Exploring Bitcoin for the Older Generation: A Conversation with Mary Lou

The episode at Orange Hatter delves into the experiences of a senior woman, Mary Lou, passionate about Bitcoin and its potential for ensuring future financial security. During the discussion, Mary Lou recounts childhood experiences of extreme poverty, how she became interested in Bitcoin after her son exposed her to its concept and benefits, and her fascinating journey to understanding this new financial alternative. Highlighting the importance of privacy and control over your own money, Mary Lou also discusses her concerns with the current economic system. Tali shares details about the upcoming Orange Hatter Women's Retreat, a sanctuary which facilitates connection, relaxation, and knowledge sharing among women involved in the Bitcoin space.

00:03 Introduction and Personal Bitcoin Journey

00:50 Announcement of the Orange Hatter Women's Retreat

01:53 Guest Introduction: Mary Lou's Life Story

04:26 Mary Lou's Childhood and Financial Struggles

05:35 Mary Lou's Family Life and Work History

11:28 Mary Lou's Financial Philosophy and Parenting Approach

14:55 Mary Lou's Perspective on Poverty and Wealth

19:03 Mary Lou's Approach to Raising Financially Responsible Children

27:45 The Importance of Self-Reliance and Financial Responsibility

28:37 The Role of Chores in Teaching Responsibility

30:26 Introduction to Bitcoin and Its Benefits

32:49 The Journey to Understanding Bitcoin

39:24 The Future of Bitcoin and Its Potential as a Medium of Exchange

39:49 The Importance of Privacy and Control in Financial Matters

43:12 The Advantages of Bitcoin Over Traditional Banking

49:26 The Importance of Learning and Adapting in the Digital Age

50:46 Tips for Learning About Bitcoin

52:41 Conclusion and Invitation to Join the Bitcoin Community

*** Check out the Orange Hatter Women's Retreat @OrangeHatterPod

To learn more about Bitcoin: Join the Orange Hatter Women's Reading Club.  Visit https://www.meetup.com/womensbitcoinreadingclubwithorangehatter

Please email questions/comments to tali@orangehatter.com

HODL UP is available at www.freemarketkids.com.

Remember: Knowledge is empowerment! 🍊🎩

Mentioned in this episode:

Aleia Free Market Kids Sponsorship FULL

Get your HODL UP ("The best bitcoin game ever!") at www.freemarketkids.com.

My son was so on fire, he wanted to tell my husband and I about Bitcoin

2

I missed a lot of the conversations

because I'd be playing with his kids.

3

I'm trying to listen but all

talking grandma, grandma, grandma.

4

And My son started coming over

to my house late at night, when

5

all of his kids were home in bed.

6

That way grandma couldn't

be playing with kids.

7

He started giving me articles

to read, resources and his own

8

explanations and that was the

beginnings of me wanting more

9

Tali: Hey, everybody.

10

Welcome to Orange Hatter.

11

Before we dive into my conversation

with our guest today, I want to share

12

with you a very exciting project,

the Orange Hatter Women's Retreat.

13

The mission of this retreat is to create

a nurturing sanctuary where women in the

14

Bitcoin space can connect with each other,

recharge batteries, find grounding, and

15

form deep friendships so that you don't

feel so isolated where you are sharing

16

the potential of Bitcoin with the world

while keeping an eye on the fiat system.

17

This retreat is going to

be absolutely amazing.

18

I am partnering with the

Yucatan Project in Mexico.

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The details will be rolled

out later this week.

20

Keep an eye out on Twitter

at Orange Hatter Pod.

21

I'll give out more information

as they are finalized.

22

Spaces are very limited, and

they're going to fill up fast.

23

So sign up for it when the registration

and I will see you in Mexico.

24

And now we're going to.

25

Continue with our podcast.

26

Here is my conversation with

our wonderful guests today.

27

Thank you for coming on the show.

28

Mary Lou, welcome to Orange Hatter.

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Mary Lou: Thank you, Tally.

30

Tali: Very excited to hop

into your Bitcoin journey.

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So let's start by just.

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Doing a little introduction of

yourself so people can get a sense

33

of where you're coming from.

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Mary Lou: Well, I'm Mary

Lou, and my husband is Jeff.

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We've been married 48 years.

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We have four children plus

another one we call a son.

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We have ten grandchildren so far.

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And I'm also close with my three brothers.

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So, God and family are the things that

are very important to me the most.

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And what a blessing to

be surrounded by family.

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I live in Northampton,

Massachusetts, where I was born.

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And I'm not sensitive about

saying I'm 66 years old.

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And mainly I say that because Our money

goals have changed through the years.

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And now that we're in the older part

of our lives, definitely our goals have

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changed, little bit more of my background

is when, when our kids were growing

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up, I ran a state licensed daycare in

my home, 50 hours a week for 10 years.

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So I could be home with my

children at the same time.

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because I feel like.

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The reason I was put here on earth was to

raise children into a whole new generation

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for our country and for our world.

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So that was my definite main focus.

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Now that I'm older.

