Many people think of Bitcoin as an investment. But traditionally, investments are things we purchase with money, expecting them to grow in value and return more money than if we had simply left our savings untouched. The challenge with this view is that Bitcoin is not the investment-it is the money itself. Some dismiss this idea because they have never experienced using bitcoin directly as money. In this article, you will discover how to live entirely on bitcoin today: how to pay your bills, shop for groceries, and handle everyday expenses. Your journey into the future of money begins now.
To understand how someone can live entirely on bitcoin-without needing to rely on dollars-it helps to first review the main payment methods we commonly use today.
- ACH transfers: These form the backbone of most large recurring payments. Rent, electricity, gym memberships, loan repayments, and similar obligations are typically handled through ACH, where a company pulls funds directly from your bank account using your account and routing number.
- Debit and credit cards: For everyday spending, debit cards are the most common tool, while credit cards offer an alternative with the balance usually settled through ACH transfers.
- Payment apps: Platforms like Venmo and Cash App add convenience for peer-to-peer payments. Yet behind the scenes, these apps also depend on your bank account, often linking through ACH.
- Cash: Lastly, there is traditional cash. While still accepted, it plays a diminishing role in modern life as fewer people rely on it day to day.
The major purpose of outlining these varying payment methods is to highlight one single observation: that ACH transfers underpin our modern financial payment systems. If you can pay via the ACH system, you can pay for bills, credit cards, and connect to your social peers via the commonly used apps. In order to live off of bitcoin, one must learn how to use bitcoin to pay ACH transfers. The following is a list of tools one should use to live entirely off of bitcoin, with this in mind.
Bitcoin Wallet
Naturally, living on bitcoin begins with having a bitcoin wallet. This is not necessarily for day-to-day transactions, it is more a secure place to store your savings. As the well-known saying goes, “not your keys, not your coins.” At its core, Bitcoin is a technology that restores true property rights. To live entirely on bitcoin is to embrace this new form of allodial title, and custody should be treated with the seriousness that such ownership deserves.
Lightning Wallet
If your primary bitcoin wallet is the vault that safeguards your family’s long-term savings, you will also need a spending wallet for everyday use. This is where the Lightning Network becomes essential. Lightning is a protocol built on top of Bitcoin that enables instant, low-cost payments. A Lightning wallet allows you to pay vendors directly in bitcoin.
While your local grocery store may not yet accept bitcoin, many online merchants already do-whether it’s Peony Lane’s wine, Soap Miner’s handcrafted soap, or countless other products. As you explore this lifestyle, you’ll quickly discover a growing community of people eager to exchange high-quality goods and services for sound money.
To take it a step further, consider attending a local Bitcoin meetup. You may be surprised by how many local connections you can form and how many nearby vendors already accept bitcoin for everyday necessities, from meat to milk, you can find a wealth of your everyday needs through local bitcoin friendly providers who are eager to (and in some cases, only willing to) accept bitcoin for what they sell.
The momentum is also spreading more broadly. Block recently announced that it will enable bitcoin payments across all Square terminals. This means that in the near future, many of your favorite coffee shops, farmers markets, and small businesses could be ready to accept bitcoin directly.
Strike Account
The tools discussed above are invaluable for spending bitcoin with vendors who accept it directly. Still, this represents only a fraction of the payments most people make each day. The real breakthrough comes with using bitcoin for ACH transfers. This is where Strike plays a pivotal role.
At its core, Strike is a Bitcoin exchange, but in practice it functions much like a Bitcoin-native bank. When you hold bitcoin with Strike, they manage custody on your behalf while providing a traditional financial bridge. Strike issues you an account and routing number, allowing you to pay bills, settle credit cards, transfer money, and interact with the legacy banking system just as you would with a checking account.
Beyond this, Strike offers additional tools: you can buy and sell bitcoin, send instant Lightning payments, and even access bitcoin-backed loans. With Strike, it becomes possible to manage all your financial obligations-whether through ACH transfers or a credit card-without the need to hold depreciating dollars. Instead, your life can be financed directly through, and entirely denominated in, bitcoin.
(Optional) The Bitcoin Company
For those who want to go the extra mile, there is The Bitcoin Company. It provides an alternative to Strike by letting customers use the Lightning Network to prepay debit cards and gift cards directly with bitcoin. Through the app, you can load Visa cards or purchase gift cards for everyday essentials, giving you the flexibility to spend bitcoin almost anywhere while still earning rewards back in sats. This makes it a powerful option for those who prefer not to rely solely on Strike, offering another seamless bridge between the bitcoin economy and the traditional payments world.
Closing Remarks
Personally, I live this way. I no longer rely on a fiat bank account; instead, I use bitcoin to pay my bills, buy groceries, and save for the future. On the surface, nothing looks unusual as I swipe my credit card at restaurants and send Venmo payments to friends, but behind the scenes I am already living in the future. The empowerment of holding true property rights over my wealth is profound, but an even greater benefit quickly becomes evident: deflation is the natural state of a free market. Prices rise over time not because life naturally becomes more expensive, but because the Federal Reserve continually inflates the supply of dollars. That artificial inflation distorts reality. With bitcoin, I have opted out. As the exchange rate between bitcoin and the dollar rises, my cost of living effectively falls and my groceries get cheaper. Time and again, I have bought beef from my local farmer at lower prices while the quality remains high. Living off bitcoin is not just empowering, it is freeing, because it reconnects you with the natural way of things.
Bitcoin is money, and many people of the world have yet to realize it, you do not have to wait to use it as such. With the above tools, you can begin living on a Bitcoin standard today. We hope you enjoy the freedom that results.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Please consult with a financial advisor or conduct your own research before making any financial decisions.
