this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2026
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Is it worth it to wait 2 weeks and like also the possible additional costs with shipping and all that? I would not buy voucher either way cuz I don't like amazon.

Also, how did you buy it if you have?

edit1: forgor to add the last paragraph.

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[–] whatiswrongwithyou@lemmy.ml 3 points 14 hours ago

The costs of shipping cash are: $1 or less for a security envelope, $1 or $2 for an international stamp (unless you live in Switzerland in which case it’s less). I usually just use the pen and paper I already have around or scavenge some scrap to write on.

I get the one time code from the mullvad website, write it on a piece of paper, put it and my payment in the envelope, write the address (no return address), apply the stamp, put it in some mailbox and wait for it to hit my account.

It’s often more than two weeks because they don’t process cash and mail every day. That doesn’t bother me because I keep an eye on the months left and re-up with plenty of time left.

Is it worth it? I tend to put more trust in the anonymity of easily broken chain of cash transaction than in the immutable ledger of cryptocurrency technologies.

[–] IratePirate@feddit.org 20 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Never tried it with them, my threat model doesn't warrant it. But it's good it's there.

Note that Mullvad even obfuscates bank transfers. They match your wire transmission via a temporary code you attach to the bank wire. That way

  • yes, Mullvad could theoretically know your identity (but it's been shown repeatedly that they aren't; also, they will always know your real IP that is attached to your ID, unless you obfuscate that to them as well via a second VPN)
  • your bank knows you use Mullvad (but so does your ISP), but they do not know your Mullvad user ID or anything you do with it.
[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] qwestjest78@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But how do you buy Monero. Asking as someone who has never used Crypto.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Several ways:

  1. Sell a good/service on XMRBazaar.com

  2. RetoSwap.com is a software you download that is a peer to peer decentralized exchange. You can pay others with whatever payment methods are supported PayPal, Zelle, Cash App, Amazon gift cards, cash-in-mail, etc.

  3. Centralized exchange (not recommended) you can give all of your KYC information to a centralized exchange such as Coinbase and buy something like USDC on there and then use an instant swap service such as trocador.app to convert the USDC into Monero.

  4. Mine it with your CPU: This is the slowest way but also the most permissionless

[–] InFerNo@lemmy.ml 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Is mining monero feasible?

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Yes, its meant to be CPU mineable

[–] FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

(Different person than you replied to) Does that have a positive return, vs the electricity you gotta use?

No agenda for the question. I sincerely have no idea about it. I'd venture a guess tho, that if there was a positive return, ppl would do it at scale and drive down the return. And maybe they'd do it in places with very cheap power.

[–] Akip@piefed.world 5 points 1 day ago (3 children)

second this, used to buy them with kraken but it now requires an ID which kinda defeats the whole anonymous purchase

[–] jet@hackertalks.com 11 points 23 hours ago

Sure kraken knows you bought moneo, but once it's off their servers they don't know what you spent it it. It's like going to a ATM, the bank knows what you took out, but not where the money went.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Several ways:

  1. Sell a good/service on XMRBazaar.com

  2. RetoSwap.com is a software you download that is a peer to peer decentralized exchange. You can pay others with whatever payment methods are supported PayPal, Zelle, Cash App, Amazon gift cards, cash-in-mail, etc.

  3. Centralized exchange (not recommended) you can give all of your KYC information to a centralized exchange such as Coinbase and buy something like USDC on there and then use an instant swap service such as trocador.app to convert the USDC into Monero.

  4. Mine it with your CPU: This is the slowest way but also the most permissionless

[–] akunohana@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Ask yourself: what do you want to versus need to protect and why? Privacy for the sake of privacy is a waste of time, energy and other material, physical and mental resources. Formulate your threat model by spending some time with a pen and paper, answering the above question.

With that out of the way: I buy vouchers, because there is a physical retailer in my country that sells them and they are thankfully not hardcore affiliated with big tech yet. Previously, I used to pay with credit card, since PII is not saved it their payment tokens and even the tokens get deleted after six months, I believe it was.

If you need anonymity and you need to leave no trace of you having purchased Mullvad, use cash. Don't forget to put on vinyl gloves. Withdraw a vastly different amount of money from the ATM than the cost of the subscription fee in question. Deposit the envelope at a postal office - or box - not in your neighborhood.

Edit: I just recalled, that I did try paying with cash once. Worked like a charm. Naturally, there was a delay.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

Privacy for the sake of privacy is a waste of ...

Privacy for the sake of privacy normalizes privacy. You shouldn't only need to be private when you have something to hide.

[–] qwerty@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 day ago

Just use monero.

[–] dwt@feddit.org 6 points 1 day ago

I have a few Friends who send Cash to get VPN. They Like the added privacy.

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Define "worth it." I think Mullvad is a tad expensive but for protection while surfing the web it's a good service. And the fact that they take mail-in cash is unique.

You can just look for a pre-paid credit card wherever you are. You may have to sacrifice your name and number but you don't have to wrestle with the post office.

[–] somegeek@programming.dev 1 points 1 day ago

What are cheaper options with censorship prevention methods and also payable with crypto?

Makes sense, fair enough ig.

[–] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Crypto is an option. https://digitalgoods.proxysto.re/en accepts many payment methods if you want to buy from them.

I went with a voucher from the big A and had it sent to one of their lockers.

[–] ButteredBread@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

how can i verify the site's safe and all or idk

[–] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)