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I, I'm retired from my real job.

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I was Director of Religious Education

for the Catholic Church, actually for

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five Catholic churches at the same time.

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And then due to churches coming together,

I was then Director of one church.

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and although I'm retired from that.

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That was my career job.

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, I currently work, , well, I volunteer

25 hours per week for the church.

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, but I also am the one person

office for my brother's landscaping

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company, which was something I

never had an interest in doing.

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But, you know, office

work, I'm pretty good at.

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So, that's where I ended up.

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Why I ended up doing that.

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growing up I grew up

below the poverty level.

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My dad had four jobs, but

no benefits whatsoever.

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No health insurance, just by the hour.

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, and.

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It never bothered me that

we were really poverty.

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, we had cousins that were on what

they called welfare back then.

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And they would share some of their

stuff with us , if we really needed.

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, also I took care of my

younger brothers a lot.

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, when, when they were young,

my mom had very poor health.

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So a lot of that was on my shoulders.

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I never saw it as a burden.

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I thought of it as a way to grow, a way

to manage my time so I could be in junior

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high school, still do homework, still

potty train and, you know, take care of my

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younger brothers, get them off to neighbor

babysitters before and after school.

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, but I think it made me be the person.

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That I am today, you know,

so it's not a complaint.

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It's just a fact.

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Uh, by the time I was 18, I was

in my own apartment with two

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jobs to try to support myself.

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But then I was married

not, not long after that.

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And I also say that because it goes

to show how I became a saver, not a

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spender, how to get along in life with

a low amount of money for many years.

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, I'm not a person that wants to

be wealthy, just comfortable.

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And I think through these life choices

and life learnings, but mainly due to

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God's blessings, we're comfortable enough.

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We're ready for retirement

should it come, you know.

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, my husband has been working, if I can

brag, 51 years at the same company.

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So I'm very proud of him

and , he's still working.

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It's part time.

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In his like part retirement,

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Tali: wow, It sounds like you've had Such

an experience going from extreme poverty

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through careful financial planning to

the point where you're comfortable

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and it sounds like you've done all the

right things to prepare for retirement.

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And now you're just on

the verge of doing that.

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You are still working for your brother,

landscaping company, your husband's

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working part time, but you're just

on the verge, and you found Bitcoin.

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So we're going to talk about

that, but let's go back.

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Let's dig a little deeper into

your childhood and your background.

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So your dad was working four jobs

and your mom was not well, and you

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rely on the help of your family

who were themselves on welfare.

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What was that like?

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If you don't mind reliving some

feelings and experiences from that time.

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Mary Lou: Yeah, I don't feel

like they were bad experiences.

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I just feel like they

were learning experiences.

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And I, I feel very blessed that

I was never jealous or envious.

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of my cousins for receiving, again, they

called it welfare back then, I know they

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call it something else nowadays and back

then, you wouldn't have food stamps or

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EBT cards, you would go line up in long

lines down Main Street to a building

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where you would pick up welfare food.

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And it was interesting.

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It was, , it almost looked like army

food where you'd get an enormous

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can of tuna fish and printed on it.

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It said tuna fish.

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That was the only thing on the can,

you know, and a block of cheese,

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but it would be like 10 pounds.

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In one block, and it said cheese.

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So, you know, whatever

kind it was I don't know.

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But my, my, I would say, if, send Mary Lou

if she comes and stands in line with us.

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I'll give her some of

the stuff we don't like.

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So, We had a lot of stuff

we didn't like either.

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My older brother and I still to this

day talk about we'd get a cardboard box

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and inside was a plastic bag and the

box said, Non fat, dry powdered milk.

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That was exactly what it said.

128

It was the worst.

129

And we, my mom and I, we'd mix it in

a blender and you had to mix it with

130

warm milk because it would be too

lumpy and then put it in the fridge.

131

So we were a family of six.

132

So we would make nine.

133

Half gallons at a time because that's what

the refrigerator would hold nine standing

134

up and it was bad, you know, but all

the other food was just fine, like spam.

135

It sounds horrible.

136

We thought it was fine, you

know, and we had a house.

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It was free.

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It came through my father's

family when they passed, his

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older brother got the house.

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He moved out.

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My dad got the house.

142

So, We were in a house that my dad

lived in from when he was three

143

years old, and he lived there

till he was 80 and passed away.

144

So we had a house with one car.

145

So, my dad and mom shared it, and we

were able to walk to school and stuff.

146

So my mom was a terrific saver,

and I know I learned from her.

147

But, you know, our mattresses were bad.

148

We had real beds, not like here.

149

But when my cousins would, the

government would then give them all a

150

new mattress, we got their old mattress.

151

So, we were always okay in a mattress.

152

And other than the non fat, dry,

powdered milk that bothered me, the

153

only other thing that ever bothered me

is I mentioned I'm Catholic, and I was

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getting ready to make my first communion.

155

So I was seven, and I thought I was going

to get a new dress, and I wore my cousins.

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And I don't know why that bothered me and

why at my age I would still remember that.

