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Where to Spend Your Crypto and How to Complete Your First Payment

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While bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are edging towards mainstream adoption, the acceptance of BTC and other coins is still not universal.

This means that actually spending the contents of your crypto wallet can be difficult, although the good news is that more and more outlets are starting to welcome such digital payments – from retail and travel to video game stores and bitcoin casinos.

Long gone are the days when ordering pizza was the only way to spend your crypto… now, we have a wide range of options available to us.

So, here’s a quick look at where you can spend your bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies online:

Shopping

You can use your crypto stash to buy any number of things from Overstock.com – from furniture and home appliances to gifts, gym equipment, pet supplies and much more besides.

If you want to shop at some of the bigger retailers such as Amazon, Apple and Walmart, there is a clever workaround. While they don’t accept crypto payments directly, you could always purchase gift cards for yourself using your bitcoin from a site such as eGifter – enabling you to spend your crypto at Amazon, in a fashion.

One of the most interesting developments in the crypto sphere came when PayPal began to accept crypto as a form of funding. This means that shoppers have access to an estimated 29 million retailers around the globe, and while you’ll need a PayPal account, this is one of the better ‘middle men’ for connecting your crypto wallet to purchase goods and services.

Travel

Some pretty big travel firms, including Expedia and Cheap Air, welcome payments made by bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, so you can book flights and accommodation and pay for them with BTC and the like.

If you want to increase your options when it comes to booking your next travel plans with crypto, you can follow the workaround outlined above and use a gift voucher retailer that accepts bitcoin. There are gift vouchers available for companies such as Airbnb and Uber.

Gaming

Microsoft was one of the first major global firms to accept crypto payments, and you can add to your Xbox games library using the contents of your wallet.

The gift voucher route will satisfy mobile gamers in particular, with both the Apple Store and Google Play coupons readily available. The start-up Bitrefill also allows customers to purchase vouchers to use on PlayStation Now.

There’s also a catalogue of crypto casinos and poker sites emerging, so you can try to increase the size of your wallet and have some fun in the process!

Eating and drinking

Grocery stores and hospitality were among the first sectors to really embrace crypto as a payment method, and there’s still a bounty of options available to bitcoin holders in these areas.

You can buy your entire grocery list with crypto via Whole Foods, while for takeout treats, there are options such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway and Domino’s Pizza with gift card options available.

Need your morning coffee fix? Good news – many branches of Starbucks also welcome crypto payments for your caffeine hit.

How to make a payment with crypto

To make a payment using your bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, you will more than likely need to link your wallet to a third party – unless the retailer in question directly accepts BTC, of course.

This can be done through the exchange of public and private keys, but also the use of QR codes is becoming increasingly prevalent – this streamlines the payments process.

As mentioned, PayPal is a good option for crypto users because you can invest in coins directly on their platform, storing them in your wallet to use when ready.

You may not know that a number of debit cards can now link to your crypto holdings as well. While names such as Xapo and BitPay may be new to you, it’s worth noting that their debit cards are underwritten by, and use the technology of, Visa, so this is a trustworthy product.

Conclusion

So, the number of ways in which you can spend your crypto is increasing… as are the number of platforms that support such transactions. It’s never been easier to turn your bitcoin into the products and services that you love.

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Finance

Understanding the Theta Token and Its Value Proposition

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The Theta Token is a cryptocurrency that has been gaining significant attention in recent years. As the world becomes more digital, the need for a decentralized system that can handle large amounts of data and video content is becoming increasingly important.

Theta Token is aiming to provide a solution to this problem. You can also carry out trading via exchange platforms. An excellent example of a reliable platform is chain-reaction-trading.com.

What is Theta Token?

Theta Token is a cryptocurrency that operates on the Theta blockchain. The Theta blockchain is designed to handle video content, making it an ideal platform for streaming and sharing video content. Theta Token was created as a way to incentivize users to share their excess bandwidth and computing resources with others on the network.

Theta Token is different from other cryptocurrencies in that it is specifically designed for the streaming and sharing of video content. This makes it an ideal platform for content creators, as it allows them to share their content without having to worry about the high costs associated with traditional video hosting services.

What is the Value Proposition of Theta Token?

The value proposition of Theta Token lies in its ability to provide a decentralized solution to the problems associated with video content sharing. By incentivizing users to share their excess bandwidth and computing resources, Theta Token is able to provide a more cost-effective solution to traditional video hosting services.

Theta Token also has a number of other features that make it an attractive platform for content creators. For example, Theta Token allows for micropayments to be made to content creators, meaning that they can be rewarded for their content in real-time. This is particularly important for content creators who rely on their content for income.

Another key feature of Theta Token is its ability to provide a better user experience for viewers. By utilizing a decentralized network, Theta Token is able to provide faster and more reliable streaming for viewers, without the need for buffering or other interruptions.

How Does Theta Token Work?

Theta Token works by utilizing a decentralized network of nodes. These nodes are operated by users who have excess bandwidth and computing resources that they are willing to share with others on the network.

When a user wants to access video content on the Theta network, they send a request to the nearest node. The node then retrieves the video content from other nodes on the network and streams it to the user. The user is then rewarded with Theta Tokens for sharing their excess bandwidth and computing resources with the network.

In addition to the streaming of video content, Theta Token can also be used for other purposes, such as the creation of smart contracts and the storage of data.

Conclusion

Theta Token is a cryptocurrency that has been specifically designed for the streaming and sharing of video content. Its value proposition lies in its ability to provide a decentralized solution to the problems associated with traditional video hosting services. By incentivizing users to share their excess bandwidth and computing resources, Theta Token is able to provide a more cost-effective solution for content creators and a better user experience for viewers.

