Summary

The article advocates for reducing reliance on fiat currency by adopting lifestyle changes that save money, such as using a bidet, investing in efficiency, self-sufficiency, and direct trade, to combat the erosion of purchasing power due to inflation.

Abstract

The author presents a personal narrative about the benefits of using a bidet, which significantly reduces toilet paper consumption, as an analogy for the broader concept of fiat-avoidance. The article argues that inflation, which is understated by official reports, is a pervasive issue that diminishes the value of money over time. To counteract this, the author suggests a four-step approach: scaling down spending, investing in fiat-saving measures, creating non-fiat wealth through self-sufficiency, and engaging in direct trade of goods and services. The ultimate goal is to minimize the use of fiat currency, which the author believes is being manipulated to the detriment of the public, and to prepare for potential hyperinflation by holding currencies with stable purchasing power.

Opinions

The author believes that inflation rates are much higher than reported by governments, significantly reducing the purchasing power of fiat currency.
The use of a bidet is highlighted as a practical example of how to save money and reduce consumption of disposable goods, providing a high return on investment.
The article suggests that self-sufficiency, such as growing food or making goods at home, is a viable strategy to avoid the impacts of inflation and fiat currency devaluation.
Cryptocurrencies are criticized as a fiat-avoidance strategy due to their environmental impact and lack of intrinsic value.
The author emphasizes the importance of community in facilitating the exchange of goods and services outside of the fiat currency system.
There is a call to reward currencies that maintain their purchasing power and to abandon those that do not, as a way to incentivize better monetary policies.
The author acknowledges that completely extricating oneself from the fiat currency system may be unrealistic but insists that taking steps towards financial independence is both necessary and beneficial.

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My wife and I used to go through way too much toilet paper.

Then, while visiting Ethiopia a few years ago, we had no choice but to use a bidet because TP wasn’t available.

It was a game-changer.

I’ve never felt so clean.

It was as if I’d been living like a chimp my whole life.

We came home and bought a portable squeeze-bottle bidet for $13.99.

It instantly cut our toilet paper usage by more than half.

The average person uses 60+ rolls per year.

We currently pay $33.99 for 45 rolls of 100% recycled paper.

Having a bidet earns us a 300+% after-tax ROI per year.

It’s literally the best investment I’ve ever made.

But this isn’t an article about toilet paper.

This is about learning the meta-skill of fiat-avoidance.

See, inflation is eating your money.

The Feds say it’s 2% per year.

They’re lying.

It’s at least 10%.

Could be higher than 20%.

Regardless of the exact number, your money is worth less every single year.

And I bet your income isn’t keeping pace.

Here’s the tricky thing: The time and inputs needed to grow a tomato have never changed in human history. It still takes seed, water, soil, sun, and time.

But if the fiat price of a tomato keeps going up, and your fiat wages don’t keep up, there inevitably comes a point when it makes sense to cut out the middle-man (government-manipulated fiat money) and just grow tomatoes yourself.

It’s fundamental math.

If we continue on this current monetary trajectory, there will come a day when literally no one uses government money for trade.

It’ll be like Germany in the twenties.

Monopoly money is still monopoly money, no matter who prints it.

It’s time to start ditching fiat currency

The crypto “revolution” is just one expression of fiat-aversion, despite the fact that most cryptos are horrible for the planet and are backed by zero value.

A more accessible, non-pyramid-scheme way to avoid fiat currency is simply to learn the meta-skill of fulfilling your needs without the need for middleman monopoly money.

We need to wean ourselves off that corporate-captured government paper.

How?

Step one

Scale down your spending. A fiat penny saved is (depending on sales tax and your income tax bracket) roughly 1.5 fiat pennies you don’t need to earn.

Everything is about money except money. Money is about time.

Spend less → more time saved → higher quality of life.

Step two

Invest in things that will save you fiat currency.

Get a portable bidet. Replace your tank with an instant hot water heater. Insulate your house to maximal efficiency. Buy a car that’s cheaper on fuel and insurance and repairs. Install solar panels, wind turbines, micro-hydro, geothermal.

Get creative. And don’t forget to share your journey with others so they can be inspired to expand their own financial independence, too.

Step three

Create/grow/make as much non-fiat wealth as you reasonably can.

Brew your own beer. Raise your own eggs. Ferment your own sourdough and kombucha. Make your own cheese. If you really want financial independence, pull a Gandhi and make your own clothes.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should all go back to making everything. But if you really enjoy a task, and the math makes sense, give it a shot. For many people, they don’t even have the luxury of paying with fiat, and it’s happening to millions of Americans, too.

My best friend repairs his own car with the help of a retired mechanic. My wife’s best friend renovates his own houses. My father-in-law is currently building his own cabin and sauna. My cousin builds his own computers.

For decades, my wife’s uncle never paid a fiat penny for heat because he bought a woodlot and sustainably warmed his house without the need to purchase fossil fuels.

Step four

Sidestep fiat.

Trade goods and services with others directly.

This isn’t difficult in the age of Facebook Marketplace.

It’s even easier if you’re part of a community of diversely skilled people.

Step five

Only hold as much fiat as you need for liquidity. (But brace for hyper-inflation.)

And what you do hold, hold in whatever national currencies are least likely to eat away your purchasing power.

The American government prints a huge amount of money out of thin air, and obviously other governments do it to a smaller extent, but some currencies are manipulated by their issuing governments far less than others.

We need to reward currencies that retain their purchasing power and abandon those that do not.

—

In the end, most of us probably won’t be able to completely extricate ourselves from the corruption economy, but as corporate-controlled politicians manipulate monetary policy to systematically devour our wealth and therefore squeeze our time, it only makes sense to start making our exit now.

We really don’t have any other choice.