157

Because hand me down

clothes, I never minded.

158

My kids wore hand me down clothes and then

I handed them down to other people too.

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But I guess I just thought it was so

special to make your first communion

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that I wanted that new dress.

161

But that would be the growing

up in the money situation.

162

It was good.

163

Tali: So I'm curious, why did your

family not receive this welfare that

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your cousin's family was receiving?

165

Mary Lou: I should have said,

my father was too proud.

166

He said, I'm the breadwinner.

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I will work as many jobs as I

can to take care of my family.

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So at three in the morning,

he would go for his first job.

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He collected garbage as an employee of a

company back in the day when people would

170

throw their food scraps in a metal pail

outside, and he would dump the metal pail,

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do the route, and the route was from three

in the morning to seven in the morning.

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Then he went to a different job

and it was collecting trash.

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So he drove the big trash truck and

you jump out and pick up everybody's

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trash barrels and dump them by hand.

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Nowadays they have trucks that

are, you know, front end loaders

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and things that pick them up.

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But he would do that and

that was seven to three.

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Then he would go to He worked at

a lawnmower shop and he repaired

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lawnmowers when they were repaired,

he delivered them to the people,

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but he could only squeeze that in.

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And that was also on weekends,

because from 4pm to 6pm.

182

He drove truck for the post office, and

it would just be go to eight different

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local post offices and deliver enormous

bags of mail, and my older brother and I

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really loved it before my younger brothers

were born, because he would take us.

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With him, he'd come pick us up

at four, and for two hours, we'd

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ride in this big truck, and we'd

get out and roam the post offices.

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The other funny part is the truck didn't

have seatbelts, and we thought it was fun

188

to ride in the back with all the mail.

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And it was pitch dark back there,

and we would like hold on to the

190

lats that were on the sides of the

truck so we wouldn't fall over.

191

And we, you know, sat on Bags of

mail, but they were good memories

192

and we'd get home and my mom would

have supper already for all of us.

193

Of course, when the younger brothers came,

my mom's health failed and my dad still

194

did the, all the jobs, but we, I kind

of stayed home to help with the kids.

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So, no benefits with four part time jobs.

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That's why there were no benefits and

I do remember my mom saying for years

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and years and years, she paid our

hospital 5 a month, because every time

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she had a baby there was a hospital

bill, and they couldn't afford it.

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And how nice that the hospital would

accept such a low amount of money.

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I mean, I.

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I remember being a teenager

and she was still paying.

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So, and we did not go to

the doctor very often.

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I'll tell you that.

204

When the school made you for shots, we

would go, but other than that, if we were

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sick, we got better on our own, you know?

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Mm-Hmm.

207

Tali: You didn't feel poor and I think

that's really interesting to witness

208

your dad working so hard and then having

to step up when your mom wasn't feeling

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well And yet you didn't feel poor.

210

Like how is that possible?

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Mary Lou: because I had

a home, I had clothes.

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, even though they were used,

it didn't matter to me.

213

And I think because I had a mom and a

dad in a stable family and, , they loved

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us, they were interested in what we had

to say, I, so I didn't feel lacking.

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The other thing, and because I felt

this way as a kid, I tried to teach it

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to my own kids, if you try to take the

responsibility yourself, if you're like,

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when I was 12, I was babysitting a lot

for families, because that was my money.

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And I actually could go to

our local department store.

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It was called Bradley's at the time.

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They don't exist anymore.

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And you could buy a shirt for two or

three dollars, you know, on their bin.

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And I would say, I

bought this shirt myself.

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And it made me feel good about myself.

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The summers of when I was 12, 13, and 14,

I actually, by then, My mom was doing a

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little better and I babysat 48 hours per

week for a family that had three kids.

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, my mom didn't want me to spend my

childhood working, but I was like, it's

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kind of fun, you know, they listen to me.

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They're good kids.

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It's okay.

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I love kids, I play with them.

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I was paid terrible money,

even compared to other people

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in the day, but the family.

233

We're farmers, so they didn't have a

lot of money to pay a babysitter full

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time, but they would sell my parents

a 50 pound bag of potatoes for 2.

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So potatoes are filling, and every meal

you can have a lot of potatoes, and my

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mother would cook them different ways.

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So we weren't hungry.

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I remember one day my dad surprised

me and it was a Thursday or Friday

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paycheck day was Friday and my mom

made pancakes for supper because they

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ran out of money for food that week.

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And my dad said, these

pancakes are so good.

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These are the best pancakes.

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And I said, I thought you

liked hamburgers the best.

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No, these are good.

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Later that evening, my mom

apologized to me that pancakes

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were what we had for supper, that

there was No protein, no meat, no.

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And I was I was so surprised.

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I thought that was treat night.

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I loved pancakes for supper, you know?

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I didn't realize that I would have

anything to do with waiting for the

251

paycheck to come to buy a hamburger.

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So I don't know.

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I think God gave me the accepting attitude

and he gave me a family that loved me.

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And I.

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Always had my faith.

