One Month Without Cash: Living on the Bitcoin Side

What would it be like to survive only on Bitcoin? Kevin Cruz, a contributor to Bitcoin Magazine from across the ocean, gave the answer. Recently, Kevin completed a one-month Bitcoin survival experiment. During this time, he had an unforgettable experience of visiting the dentist and also dated his beloved girl... Recently, Kevin accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from IT Times.

Love adventure, so accept the challenge

Late one night, Kevin received a call from an unfamiliar number. The caller was from the Bitcoin company Brawker, who proposed an unexpected proposition: living on Bitcoin for a month. The caller said that he would help Kevin survive as much as possible during this month. "I like adventure!" Kevin said. In the end, he gladly accepted the challenge.

Kevin usually lives in his aunt's apartment in New York, so he doesn't have to pay rent or electricity bills, nor does he need to buy gas. For Kevin, the necessary expenses every month are mobile phone bills, food, etc.

And it was all very simple. Through the Brawker website, Kevin created an order and received a payment code that could be provided to the mobile phone operator within an hour of posting it; food was a big expense, Kevin bought food gift cards, bought enough organic food to fill the refrigerator, and he even paid his college loan bill with Bitcoin.

“Ruining” Bitcoin

Bills, food... When he no longer had to worry about his "livelihood", Kevin found that he still had a large balance of BT coins, which provided sufficient financial support for his colorful Bitcoin life thereafter.

Going to the dentist: Bitcoin can’t pay for painkillers

One night, Kevin found a dentist in New York that accepted Bitcoin payments. So he made an appointment for a basic teeth cleaning. "Your wisdom teeth need to be removed," the dentist said. Thinking of his friends' painful experience of wisdom teeth removal, Kevin rejected the dentist's kindness. After scanning the QR code with his Bitcoin wallet and confirming the payment amount, Kevin left.

However, a few days later, Kevin began to worry that the wisdom tooth would affect the growth of other teeth, so he plucked up the courage to go back to the dentist's office, and this time he decided to remove the wisdom tooth. But then, he immediately regretted it. Without prescription painkillers (Bitcoin cannot pay for such drugs), Kevin tasted the excruciating pain. A few days later, his swollen cheek made him very uncomfortable, and what's more, Kevin couldn't eat any of the food he had stored in the refrigerator for the whole week.

Dating: People say they don’t believe Bitcoin is real

On his way to a Bitcoin meeting, Kevin met a girl on a street corner who made his heart beat. Because he was eager to attend the meeting, Kevin did not talk to the girl much, but asked for her contact information. A few days later, Kevin had his first date with the girl at an Italian restaurant.

The two had a very happy chat under candlelight, drinks and delicious food.

When it was time to pay, Kevin took out his smartphone. The girl next to him saw Kevin scanning the QR code to pay for Bitcoin and told him, "I don't believe Bitcoin is real until a lot of people use it..."

Watching a musical: Surprised by such incredible sights

While walking in Times Square, Kevin saw a glittering sign: Broadway Musical. Perhaps everyone will have a strange thought in their mind at that moment, and Kevin thought to himself: I must watch this musical.

Fortunately, Kevin successfully bought tickets for the musical using Bitcoin.

The show was unforgettable and Kevin thought it was incredible that such a talented group of people could come together.

Kevin had many similar experiences in a month. For example, he used Bitcoin to buy a MIDI keyboard for making music, attend yoga classes, and book flight tickets.

Still wanting more,

I want to try again

Bitcoin is magical, Kevin told reporters, Bitcoin is a currency based on the Internet. He believes that Bitcoin will likely change the world's financial landscape, "This is an unprecedented social phenomenon."

"Bitcoin has its own advantages. You can transfer money of varying amounts to anywhere in the world without incurring any fees," Kevin told reporters. "And this can change the entire remittance industry."

At the end of 2014, the one-month Bitcoin experiment ended. "I feel like a pioneer, not only because I use Bitcoin to live, but more importantly, I bought things that can improve my health and happiness. I can have my farm, make my music..." Kevin said that he plans to try this experiment again.

Talk to Bitcoin Boy

IT Times: When Brawker proposed to live on Bitcoin, why did you agree immediately?

Kevin: Actually, I had met the people at Brawker before. I thought the idea of ​​starting Brawker as a Bitcoin company was very interesting, and I knew that living on Bitcoin would be a bit risky. But the important thing is, I like taking risks.

IT Times: What is the biggest difficulty you encounter when living with Bitcoin?

Kevin: When I'm walking down the street in New York City and I'm hungry, I'm in trouble. Bitcoin isn't a mainstream currency, and I'm unlikely to go to any of the restaurants or delis around me to buy food. I need to pick up my phone and find the nearest restaurant that accepts Bitcoin. Then, I run over.

IT Times: On which devices can Bitcoin be used? Compared with Paypal or Appale pay, which one do you think is more convenient?

Kevin: Bitcoin can be used on all terminals that can connect to the Internet, including mobile phones and computers. In terms of use, I personally think Bitcoin is more convenient than Paypal. As for Appale Pay, I haven't used it yet, but I can imagine it is a good mobile trading platform.

IT Times: How popular is the use of Bitcoin in the United States?

Kevin: There are already many small transactions in the United States that accept Bitcoin, but it has not yet become mainstream. Large companies and websites in the United States that accept Bitcoin include Dell, Bloomberg, Reddit, TigerDirect, etc.

IT Times: We know that Bitcoin has its own advantages. Do you think it has any disadvantages?

Kevin: I think Bitcoin is a very powerful and powerful experiment. If it succeeds, it will be an important step in human progress. If it doesn't, there will be better versions. The disadvantage of Bitcoin is its volatility. You can expect the currency to maintain a certain value for a long time, but Bitcoin can't do that. In addition, the scope of Bitcoin's use is relatively narrow. Many places where the US dollar can be used, Bitcoin cannot be used.

IT Times: Apart from geeks, how can Bitcoin be accepted and used by ordinary people, or does Bitcoin not belong to those people yet?

Kevin: I think the key to getting more people to use Bitcoin is to have a more understandable and easy-to-use method. Now many developers are doing this. Bitcoin is an Internet currency, and I believe it will become a means of payment in the future. Finally, my Twitter account is kcruz305. I welcome Chinese netizens to communicate with me about Bitcoin.