In 2017, a friend of mine on Facebook posted about Bitcoin, saying it was important technology and could be an amazing longterm investment. Most people need to hear about something 3-5 times before they get interested, but for some reason, I started looking right away. It was interesting and confounding at the same time.

My go-to analog for comparison was stocks. Other than Berkshire Hathaway, at that time, it was rare for stocks to trade at more than a few hundred dollars per share. Bitcoin (BTC), something I'd never before heard of, was close to $5000, up from around $1000 just a few months earlier. Talk about sticker shock!

You might be feeling the same right now.

I researched a bit, discovered you didn't have to buy a WHOLE bitcoin, and invested $400. I felt a bit stupid though. Really, what were the chances that this would go much higher? Within 3 months, it reached nearly $20,000 during the end of year frenzy in December 2017. For some reason, I had a hunch to sell around $17,000, just enough to get my original investment back and let the rest ride.

Over the past 3 years of making investments in the crypto-currency space, I've learned a lot, and I'm eager to help friends avoid the mistakes I made along the way. Mistakes cost money and waste your time.

Let me help you get up to speed on the most important stuff, and give you some tips on how to get started. I'm offering the help I wish I'd had when I was starting out.

1. where and how to buy bitcoin

2. understanding bitcoin scarcity and the 4 year cycle

3. how to store it safely

4. how to handle the big jumps and drops in value by thinking long-term

5. how to and why minimize or ignore investments in "alt-coins" until you really understand Bitcoin.

and so much more...

I'm not a financial advisor. My aim is to share what I've learned and answer questions you might have. I will, however encourage you to:

1. Make sure your investment doesn't exceed your understanding. Think long term and take your time.

2. Learn as much as you can. Bitcoin will increase your curiosity about technology and economics. Most people don't understand how money derives its value. Specifically, people don't understand that the reason prices go up on valuable items is that government money, all around the world, continually loses value.

3. Don't try to time the market. "Time in the market" is your most valuable ally. 2021 could be an extraordinary up year, or not. Think 5-10 years out and you'll avoid mistakes.

CashApp - easiest way to buy BTC with your phone. Connect your checking account, scan your driver's license and it usually activates within a day. Buy when you feel like it, and/or schedule automatic weekly buys. They usually charge 2% of the purchase, and withdrawals are free. Referral cash tag: $ciyhlrn

BlockFi* - earn interest on bitcoin. A good place to park (some of) your bitcoin and earn up to 5% interest on it. A good place to park funds you later want to invest in bitcoin. Dollars are converted to a stable-coin (GUSD) and you earn 8.6% on that. Buy Bitcoin directly with your GUSD at BlockFi. We each get $10 if you use this link. https://blockfi.com/?ref=dc52c34d

Lolli and Fold App - I don't use these, but you can earn cash back in bitcoin on many purchases.

BlockFi Credit Card - launching soon! Earn Bitcoin on all your credit card purchase. Bitcoin back > than Cash back! https://blockfi.com/credit-card-waitlist/?r=tKtLd

*How BlockFi started and how they manage risk.

Coinbase - they are the most popular U.S. exchange but they often go down because of congestion. Also, Bitcoin is often a little more expensive here than other exchanges.

Paypal and Robinhood - as of March 2021, neither of these services allow you to withdraw your Bitcoin. You have to sell it. That means you can't move any of your bitcoin offline or to an account where you can earn interest.

Kraken - I really like some of the people there, but the exchange is really hard to use. Not user friendly.

Altcoins - Ethereum, Litecoin, Doge, Monero, etc. There have been more than 5000 crypto assets/coins launched since bitcoin, and 98% of them will fail. While some have interesting ideas and cool technology, none have the resilience, network, track record, and sound monetary policy you get with Bitcoin. Some of these coins are outright jokes (Doge) and only exist for professional traders to take money from newbies. Some, like Ethereum, have massive usage but are hugely experimental - think of changing the engine in a car while it's going 100mph - that's Ethereum. Until you understand what makes Bitcoin special, it's best not to experiment with altcoins. Some will have fantastic gains but you'll need to know when to get out.

One of the things I like about CashApp is that it is Bitcoin-only (+stocks). It won't distract you with playing whack-a-mole with altcoins. (They are tempting!)