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, for years my mom was sick and she couldn't

go to church and I would walk to church

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by myself like I'm talking like I was

six and seven and up years old and I was

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a little afraid walking down the street.

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It was close, but as a kid it

felt far, where I had to go

260

on three different streets.

261

And I used to think, I hope I can find it.

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Like, geez, you'd think I'd

be used to it, you know.

263

But it was that important to me.

264

I wanted to go.

265

They didn't make me go.

266

God spoke to my heart, and I think that

kept me going all those growing up years.

267

Tali: it's interesting that you

said your family loved you and their

268

attitude Basically shielded you, I

think from feeling poor and in today's

269

society, at least I felt this pressure.

270

I felt like I had to provide so

much to our kids materially to

271

make sure I didn't deprive them.

272

And it's such a wonderful reminder

speaking to you that really all the

273

kids care about is the parents love

them and they have food on the table.

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Like even pancakes.

275

You know, kids, if we just had candy

for dinner, the kids will probably

276

be very happy, but I'm, you know, I'm

making sure that there's, grass fed,

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organic beef and organic vegetables

and , organic quinoa and all that stuff.

278

And we stress ourselves out.

279

And if you think about the very, very

basics, if you cover the basics, the

280

love, acceptance, and a great attitude.

281

That's the most important part Scott

and I, just launched a homeschooling

282

podcast and , we're sharing lessons

that we learned over the last

283

20 years homeschooling our kids.

284

And I think what you just said, we need

to talk about because we are like society.

285

I don't know what it is today.

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Maybe it's all the social media.

287

We feel such pressure.

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Like parents feel such pressure to

provide opportunities for their kids.

289

And we're going crazy scrambling

for money to pay for this camp and

290

that camp . And yeah, going back

to basics, I think, I think it was

291

really good to hear what you said,

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Mary Lou: and I hear you, , what

you're saying, where four of our

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kids are married with little kids.

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And I see all the really healthy food.

295

These kids eat so healthy.

296

It's amazing.

297

They are into, even as kindergartners

and four year olds, they're into all the

298

sports with hockey gear and, baseball

and it's like, All the stuff that they do.

299

Gymnastics and, and I think that's great.

300

I didn't have it, although for a short

time, I had some ballet lessons, they,

301

they were very short lived, but that was

fun and it was the only organized thing.

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Oh, Girl Scouts, because that was free.

303

So I was a girl scout growing up.

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But I kind of held those values.

305

When I became a parent, and my kids

didn't seem to mind that they had

306

left over my, our first child was our

daughter, and it was like I'm ready to

307

give birth, and we didn't have a crib.

308

My husband.

309

I worked five 12 hour nights, for

almost our whole marriage as a blue

310

collar worker, and I stopped working

for just about, I think, three

311

years when our first two kids were

born, so I could be home with them.

312

So, money was tight, but we did choose.

313

To buy a house and live poor

rather than have an apartment

314

and have a little extra money.

315

We actually went 12 years

without ever going to a movie.

316

Our daughter was 12 the

first movie that she went to.

317

So we, we, You don't waste and we

taught them to do chores in the house

318

and we didn't pay our kids for the

chores and they didn't get an allowance.

319

I don't think they knew

other families did that.

320

But when they got older, they

learned that we didn't buy them

321

a car, and they all had jobs.

322

And through high school.

323

, and really they paid

for their own college.

324

Nowadays, I think our government tells us

that parents and grandparents have to pay

325

for their kids college, but really they

can get loans, they can get scholarships.

326

And once you're out of college.

327

If you can get the job that you went

to college for, you can actually

328

pay off your own college loans.

329

, I remember my daughter going

off to college saying, Every.

330

Single.

331

One.

332

Of my friends goes to college for free.

333

Their parents pay.

334

Like, she was a little ticked.

335

And I would always say, you are going

to be so proud of yourself later on.

336

You're going to tell everybody,

you did this on your own,

337

and I am so proud of you.

338

I think she got sick of the speech,

but you should hear her now.

339

She tells everybody, my

parents never paid for college.

340

She, she forgets that we did pay

for books and things, you know,

341

but, but she did pay for college.

342

And she, she's an OBGYN doctor.

343

Our sons all went to get their masters.

344

We have a nuclear engineer son and a

computer engineer son and a son that went

345

to MIT for a master's in his business.

346

So, you don't have to give

your kids, everything in order

347

for them to become successful.

348

They did it on their own.

349

We love them supported them

and did the best we could.

350

But as the years rolled on, we were

able to save my husband's self taught

351

on stocks and bonds and ways to

invest over just putting the money in

352

the bank, which was all I ever did.

353

and really there were times that I

didn't want him to save because I

354

wanted to bring my kids to Burger King.

355

Every kid in the neighborhood had a Burger

King crown Except us, and I was suffering.

356

I wanted them to have the Burger

King crown, but he was like, I'm

357

saving 10 a week and that's it.

358

And we're not bringing up to

Burger King with the 10 bucks.

359

And he was right.

360

if you're willing to not waste.

