Hello! Just joined and will be perusing the forums at length over the next couple of days. Realizing upon my initial lookaround that I probably should have joined up as soon as I got into bitcoin, but I'm not usually much of a forum/social network fan.
First of all, I see that there is an incredible wealth of info shared here. Even taking all the rapid changes in the cryptoworld into account (and posts that will be outdated because of the constant change), I'm sure I will learn a lot just by reading. So, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their knowledge with others.
There are a lot of bitcoin stories out there. Here's mine.
I am a senior on a pension. As you all know, inflation has been insane the past few years, but my pension is fixed. People in my situation have been having an absolutely awful time just getting by. I have a tough time just paying my bills and keeping food on the table.
My great passion/vice in life is BOOKS. All my life I have adored everything about books, right down to the smell of them. My needs are pretty simple, but it was hell giving up books. Yes, I use my public library (a LOT!), but there are so many books they simply don't have. As my circumstances became more difficult, I found myself having to sell off most of my books... the loss still hurts.
So imagine how thrilled I was when I finally heard about bitcoin last summer... and that I could actually use it to purchase ebooks! OMG!!!
Now, I'm not very tech-savvy. My PC is old, and I don't have the hardware to mine, nor the know-how. I have never been lucky w/gambling, so I don't even try. However, I got on board with as many faucets as I could find, until I had earned enough to purchase a BTCClicks premium membership. I continue to earn tiny amounts of bitcoin via faucets and BTCClicks. I'm not happy about the mind-numbing tedium of these activities, but every time I do it, I just tell myself I'm getting a little bit closer to purchasing another ebook. My body may be getting pretty old, but my mind is still as sharp and keen to learn as ever. I
need books in my life. They bring congenial companionship to my solitude.
Even if bitcoin never does anything more for me than allow me to continue purchasing ebooks, then it has enriched my life considerably. I just think it's absolutely amazing. Love it! My only wish is that I had heard about it and got on board a long time ago.
In the coming days I will be looking more closely at the forum for means of obtaining more bitcoins, as my shopping cart is always bulging but my wallet isn't. I just wanted to say that I have already peeked at a few pertinent threads and I must say the "get a job" refrain is pretty insulting. I know that young able-bodied people rule the world but they are
not the only ones who live in it. So, please remember that there is at least one retired senior (me) here on the forum, who should not be told to get a job. I've done my time working, and working hard at that. Now I am just grateful beyond words that there is a way I can obtain new books once again. Even if they are only digital books, that I can't hold in my hands, and smell.
Thanks again to all who have contributed to this forum, it looks like an excellent resource!