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the demand for decentralized solutions to problems such as video content sharing is only going to increase. Theta Token is well-positioned to meet this demand, and its value proposition is likely to continue to grow in the years to come.

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Finance

Simple Ways to Save for Your Future

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People are often so focused on their current situation that they do not pay enough attention to saving for the future. It is important to keep one eye on the future and find ways to save money over time, but what are the best ways to do this? There are a few simple ways to save for your future that could make a big difference to your life down the line.

Creating Savings

One of the best ways to build wealth for the future is with a fixed-rate bond. Essentially, this is a savings account that will hold your money for a pre-determined period of time. You will get a fixed interest rate and this is generally higher than what you would get in an easy-access savings account. Provided that you are happy to put your money away for 1 year+, this can be a highly effective way to make money from your savings.

Investing

Investing can be a smart way to build your wealth over the long term. Of course, there is always risk with any kind of investment, but there are some investments that are considered safer than others. It is important to educate yourself before making any kind of investment and to only invest money that you do not need access to in the short term. An index fund is a good option for beginners and most experts agree that these are smart for long-term investors.

Take Control of Your Spending

You certainly want to find ways to make more money, but you also need to address your spending. You should go through all of your regular expenses and find ways to make savings whether this is shopping at a cheaper supermarket, cutting back on a luxury item or switching providers. This will then give you more money to save and make more money from.

Differentiate Between “Want” and “Need”

We want many things in our lives. But all those are not necessary. Therefore, you should differentiate between want and need. You should follow a strict restriction on your spending, especially when something does not match with your financial goals.

Make a Plan with Your Partner

If you live with someone or are married to someone, then you have to communicate with your partner and together you should prepare a plan for household finances. Both you need to discuss your desires and decide on where to prioritize.

Don’t Ignore Your Pension

It is also important to consider your pension and the earlier that you do this the better. The money that you put into the pension now will compound and grow over a long time period, so you want to contribute as much as you can without making a difficult financial situation for yourself.

Review Your Spending

We actually don’t realize how much we spend every month and where we spend our money unless we review our spending. Therefore, reviewing your spending is a great idea to clear understand where you can cut your expenses and how you can improve your saving.

Consider Your Children

You can also teach your children to save money for future. Your children will learn from you that they need to wait to purchase something that they want. You should also help children to recognize particular ways to save money and make wise choices. 

These are some of the best and simplest ways to save for the future. It is always important to plan financially for the future and the earlier that you start doing this the better so that your money can grow and compound over time. However, you should also enjoy life besides preparing a plan to save money for future.

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Finance

Don’t Invest Your Emergency Fund… Unless

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Getting the most out of your emergency fund is hard these days. The average savings rate isn’t keeping pace with inflation, which means your money is losing value the longer it sits in a basic account. All that lost earning potential can make you break one of the most important rules of emergency funds: don’t invest.

As a general rule, you should never invest your emergency fund. Investments can tie up money that’s supposed to be available at the drop of a hat. These delays can complicate an already difficult financial situation if you can’t access your cash for urgent repairs or expenses.

But as the saying goes, all rules are meant to be broken. There might be times when investing some of your emergency fund can strengthen your financial health. How much you have sitting in your savings is an important distinction that can help you decide whether investments are right for you.

How Much Should You Save in Your Emergency Fund?

Financial advisors recommend saving three to six months of living expenses in your emergency fund.

If you aren’t quite there yet, your emergency fund may fall short of what you need. In an emergency, online loans can help pick up the slack.

Online loans provide quick and convenient applications, so you don’t waste any time wondering if you qualify. If approved, a financial institution like MoneyKey can deposit your funds directly into the account of your choice. This way, your online loan is just as accessible as savings would be, making them a fast-acting solution in an emergency.

Why You Shouldn’t Invest Your Emergency Fund

If you rely on online loans, or you’re still working towards saving up three to six months of expenses, investing your emergency fund is a bad idea. It could delay how quickly you get your hands on your cash, and your fund could even lose value.

1. Timing

Your savings should be easy to access at any time. After all, an emergency can crash-land in your life without any warning — morning, noon, or night.

Most basic savings accounts allow you to transfer your savings whenever you want online, with very short processing times.

Investments are different. Depending on how you invested your money, you might have locked your money into a specific term. Withdrawing before its maturity date is possible, but it can take time to cut through the bureaucratic red tape.

2. Penalties

Paperwork isn’t the only headache of withdrawing from your investments early. You may also face steepcash penalties. You’ll also have to factor in how this withdrawal affects taxes.

3. Lost Value

You can’t predict when you’ll deal with an emergency or the eventual expense that comes with it. That means you can’t strategically time your withdrawal to maximize their value. Your funds may not even retain their original value if you’re forced to withdraw when your stocks take a nosedive.

When Can You Invest Your Emergency Savings?

Let’s say you’ve finally reached your goal of six months. Congratulations! Only roughly27% of American households can boast this achievement.

At this point, do you put a stop to your emergency savings? No, but how you save them should change.

Top up this account any time you use it, but don’t over contribute beyond three or six months. Rather than exceeding your goal in a basic account, you should funnel the excess into investments.

This way, you have the best of both worlds. One, you’ll keep the liquidity of a fully stocked emergency fund with a basic account. And two, you’ll start to maximize your earnings potential through tax-advantaged investments that promise a higher return rate.

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