361

You still can be very happy and nothing

much bothered me except my daughter's used

362

crib, which seven children had used before

her and I kind of wanted a new crib.

363

And the Burger King crown so those are

the only things that ever bothered me.

364

So you really can psych yourself

out and say you can have a happy

365

life, even if you're not wealthy.

366

Tali: So , I'm just thinking back to

what you said about how your kids did

367

chores and you didn't pay them for it.

368

That was a big topic that my husband

and I argued about when the kids were

369

little, because he wanted to pay them

an allowance based on their chores.

370

And I said, no, they're part

of the family doing chore.

371

We don't get paid to do chores.

372

Why should they get paid?

373

to do chores.

374

They're part of the family.

375

They should help to maintain the house.

376

This is part of their responsibility.

377

Of course, the other side of the

argument is how are you going to

378

teach them how to manage money,

379

but in my mind, if you're

going to give the kids money.

380

To show them how to use it

and save it and budget for it.

381

Give it to them as something

extra that they do.

382

Not the ordinary things, not

like taking out the garbage.

383

Because that's regular stuff that

everybody should pitch in and help

384

with, ? And then what you were saying

about Letting the kids feel pride

385

that they earned something, , for

your daughter to be able to say,

386

I pay for most of my college.

387

Mary Lou: Mm hmm.

388

I remember when my son Reid was

in undergrad in college and he

389

had to work three jobs while

he was in engineering school.

390

My other son who later went to engineering

school said, it feels impossible that

391

Reid could actually go to school.

392

Get all a's and work three jobs.

393

He said, I can handle only two.

394

So he worked two jobs, but I

was so proud of Reid for that.

395

And, okay, sometimes we give

them a 10 bill, but, I think

396

when my youngest son got out of.

397

MIT, he owed 250, 000 in education

loans and like all of our kids

398

had big ones, but he's paying

them off and he's got a good job.

399

He can afford to do that.

400

So good for them.

401

They did it.

402

, Tali: Scott and I just did an episode

yesterday on our homeschooling podcast,

403

and we're like, let the kids feel like

they accomplished something themselves.

404

And if they have to take out and

okay, we can go into a whole nother

405

conversation about how horrible

the education costs have risen.

406

, but if you can make it happen and

you did it on your own, that is a

407

huge source of pride, you know, and

408

that affects every part of

your life going forward.

409

Mary Lou: It really does.

410

And as far as allowance, , we made having

a list of chores, we tried to make it fun.

411

Sometimes the older ones didn't think it

was so fun, but it was this big honor.

412

When you turn two years old,

the day after your birthday,

413

you would get a list of chores.

414

You are so lucky.

415

Like, okay.

416

So when they were two.

417

The list would be make your bed.

418

Of course it would look horrible.

419

And I, I would bite my lip and not fix it.

420

I would leave the bed messy.

421

That was hard because I wanted

it to be, hug mommy, hug daddy.

422

So you have to come to the wherever,

whatever room we're in, hug.

423

check it off the list, you know,

pick up three toys and put them away.

424

So that was the type of list.

425

And as the kid got older, it would grow.

426

So the oldest kid would have to

read the list to the two year old.

427

Who couldn't read yet.

428

So even I wasn't doing that, you

know, I'd have the older daughter.

429

Okay, go find mommy and hug her.

430

But I like the hug.

431

It benefited me.

432

But the dusting, that

was my daughter's worst.

433

She hated it.

434

And they all shared dishwasher.

435

Empty, you know, so they were very

manageable things and with a household

436

of six of us and I ran daycare full

time, it was a big help to me to

437

have a kid empty the dishwasher.

438

Tali: Yeah, I I feel like we

can talk about this forever.

439

But let's circle back to Bitcoin

. How did you hear about Bitcoin?

440

And when did I happen?

441

Mary Lou: I heard about Bitcoin through

my son, Reed, who, as we segue from

442

parenting into Bitcoin, I really feel

on fire to say he has three young kids.

443

He does pay them, uh, like

to do work in the house.

444

He'll pay them.

445

They choose to be paid in Bitcoin.

446

He pays his kids in

Bitcoin and they are happy.

447

I mean, one of them is in first

grade, they all have Bitcoin.

448

He's taught them about it and

they're actually saying, I

449

would rather Bitcoin than cash.

450

So way to go read.

451

So Reed started to tell my husband

452

ish, and , he was diving into it.

453

, he was working full time house with

three kids, but late at night, he

454

was really pouring time into it.

455

He wanted to share this with

us, but at the time, my husband

456

was not really interested.

457

He had his way of saving.

458

We're older he's like, no, I,

this is my set way of doing money.

459

Bank stocks, you know, so not interested,

but my son was so on fire, but I

460

missed a lot of the conversations

because I'd be playing with his kids.

461

Heck, they're here, Reed and Jeff

are having this Bitcoin conversation,

462

and I'm trying to listen with my ear,

but I'm playing with three kids all

463

talking grandma, grandma, grandma.

464

Well, my poor husband, I would grill

him after Reed's family would leave.

465

What did Reed say?

