Prime Day has always been the day when I tell myself I’m not going to buy anything I don’t need or waste money on stupid things. Then I do both.

This year will be different; it has to be because I’m broke. Even if I wanted to buy a bunch of gadgety toys, I can’t, because a life-changing medical issue and a whole lot of expensive water damage to my house have left me with no money, maxed credit cards, and bills to pay. The tank is dry, and now I have to fill it up again.

It’s not all bad. I have a phone that will last me until at least next year, a Chromebook that will be updated for a while, and a drawer filled with gadget junk I’ve already bought that I can tinker with all over again. You never know, I might be able to do something new and cool because ideas are free, and old stuff can be useful sometimes.

We’ll be buying a bunch of boring household stuff if we can find it in bulk and on a good sale. Stuff like trash bags, laundry detergent, and assorted crap that everyone needs. I figure between Amazon and Walmart — which you know is going to have a bunch of stuff on sale to compete — we can actually save a few bucks in the long run by spending it up front. Every penny counts.

However, I also need to ensure that the things I can’t afford to replace will last until I can. I have learned that it’s always better to spend a few dollars in advance to try and prevent breaking or losing your stuff, which will cost a lot of money to replace. Things like phones. Especially phones.

Your phones and watches need protection

I’m shopping for a good screen protector and a case for my phone, my work phone (or I can let it break and ask for a new one), and my wife’s phone. Usually we buy a new phone because we either really wanted one or because the one we have stopped working. My wife is especially hard on the screen and has busted more than a few over the years. She says that doesn’t happen to me because I’m lower to the ground, but I chalk it up to my jungle-quick catlike reflexes and superhuman speed.

Either way, a good screen protector and a case I can stand (I really don’t like either and never use them) will mean my phone has a better chance of surviving until I can afford to replace it. Same for my wife’s. If I have to spend $100 to potentially save $1,000, I’m good with that.

The same goes for our watches. I use a Garmin and my wife has a Pixel Watch, and both of them still work great. I’m sure they will keep it up for at least another year unless they get broken or lost. I know they make screen protectors for watches, and I’ll be buying a couple as well as a new silicone band for each. I’m also going to see what the case situation is. Yes, you can buy a case for your smartwatch.

Tablets, computers, and cables

My wife uses a Galaxy Tab, and I have an iPad here as well as a Chromebook I use for work. All three need to keep running until I can afford to replace them.

I know they make cases and screen protectors for both tablets, and I have seen some for a laptop before. If there’s stuff to fit my Chromebook, I’m going to add it to my budget.

I know I’m quickly reaching the limit of what I can afford to spend, but I also want to buy two USB chargers and two new high-quality cables. They can sit in the package until I need them, and it will be cheaper than running out to Walmart after work and grabbing one because I need it right away.

All of this is going to cost me some money, and I know that. It will also help make sure I don’t have to spend more later, or even worse, need something and not have the funds to get it.

It’s okay to be cheap, and Prime Day is your time

My wife says I secretly love this because I’m a cheap bastard who never likes to spend money. She’s right and wrong — I am cheap, and that has taught me how to get more by spending less. I’m doing it because I have no choice, though.

Those fancy headphones I’ve been wanting will just have to wait.

Bitcoin’s price saw a wild swing last week, briefly rising above $111,800 on May 23 before dropping to $109,600 today. Despite the sudden dip, the world’s largest cryptocurrency ended the week near $110,000, trading at $109,770 at last check. While short-term volatility continues to rattle some nerves, a growing number of investors and analysts are focusing on Bitcoin’s bigger picture.

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Frustration And Patience Seem To Go Hand In Hand

Thomas Fahrer, co-founder of Apollo, has been vocal about the emotional side of owning Bitcoin. According to him, holding Bitcoin is often frustrating—about 90% of the time, he said. But he believes it pays off for those who stick around. Fahrer shared a price chart stretching from 2011 to a projection for 2031, using a curved trendline on a logarithmic scale to show Bitcoin’s consistent upward pattern over time.

