I’ve bought a lot of coins.

Some I researched.
Some I aped.
Some I knew were probably trash… and still bought anyway.

But over time — and after losing enough money to learn the hard way — I built a system. Not a perfect one. Just three simple rules I follow before I ever hit “buy” now.

These rules saved me from a lot of regret. Maybe they’ll help you too.

Rule #1: If I Can’t Explain What It Does in One Sentence, I Don’t Buy

“It’s a Layer 1, EVM-compatible, with multichain interoperability and a new consensus mechanism that uses…” no. Stop.

If I have to read a whitepaper and a dictionary, it’s a pass.

I ask myself:
What problem does it solve, and who is using it right now?

If I can’t explain that to someone who knows nothing about crypto in 10 seconds or less, I move on.

Because if I don’t understand it, I’ll panic-sell the second something goes wrong.
Clarity is king.

Rule #2: I Check the Tokenomics Like My Money Depends On It (Because It Does)

No more ignoring the details.

Now I ask:

• How many tokens exist total?

• Who owns most of it?

• Are there unlocks coming soon?

• Is the only reason people are buying this just to sell later?

If 40% is held by insiders, or if the chart looks like a ski slope, I’m out.

I learned this after getting dumped on by VC unlocks in a coin I thought had potential.
Turns out “potential” doesn’t matter when the token supply doubles overnight.

Rule #3: I Wait 24 Hours Before Buying Anything I’m Hyped About

FOMO is the fastest way to make dumb decisions.

So now, when I get that “I need to buy this NOW” feeling… I don’t.
I let it sit.

24 hours.
No buying. No tweeting. Just watching.

And you know what?
90% of the time, that hype dies down, and I realize I was about to throw money into something just because Twitter said so.

This rule alone has probably saved me more than any technical analysis ever did.

Bonus Rule (Optional but Real): If It Feels Too Easy, It’s Probably a Trap

If it’s pumping too fast, if the Discord’s full of moon emojis, if the influencers are tweeting “THIS IS IT”… it’s probably not.

That kind of noise is designed to cloud your judgment.

And my new goal?
Think clearly. Buy intentionally. Sleep at night.

Final Thought

These three rules aren’t magic.
They don’t guarantee I’ll only pick winners.
But they keep me grounded.

And in this space? That’s everything.

If you’ve got your own rules — drop them in the comments. I’d love to steal them.

And if this post helped you slow down before your next buy, tip if you want.
Just remember: in crypto, the only thing more powerful than speed… is patience.