Work

Pheewwww! I JUST FINISHED MY TAXES! In 2025, I experimented with quite a few custodial and non-custodial wallets. This made calculating my Cost Basis quite challenging. I recommend labeling your utxos with your Cost Basis to make your taxes easier in the future. I like Strike and Bitcoinwell for buying BTC. While apps with custodial lightning (Strike, Aqua, etc.) are very easy to zap with, I personally think it is smarter for bookkeeping, and security of course, to use a non-custodial lightning wallet and refill the wallet with old utxos (>1 year old) labeled with the Cost Basis so you can claim Long Term gains/losses versus Short Term. I know better now for 2026. When I have more time for lightning node management, I prefer Core Lightning Node operated through my Zeus app (@EVAN KALOUDIS). When I'm busy being a new Dad (99% of my time) and/or feeling a little lazy, I'll zap using my Alby wallet operated through my Zeus app. If my @Start9 is down due to internet/power outage and I'm away, then I'll use Strike for zaps. Time to methodically reload my CLN and start buying awesome products again from Nostr vendors. Find your system and optimize it.