466

I heard this sentence.

467

Now, what part was that?

468

And he really wasn't giving

me the details that I wanted.

469

And I think it was because he wasn't

that interested, so maybe he wasn't

470

investing himself in listening well

enough to be able to repeat what was said.

471

So after some years went by,

Reid Picked up on the fact

472

that I was pretty interested.

473

So the fall of 2021, Reed

started educating me.

474

And he started coming over to

my house late at night, when all

475

of his kids were home in bed.

476

That way grandma couldn't

be playing with kids.

477

And he started giving me articles

to read, going on the internet.

478

Um, giving me resources and his own

explanations and that was the beginnings

479

of me like wanting more, wanting more.

480

Tali: Yeah, what was he telling your

husband about that caught your ear

481

that made you want to learn more?

482

Mary Lou: Maybe it was less the words

because I couldn't always hear the words.

483

He was on fire.

484

This was his passion.

485

He would say, Dad, I see you're not

really interested, but I believe

486

this would be so good for you.

487

And I want to benefit you.

488

And I just think if you could put

some time into it, you would see.

489

That you can still keep

what you've got with stocks.

490

You, you can get a little

Bitcoin, learn about it on your

491

own time and your own pace.

492

And, and I, I'm sorry, I don't want

to harp, but I, I want good for you.

493

And I kept thinking, I want

to hear this conversation.

494

And then my own journey.

495

When he started coming over in the fall

496

to have a Bitcoin meeting you and I, I

started liking, things that, that he would

497

say about your independence with Bitcoin.

498

I never liked big government.

499

Especially when they say we're here

to help you and then they don't

500

really help you, I've nothing against

government helping people in need, but

501

maybe they're not always really there.

502

And I always felt that the government

was set up to be of the people

503

by the people for the people.

504

But.

505

People are in charge of the

government and people aren't God.

506

People, greed comes out accidentally.

507

I think when people start working in

the government, they probably say,

508

I want to help people, but greed

sneaks in and I don't have trust

509

in our government, our economy.

510

I think in a perfect world, I

would have total trust and faith.

511

But it's so filled with corruption.

512

You have to even think a bank

is a for profit institution.

513

They're all looking to keep themselves

going on the backs of people who Have

514

no other recourse than to just trust

the bank with your money, trust the

515

government who can devalue your money at

any time, who can just raise taxes and

516

take your money at any time, who can take

your money for taxes and spend it the

517

way they want without asking taxpayers.

518

How they feel we should have it spent.

519

I don't have anything against

taxes to help community to help

520

people to have roads and schools.

521

Sure.

522

I'm glad to pay the taxes, but

I'm not glad to pay them when I

523

feel they're completely wasting.

524

My hard earned money.

525

I don't like that.

526

And Reed is telling me

Bitcoin's the opposite.

527

And I'm like, you're kidding.

528

Banks and governments don't control this?

529

this is really, perking my ears.

530

And I like the way nobody

can steal your Bitcoin.

531

You know, talking about the

government can raise your taxes

532

to do whatever they want with.

533

Very recently, , someone was able to gain

access to our business checking account,

534

the landscaping checking account, and

they bought a very expensive cell phone.

535

and a plan through T Mobile.

536

We don't even have T Mobile.

537

We're not T Mobile customers.

538

Why didn't the bank pick

this up that it wasn't us?

539

And why didn't T Mobile

pick up that it wasn't us?

540

And a business checking

account is pretty serious.

541

It's very involved over a

personal checking account.

542

It took me over six months.

543

to get everything straightened out.

544

Checks were bouncing, fees were

happening, the bank didn't want to pay

545

the fees, but the bank's the one that

gave a stranger our money, so where's

546

the privacy or the security in that?

547

And apparently I started

hearing this happens regularly.

548

So when I'm on the phone with the

bank, they're asking me five specific

549

questions for me to prove it's me.

550

Where were the five questions for the

person that got into the checking account?

551

And we had to close it and open

a new one and reset up all these

552

business payments to vendors.

553

This was a freaking nightmare.

554

Bitcoin, that can't happen.

555

That's what I've learned.

556

I like that the government

doesn't run Bitcoin.

557

Everybody that owns Bitcoin runs Bitcoin.

558

It's group based.

559

God likes that.

560

God wants us to work together and

encourage each other to do the

561

right thing, not lord it over each

other, or actually steal from us.

562

So it makes me feel that it goes,

even with my faith, and my faith,

563

Deep grassroots of who I am.

564

and I think that Bitcoiners, it gives

them hope for the future someday.

565

I'm talking to other Bitcoiners

and they wanna be able to go buy a

566

loaf of bread with their Bitcoin.

567

And, um, I would like Bitcoin to

become a medium of exchange someday.

568

You know, I'd be glad to

get away from Fiat dollars.

569

I do have a story about.

570

the privacy of Bitcoin and why

the privacy is important to me.

571

really, it's just an example.

572

, I'm pretty stubborn and I

don't like giving out a lot

573

of information about myself.

574

Although here I find myself on a

podcast opening up all about myself.

