The shirt I bought with bitcoin - My first time spending crypto - Now it all feels real!

So, I have a small amount of crypto currency. Nothing impressive really. Like many, I hesitated for too long before hopping in, before Bitcoin's meteoric rise to fame. I was content to watch from the sidelines since late 2008 / early 2009 or so when I first heard about it. Stupid me.

Well, that all changed this year. Not because of its awesome growth, but because of the ideas behind it. A couple of podcasters I regularly listen to, with a voluntarist/libertarian bent opened my eyes to the possibilities of crypto. It brings new ways to interact, barter, and do business with other individuals, outside of the existing, centralized, and outdated systems that we are told are the only way.

So, a challenge was taken up. Get some crypto and then turn around and buy something with it. Buy a pizza. Buy groceries. Anything. Buying something tangible changes it from just an idea and concept to actual reality. Something click in the brain. Not only does it change the individual, but actually using it in exchange for physical goods begins to create a larger market for it. Only when we begin to use it for everyday necessities, will it really gain wide acceptance, increased value, and turn into a true alternative to the centrally controlled banks and credit card companies.

So this weekend, I did just that. I took some Steam Dollars, converted them to Bitcoin on an exchange, bought a $25 giftcard with bitcoin, and bought myself a shirt!

I have also begun accepting crypto as exchange for produce we sell at our small farm. In addition, I included in the ad for my Suburban that I am selling, that I will accept Bitcoin in exchange. In fact, I will even offer a 10% discount if the buyer pays in Bitcoin. Although I am not expecting anyone will actually pay me in Bitcoin, it is my very small contribution to moving this idea forward. And, who knows...

The whole process is still not as easy as it should be. It took a little reading to figure out the ropes. But, with each of us using it when possible, we are creating a market, we are creating demand, and we are creating incentive for developers to continue to make this process smoother and easier. The future is bright, let's grab it and decentralize it for the masses!