Several moments stood out on the chart. In 2015, Bitcoin crashed to around $212. In 2020, it found support near $5,000. And in 2022, after reaching a peak above $67,000 the year before, it fell to around $16,000. But through all the noise, Fahrer says Bitcoin has followed its long-term curve.

Holding Bitcoin means getting rich while feeling frustrated 90% of the time.

Deflationary money – designed to increase in value – forever.

It’s difficult for the human mind to comprehend. Most still don’t get it. pic.twitter.com/d604FyoQn3

— Thomas Fahrer (@thomas_fahrer) May 25, 2025

A Deflationary Design That’s Hard To Grasp

Fahrer also pointed to Bitcoin’s design as a deflationary currency. Unlike the US dollar, which loses value as more of it enters the system, Bitcoin has a hard cap—only 21 million coins will ever exist. Every four years, the number of new coins created is cut in half through a process called halving. That makes it harder for new supply to outpace demand over time.

Fahrer believes that many people still don’t fully understand this. The idea that money can grow in value instead of losing it goes against how most people were raised to think about spending and saving.

Numbers Tell Their Own Story

One Bitcoin investor, using the name Carl Menger, shared a comparison that got attention. According to his data, if someone held $100 in cash from 2020 to 2025, its buying power would shrink to just $76. But that same $100 put into Bitcoin would grow to $1,201 over the same stretch of time.

It’s a sharp contrast. While inflation chips away at fiat savings, Bitcoin, with its fixed supply, shows the opposite effect when prices go up. That’s the kind of visual that sticks.

Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/4OBqOLgm3n

— Carl ₿ MENGER (@CarlBMenger) May 24, 2025

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You Don’t Need A Whole Coin

Robert Kiyosaki, the author known for “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” also joined the conversation. He said people often think they need to buy a whole Bitcoin to benefit, but that’s not true. Even owning 0.01 BTC, he said, could have a major impact down the line if Bitcoin continues to perform as it has in the past.

Kiyosaki also mentioned that Bitcoin has made it easier to build wealth without relying on things like gold. It’s a view that matches the mindset of many younger investors who are looking for alternatives.

While the market remains unpredictable day to day, the long-term message coming from these voices is clear: Bitcoin may test your patience, but it hasn’t broken its trend yet.

Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView

A Korean financial analyst who uses the name XForceGlobal has made bold claims about XRP’s future price, stating the cryptocurrency could reach between $10 and $20 in the coming months.

The confident prediction comes even as XRP currently trades at $2.07 and the broader cryptocurrency market struggles through a prolonged downtrend.

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XRP Shows Unusual Strength Amid Crypto Slump

While XRP has dropped more than 5% over the past few weeks, this decline is significantly less severe than what other major cryptocurrencies have experienced.

According to the report, top cryptocurrencies like Ethereum have fallen by over 40% in the last three months. Similar sharp drops have hit other popular coins such as Solana and Dogecoin.

XForceGlobal, who describes himself as a Certified Elliott Wave Analyst, pointed out that XRP has maintained its position above recent lows while competing cryptocurrencies have plummeted between 45% and 65% from their peaks. This relative stability forms the foundation of his optimistic outlook.

I agree 100%, this is just showing that the possibility being there is just telling us how XRP is in its own league even for just wave counts!

— XForceGlobal (@XForceGlobal) April 2, 2025

Elliott Wave Analysis Points To Massive Gains

The analyst’s forecast is based greatly on Elliott Wave theory, a technical analysis technique which tries to predict market action by finding repeating wave patterns. On the basis of his recognition of a 5-wave pattern, XForceGlobal has consistently predicted that XRP will hit $20 to $40 this year or next.

Trillion-Dollar Valuation Projections Questioned By Critics

Many market observers remain skeptical of such ambitious price targets. For XRP to reach $10, it would need to surge over 370% from its current price. A move to $20 would require an even more dramatic 850% increase.

At such prices, XRP’s market capitalization would be around $1 trillion at the $10 level and $2 trillion at $20. Such valuations would be a first for an alternative currency and are the reasons why many analysts believe such forecasts are unrealistic, at least in the short term.

