemplify it.
The world is not one that promotes personal responsibility. Yet anyone who did any trading for an extended period of time knows that it is important to be responsible for one's choices. We can "blame" the market for all that goes wrong yet it gets one nowhere.
I am glad to read your posts, find you adding great value to the Leofinance community. All of this is feeding in to help Hive grow.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Thanks for reading and your kind words :)
I was just going through the recent posts for this thread #cryptofinance and the stories are absolutely incredible. So many people experiencing personal freedom or how it's helping them overcome obstacles in their personal lives.
I'm so bullish on everything HIVE right now. This initiative was a brilliant idea to highlight the many benefits of blockchain blogging as well.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
What is amazing is that Hive is moving away from blogging and into other things. The evolution means that we are offering a great deal more to a wider section of people.
Gamers are starting to find things that are of interest to them.
The freedom that is arising on here is incredible. Hopefully more realize it very soon.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I noticed that too. 3Speak is pretty impressive. I'm also dying to see the LeoFinance micro-blogging platform. Really looking forward to that! We;re definitely growing.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
The decentralized storage that 3Speak is constructing could be a game changer. It will be interesting to see how long until that comes about.
Yes I am really looking forward to the micro-blogging. People are going to be amazed.
It will truly be a great tool to attract newer users, especially in the crypto world.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I so wish I had paid more attention when I first heard about Botcoin. And taken advantage of the relatively good times when I joined. That said, I have learned (still am) much. Like you, the somewhat anarchic way of things has great appeal. I am over banks, big business and senseless governments.
When you get that crypto jet, load it with yours, @traciyork & co, and a couple of others, and head to the Southern tip of Africa, too!
I would love to do a motorcycle tour of South Africa. My dream ride would be South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia for exotic destinations.... Any of those three locations would just be incredible!
Had I paid attention to BTC when I first heard of it, I'd make Crypto Jet a reality! 😂🤣
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Well, when you do...!
Posted using Dapplr
That's a great story, first one I've read where crypto has been truly life changing in a near-total financial freedom sort of way!
I also think there's a lot of untapped potential in blockchain social media, I also think Hive is super well-placed for that, it's just not quite 'there' yet.
What do you do about tax?
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I had no idea what to do. I hired an accountant. I actually got lucky and found a local guy through a friend who understood crypto and taxes. Got super lucky there! Those guys are hard to find. At least two years ago they were. I called several people in the phone book and they didn't even know what I was talking about! 🤣
Wow, sounds like gold dust!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
hahahaha quite logical i dare to say for that time!
It's quite amazing if you think it a bit. Out of nowhere by using some faucets you end up with 350$ money that in some countries are months of wages!
That's something totally amazing and i am really happy for you. It is a little bit funny though, it reminded of those "SEE HOW TO INVEST "insert number" AND GET FIGURES BACK!
Maybe more food? :p
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
The Dood likes food!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Wow, thanks for sharing that story. Your timing really was great. If you had gotten in at a slightly different time, you may have lost some money and panic sold, and ended up telling an entirely different story. I'm glad it worked out and excited to see where the next couple of years takes everyone.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Ain't that the truth. By the time I actually threw my own money at it though, I was pretty committed and would have been good either way. However, I'm definitely glad it worked out the way it did. I feel bad for anyone that bought the tops in 2018. Nobody expected the type of retracement we seen.
Oh man, you are half you and half crypt, interesting the ways that blockchain has impacted lives.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Good times for sure though. Always trying to keep it fun
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Yes, crypto is also fun and the new ways of use then like NFT rae greater.
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
That is an awesome story and really the story I wished I could tell ... Congrats for having accomplished the financial freedom to do what you want to do. And looking forward to see your travel stories in the future!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Hoping for things to normalize. Hopefully we'll all have some fun stories to share soon! Thanks for reading.
The dood approves this post, it has been quite a crazy time for anyone who got in and stayed in and I think that these ups and downs will continue we just become more accustom to volatility and ride these waves.
I agree its for sure the gold rush, just need to make sure we're not te ones sitting with the fools gold at the end of the day
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
So true. I think a big portion of these coins will fail. The few that make it, will be life changers for those hodling.
dood, that is a aweet story man!
started from the bottom now we here Drake said, and this literally worked for you. I love it that faucets actually made a difference. And indeed, even though it still isnt retirement time as yet, this crypto experience really is making a difference!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Absolutely. Just going through this #cryptofinance thread it's incredible how much HIVE has helped people. Makes me even more bullish than I was on this project. We have usecase and now I feel really good about the platform too.
That's a wonderful story you have right there! It's inspiring to read something like this!
Hopefully, I'll be able to tell something similar to my readers in a few years!
Peace!
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
I hope so too. Luck played a huge part for me. I think we all knew something big was coming but nobody really expected a rally like we had then. I'd love to see a repeat of 2017 without the ridiculous retracement and bear market that followed.