575

But recently, I was at a retail store.

576

And believe me, I do not like shopping.

577

I can go to a store and say, you know,

I don't think there's one thing in this

578

store that I actually need or want.

579

, I'm not a shopper.

580

And with COVID, I went two

years without entering a store.

581

But recently.

582

I went into a store to

get something specific.

583

And when I went to check out the cashier

said, do you have a, a store card?

584

No, I didn't have a store card.

585

Well, if you sign up, you'll be

able to save this many dollars on

586

today's purchase right now, and then

a percentage in the future, and you'll

587

get emails and you'll get coupons.

588

And I thought, I love to save a

dollar, what would you want to know.

589

So I look at the form, and there were way

too many questions to give to a store.

590

, my name sure my email.

591

Okay.

592

I don't want to give them my phone.

593

I don't want phone calls or texts about

their deals and have me be at their beck

594

and call to have to run to my phone.

595

And then more stuff and more stuff,

questions about how I spend and,

596

trying to fit me into their categories.

597

And I just, I said to the cashier,

I don't really want the store to

598

have all this information on me and

she was young and she was really

599

confused and she's like, but right

this minute you could save this money.

600

And I said, I would love to save

the money but I don't think I

601

want to save it at this expense.

602

And she was really confused.

603

I know.

604

I know I'm being stubborn.

605

I know most people

would not agree with me.

606

, and I can't believe that I'm even brave

enough to tell you in this podcast because

607

I do sound sort of like a crazy person.

608

, but I didn't take the deal.

609

And then because I was new to the

store, she printed my receipt.

610

And there was a coupon

printed on the receipt.

611

And I said, , it expires in five days.

612

I said, I'm not coming back

to your store in five days.

613

So there was a lady behind me in line.

614

And I said, I've got a coupon.

615

Do you want it?

616

And she's like, Are you sure?

617

And I'm like, yeah, you've

got a full shopping cart.

618

You might as well take the coupon.

619

And the cashier is looking

at me like you can't do that.

620

She didn't say you can't do that.

621

But she's like, no, shaking her head.

622

No.

623

And I said, Well, It's

a coupon from your store.

624

So the lady took it.

625

She was thankful.

626

I felt good about myself,

although, I didn't get to save my

627

few dollars on my purchase, but

that's the privacy I'm looking at.

628

And Bitcoin gives you that privacy

where, because it's digital currency,

629

they do have a way to, it's on a

blockchain, every transaction is recorded.

630

That tells me it's safe.

631

But it doesn't have all your personal

information in that blockchain,

632

just that there was a transfer.

633

And that's all.

634

So I really like that, that fact

that you can be private, and that

635

you can have control over your money.

636

Tali: I don't think you're

crazy by the way, , to sell your

637

information for a few dollars.

638

I get caught up , there was a time when

Scott and I were moving around a lot.

639

Kids were little and What we're doing

the Dave Ramsey program We were trying

640

to Pay down our debt because we also

graduated with a ton of student debt

641

and he's all about, you know, saving

a dollar here and dollar here and

642

Couponing was a big thing back then.

643

You know

644

Mary Lou: Oh yes.

645

Tali: out the Sunday Coupon

page and I will make a whole

646

pocket of them, organize and

categories and things like that.

647

And I would go to the store

and I would never remember.

648

To use any of them when I'm checking out

649

Mary Lou: I always use 20 of them.

650

Tali: see, I have four kids very close.

651

And , when I went shopping, it was

always a shopping cart for the food

652

and a shopping cart with the kids and

I was pushing both at the same time.

653

So when you're going through the

checkout line, you just want to be

654

out of there as soon as possible.

655

But because I always wanted to

use coupons and I never got to use

656

coupons when they give me coupons,

I just throw them away because.

657

I'm not going to remember, but when

you cut coupons, you start to look at

658

things , in cents, like 5 cents here,

25 cents there, and something tiny like

659

that becomes very enticing, , so for you

to stand in your ground, I think that

660

shows your integrity and your character.

661

So good for you.

662

I don't think you're crazy because then

they can target you with all kinds of.

663

Advertisements and for me anyway, when

I'm really strong, emotionally, I can

664

be like, no, I'm not gonna do that.

665

But when you're tired, , and your

emotional battery is drained, and they

666

flash those things at you, you have less

defense, and you're like, Oh, they think

667

I should go buy that brand apple juice.

668

Sure.

669

I'll go, you know, I'm saying like you,

you run out of energy to make decisions.

670

Because that takes energy juice.

671

So anyway, I can totally understand

where you're coming from.

672

I don't think you're crazy.

673

Honestly, I wish I was strong enough

to say no to a lot of those things

674

because I become subject to their

advertising campaign and things like that.

675

But okay, so let's uh,

let's go back to Bitcoin.

676

And , you are attracted to it because

it's outside the control of the

677

government and that it is a peer to

peer transaction and it's private.

678

What would you say to other people in

the retirement age who are concerned

679

about the volatility of Bitcoin?