Source: CoinGlass

CoinGlass: Trading Interest Grows Despite Market Uncertainty

In spite of the continued argument regarding the future of XRP, statistics by CoinGlass indicate increasing interest in the cryptocurrency.

Open interest on XRP trades has risen to $3.60 billion over the past few days, reports indicate. This increase indicates that traders are opening positions in the asset irrespective of the direction of the market.

I will be laughing at everyone who said $XRP can never hit $10-20.

— XForceGlobal (@XForceGlobal) April 2, 2025

When asked for the timeline of his price forecast, XForceGlobal was not as definite, indicating that it may take a while before XRP gets to the forecasted $10-20 mark.

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Nevertheless, the analyst was confident enough with his technical analysis to assert he would “be laughing at everyone” who are skeptical about XRP’s ability to hit these price levels.

With XRP’s year-to-date gains dwindling to mere 0.80%, wiping out all gains since the beginning of 2025, the question is if XForceGlobal’s lofty predictions will materialize or become part of the long list of failed cryptocurrency price projections.

Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView

On Tuesday, Ethereum (ETH) retested the $2,000 support zone, falling below this level for the first time in over a year. Some analysts suggested the second-largest crypto risks a 40% correction as its price attempts to hold its support level “between heaven and hell.”

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Monday Dump Sends Ethereum To 15-Month Low

Ethereum has fallen to a yearly low of $1,993, according to Binance market data. The cryptocurrency has dropped below $2,000 for the first time in 15 months, hitting its lowest price since late November 2023.

Amid the February market retraces, ETH failed to hold the $3,000 level, hovering between the $2,500 and $2,8’00 price range for most of the month, despite the February 3 market crash to $2,100.

However, the end-of-month correction saw Ethereum bleed 17% to a new low of $2,076. Per Coinglass Data, the King of Altcoins closed last month with a 31.95% decline, registering its first February Close with red numbers since 2018.

ETH recovered 17% on Sunday, attempting to reclaim the $2,500 resistance level after US President Donald Trump announced the establishment of a “Crypto Strategic Reserve,” which will have Bitcoin and Ethereum “at the heart” of it.

On Monday, ETH fell below the $2,000 mark during the market’s dump and risks dropping another 40%. Ali Martinez highlighted that Ethereum could fall as low as $1,250 if it doesn’t reclaim some key levels.

The analyst noted that Ethereum has been consolidating in a parallel channel since 2024, bouncing from the channel’s upper boundary to the middle or lower boundary before bouncing back to the upper zone.

Nonetheless, ETH broke below the channel’s lower boundary after dipping below $2,200 last week. If the cryptocurrency doesn’t reclaim the channel’s lower boundary, its price could retrace to the $1,600 or even $1,250 support zones.

Martinez noted that Ethereum’s most critical resistance barrier is at the $2,400 mark, where over 2.41 million investors bought 62,68 million ETH. To the analyst, a breakout above this level could “clear the path for a rally toward $3,000.”

ETH Following Bear Market Years’ Playbook?

As Ethereum retested the barrier “between heaven and hell,” some market watchers pointed out that ETH’s recent performance resembles its 2018 and 2022 price action.

According to the pseudonym trader 5.0 Inverted, the king of altcoins is “following 2018 and 2022 bear market price action.” The chart shows that ETH steadily declined throughout those years, retracing 82,71% and 68.29% in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

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The cryptocurrency saw small price rallies in the first six months of both years but continued the downtrend. ETH has declined 36.4% year-to-date (YTD), showing a similar performance to the mentioned years.

Another trader suggested that Ethereum dropped 60% from $4,200 to $1,800 last cycle before pumping 170% to its $4,800 all-time high (ATH) in the coming months. Based on 2021’s playbook, the cryptocurrency might continue its negative performance before recovering at the end of the year.

At the time of writing, ETH has recovered nearly 7% from its drop below $2,000 and trades at $2,135.

Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com