Explaining Bitcoin to a non-believer

[Phinnaeus Gage]

...refer to it as my "fake" money.

I having a very difficult time coming up with an example of con-artists/hackers spending resources to steal fake money, ergo Bitcoin has value.

[franky1]

tell them a few examples of money waste.

EG 4 years ago car fuel cost $X per gallon/litre.. now it costs more
4 years ago a loaf of bread cost $X.. now it costs more
4 years ago milk.....
4 years ago car insurance.....


now tell them bitcoins..
4 years ago 1 pizza cost 5000 btc. now under 0.2btc
1 years ago filling up your car would cost 20BTC (20 gallon tank) now it costs 1BTC
add more examples

then tell them about banks giving just a couple % interest on savings per year which does not cover cost-of-living inflation. yet bitcoin potentially gives you back more fiat after a year.

yes it is a risk. but the next thing to say is.

"ok mom and dad, instead of buying me these $100 nike footwear, how about i buy a $20 pair of footware and use the $80 in bitcoin.. seeing as its thn not classed as a loss, due to the money having been spent otherwise. what is there to lose"

then find other examples. EG walmarts own brand foods instead of brand named food and use th savings towards bitcoin

[Roger_Murdock]

They . . . say . . . you can easily loose all your money, etc.

. . . just gets a reply of "exactly" . . . you'll loose your money

loose
/lo͞os/
Verb
Set free; release: "the hounds have been loosed".

I'd say you're pretty much guaranteed to "loose" your money with Bitcoin. That's what makes it revolutionary. 

[notme]

Tell them you wont talk to them about Bitcoins again until they can explain to you what Nixon did to the dollar and why you should keep your money in dollar after it devalued 98% since 1971.

Ha! Yes, I'm going to do that, I should have thought of that... (AP United States History student)

If you go that route, at least get your facts straight.  The dollar has devalued 98% since the Federal Reserve system was put in place in 1913.  It has devalued 82% since the gold backing was severed in 1971.

[MrBubbles007]

tell them a few examples of money waste.

EG 4 years ago car fuel cost $X per gallon/litre.. now it costs more
4 years ago a loaf of bread cost $X.. now it costs more
4 years ago milk.....
4 years ago car insurance.....


now tell them bitcoins..
4 years ago 1 pizza cost 5000 btc. now under 0.2btc
1 years ago filling up your car would cost 20BTC (20 gallon tank) now it costs 1BTC
add more examples

then tell them about banks giving just a couple % interest on savings per year which does not cover cost-of-living inflation. yet bitcoin potentially gives you back more fiat after a year.

yes it is a risk. but the next thing to say is.

"ok mom and dad, instead of buying me these $100 nike footwear, how about i buy a $20 pair of footware and use the $80 in bitcoin.. seeing as its thn not classed as a loss, due to the money having been spent otherwise. what is there to lose"

then find other examples. EG walmarts own brand foods instead of brand named food and use th savings towards bitcoin

Wouldnt the huge increase in price indicate a bubble?

[legitnick]

Explaining Bitcoin to a non believer is like arguing religion with a religious person, its not going to get anywhere.

[cryptocyprus]

Also make them watch Tuur Demeester's presentation at the Bitcoin Conference its very  informative and well thought out.

[Rippyzippers]

Most of my friends who I've told about bitcoin constantly spend most of their time regretting not listening I've found.

Now I just open with "Not buying at least 5 of these might be the biggest mistake you'll ever make".