![2019-01-05_KevLi_Headshots_02-0324.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfY1zEkCjnHRxzRdpK7tpwU4LRXMZi3CHqu2RrpKivEty/2019-01-05_KevLi_Headshots_02-0324.jpg)

Oh hi,

Ever since I’ve started posting on the Steem blockchain I was always at a loss to how to spend my earned Steem.  At the start all I did was power up 100% (which in hindsight was the wrong decision).  See I started Steemit in December 2017 which everyone knows was pump station on steroids for cryptocurrency.  Prices were soaring everyday and in January 2019, Steem climbed to over $7 USD.  So I always thought that the price would go up. I WAS WRONG.

Granted, I am sort of glad I kept all the Steempower because it forced me to commit to this long term and make some rad friends along the way.  But I couldn’t help but think of the money I missed out on that could’ve went to my school debt.  Debts are something we all avoid and want to forget about.  My whole mindset has changed now after reading and consuming a lot of the best financial investors/advisors in the world.  They all have very different outlooks on school debt, but all came to one decision.  You shouldn’t owe anyone money.

![IMG_5280.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSipsM9wCqxGckPWgNj1rxgbgV36eaVF6dHFptV1zuJ7y/IMG_5280.JPG)

<center> *Steemfest 3 fun with @joythewanderer and @captainbob* </center>

After the big crypto price crash (I think we’ve bottomed out last month) I panicked and started spending my Steem like it was imaginary money.  As of right now, I’d still say Steemmonsters and Drug Wars was worth the ROI.  But I was mainly investing for support and the thrill of something new - crypto gaming. 

I noticed I lost a lot of money trading SBD to Steem when I was only getting back a third of my SBD in Steem.  If I held, I not only would be able to convert it so I get triple the amount of Steem for my SBD, but mid 2018 had a 5-10 hour window where SBD soared to about $7 USD.  To put it simply, I held 1000 liquid SBD for a long time anticipating this could happen, but converted it a few months before that big miracle pump.  That 1000 SBD would’ve been $7000 USD or $10000 AUD which is nearly half of my school debt.  

![Screen Shot 2019-03-11 at 6.05.48 pm.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRUZ22sPwLsrVzhnDNY8poKDwH2vr5XB1UQU4LjqUiSsz/Screen%20Shot%202019-03-11%20at%206.05.48%20pm.png)

<center> *Steem as of 11/03/19* </center>

Hindsight and living in the past is crazy, all my decisions have led me to something greater so here’s my new mindset.  I hold and take out increments of Steem/SBD to fiat when I need it.  I’m not going to invest anymore into crypto games and they seem to never actually return the money unless you’re lucky and get in early.  I’m mainly waiting for the prices to go up so I can attribute some of it to my school debt.  It would be FUCKING BOSS to say that I paid off some of my debts with crypto.

I literally imagine that the floodgates will open when my debt is paid off and I no longer need to check my bank account anymore.  That’s true financial freedom for me. 

I CREATE CONTENT and that should be rewarded and I shouldn’t feel bad about how I spend it.

**Question - How do you spend your steem?**

Kevin