680

Mary Lou: I would say that was a big

issue with my husband, especially

681

because he like does his own

dealings with stocks and trading and

682

stuff, , on the side, ? , for me.

683

I think I don't work in the day to day.

684

I don't look at Bitcoin day to day.

685

I think that it's a system

that is working and will work.

686

so therefore, , I don't feel

like I'll end up losing.

687

I'm not gonna buy Bitcoin today,

sell it tomorrow because the value

688

is changing, buy more the next day

at a lower price, so it'll go up,

689

I'm not going to play that game.

690

So I feel like long term it's going

to work, but where I am 66, I am

691

near retirement age, I feel like I

don't have a lot of, years left in

692

my life for value to really build up.

693

I don't think it's something that

is gonna be the only thing that

694

keeps us alive through retirement.

695

But I would say to someone on the fence,

there's nothing wrong with diversifying.

696

My husband can keep the stock stuff.

697

, I've been buying.

698

Bitcoin, , little by little, , another

way to look at it if you don't want to

699

take a large amount of your retirement

money and put it into Bitcoin, there's

700

nothing wrong with taking say 5.

701

There is.

702

Value of Bitcoin and

buying it once per week.

703

That's not going to kill you.

704

don't go to the store and buy a coffee

that day and you're even so it's easy to

705

actually start building up this Bitcoin.

706

And then if you totally

trust the government.

707

If you say hey I'm 70.

708

So far, I work, I make money.

709

I put it in the bank and it's still there.

710

I trust the government

or the economic system.

711

If you do still, do you have a reason to

negate Bitcoin as part of your portfolio?

712

I don't think so.

713

I can't come up with a reason.

714

That you wouldn't if you trust the

government, you're going to trust Bitcoin.

715

I think if you don't trust the

government, maybe it's going to take

716

a while before you can trust Bitcoin.

717

But if, if you're on the fence and you

say, I've got my money where I like it to

718

be, don't be afraid to challenge yourself.

719

Now that you're older,

don't be afraid to step up.

720

and keep learning.

721

Use those brain cells.

722

Put an effort there.

723

You're not too old to make an effort to

learn and make your own decision on nope,

724

I'm not for Bitcoin or oh my goodness.

725

This is really different.

726

This might really make a difference.

727

, but go ahead.

728

I'm not telling anybody what

to do, but I'm just saying,

729

open your mind, if you're 70.

730

You learned how to do a

computer in your adult life.

731

Good for you.

732

You learned how to do a smartphone.

733

Don't quit now.

734

Just keep learning.

735

Plus they do say it's

helps against dementia.

736

If you keep using those brain cells.

737

Definitely it's, it's not

easy to learn about Bitcoin.

738

It's certainly out of the box and it's

a big learning curve, but You can do it

739

as slowly as you want, you don't have

to do it the way I did it, which is

740

late at night, when everything is done.

741

I am a person that stays up very late.

742

I would spend from midnight to three

in the morning, reading articles

743

and doing research, you can do that.

744

But if you're like, that's just

crazy I go to bed at nine o'clock,

745

you can spend 15 minutes a day.

746

looking into it.

747

You can listen to one of Tally's

podcasts and learn about it and try

748

to feel more comfortable about it.

749

I did a few things that I would

put out there as tips on learning.

750

, not that I, I'm not really in the

know, but definitely going to a

751

Bitcoin meetup was a big help.

752

You get to meet people,

you get to socialize.

753

You think it's fun, but

then it's educational.

754

Once I started going, and I could

be quiet and listen to all the

755

education stuff going around until

I realized I was throwing in my

756

opinions to another thing that was.

757

Brought to me in these meetups is to

go to Bitcoin University on YouTube.

758

I think they also have a site you can sign

up, but I didn't wanna spend any money.

759

I'm not sure if money was involved , but

you can go to YouTube and Bitcoin

760

University will start you as though

you just heard the word Bitcoin today.

761

And it's sort of a Bitcoin for dummies

kind of thing, and then it works its way

762

to way up to where experts can still learn

from Bitcoin University, Matthew Cratter

763

is the guy in charge if you look it up.

764

I also learned a bunch

from Michael Saylor.

765

So if you just look up his name, I

think it comes up as Michael Saylor

766

Bitcoin, because there's a lot to learn.

767

But I think people are social.

768

God made us social.

769

And I think these gathering meetups,

even if they're on Zoom, you're

770

more willing to let down your

guard, listen to what others say.

771

Put out your ideas, even if you

think your ideas might sound

772

kind of crazy, , or ill informed.

773

Put it out there because that's how you're

going to learn, you're going to get the

774

feedback, . that would be my advice.

775

Tali: Thanks for joining us today . If

the discussion with our guests

776

resonated with you and you would

like to dive deeper into the world of

777

Bitcoin, don't miss out on joining the

Orange Hatter Women's Reading Club.

778

The meetup link is in the show notes.

779

Also, if there are women in your life

whom you think would both enjoy and

780

benefit from learning more about Bitcoin,

please share Orange Hatter with them.

781

Until next time, bye!