If you live in the UK, you can mostly live without a bank. \ stacker news ~bitcoin

If you live in the UK, you can mostly live without a bank.

1131 sats \ 12 comments \ @l0k18 6 Jul 2023 bitcoin

I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out, as I was ordering things from Amazon and Sainsbury, that I can, with some small limitations, not use the bank account at all, with the small caveat of needing to grease Amazon with some KYC before they let me use their gift cards.

For all the main budget, this literally means I can buy a little printer and print these codes out and never carry my phone or cards for these reasons.

Phenomenal.

Vouchers are a nice little sidestep from the banked vs unbanked question.

It made me think of an expression:

Living the prepaid life

<music notes> leaving less traces on the grid... <music notes>

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32 sats \ 5 replies \ @orthwyrm 6 Jul 2023

Amazon with some KYC

Not necessarily! They will prompt you for a phone number, but you can use a burner for that. And from there you can get deliveries to Amazon lockers (for small orders at least).

How does the Sainsburys method work? Can you use vouchers in-store then?

Any ideas about utilities? Apart from living off-grid (I'd love that but alas I am hamstrung by the missus...)

52 sats \ 4 replies \ @carlosfandango 6 Jul 2023

This is a very UK centric reply; For gas/electricity, broadband, council tax and water you can pay suppliers in cash or cheque via the Post Office counter . You would probably get a bill every 3 months. Or you can use a top up card (you add credit using cash at a local shop or post office) although this method can be an expensive way to do it as the rates are terrible These methods are designed to help people with poor credit as they would be unlikely to pass the checks needed for direct debit.

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @orthwyrm 6 Jul 2023

Wow, I had no idea these were a thing. Thanks.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @l0k18 OP 7 Jul 2023

I have a post office branch up the road and always watching old grannies dishing over cash to pay things on the post counter. Grey Power is an ally since bad things are hard for old people.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @carlosfandango 6 Jul 2023

👍

100 sats \ 0 replies \ @carlosfandango 7 Jul 2023

Also Post Office ATMs are one of the few places you can get £5 notes. Funny how the elderly, poor and unbanked teach us how to live a private life without excessive surveillance…. and when you only want to give £5 to Susan’s leaving fund. Never liked Susan :D

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @l0k18 OP 6 Jul 2023

I should also add I saw vouchers in Bulgaria that appeared to be a sidestep to taxes (in a country with already nearly 19th century tax burdens). They have a special place in law that exempts them from having to have banking and other complicated expensive lawyery stuff, this is one of the cracks that Bitcoin naturally can seep into and continue the erosion.

11 sats \ 0 replies \ @JesseJames 6 Jul 2023

Let Nigel Farage know...lol apparently he doesn't know that....

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @llamabyte 7 Jul 2023

You don't even need to do that: https://anonshop.app/

You're welcome.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @felix 6 Jul 2023

And in case you need to pay with a card, you can just buy €100 Visa/Mastercards without KYC at Coinsbee ;)