Set up a hardware wallet

# Set up a hardware wallet

You're going to walk me through setting up a hardware wallet. I want a checklist that protects me from the three mistakes everyone makes the first time.

## What I want back

**Before we start.** A 30-second sanity check: is now a good time, am I in a private place, do I have what I need.

**The setup, step by step.** Each step is one line. Each step has a "watch out for" if there's a common mistake.

**The seed phrase part, slowly.** This is where everyone screws up. Walk me through writing it down, where to store it, what *not* to do (no photos, no cloud, no email, no password manager). Address the "but it's encrypted" objection.

**The first transaction.** A small test. Like, $5. Why we do this and what to look for.

**The three mistakes.** The actual ones, named:
1. Putting the seed phrase somewhere a thief or a fire could get to it.
2. Buying the device anywhere except the manufacturer.
3. Approving a transaction without reading it on the device screen.

**What to do if I think I made a mistake.** A short triage: when to move funds, when to do nothing, when to ask for help.

## Rules

- I have a [Ledger / Trezor / other — I'll tell you].
- Plain English. If you say "BIP39" you've already lost me.
- Don't be condescending. Don't be casual. This is real money.

Let me know which device and we'll go.