Node Tutorial: Bitrefill
Update: Casa Node software is no longer maintained; we recommend looking at other build-your-own node projects.
One of the things we like to do in Node Tutorials is highlight cool services you can use with your Casa Node. Occasionally we get requests to cover a specific service, and this tutorial marks the first time we're fulfilling one of those requests. Bitrefill is a handy tool for purchasing gift cards, topping up your prepaid phone, or even prepaying your Xfinity bill, depending on which country you're in.
Two important notes before we dive in:
1) In this tutorial I'll again be using the Casa Extension. If you haven't already, download it to make your Lightning Payments exponentially easier.
2) I'll also be operating under the assumption that you've got a few channels you've opened manually or via Autopilot for easy routing. If you don't, head to one of our previous node tutorials to see how.
Let's say we're in the market for a gift card to my favorite fast casual restaurant: Chipotle, and we want to pay using Lightning. Today, we laugh in the face of E. coli.
First, head to the Bitrefill site and click the big green Get Started button. There's no need to sign up for an account for one-off transactions—music to your ears, I know.
As mentioned before, what's available for purchase will depend on your country. Not all countries will have the same options. For this example, I'll next click on the Food category and select Chipotle from the menu.
Next, enter the gift card value in fiat. The currency type should automatically change based on the country you chose. I'll enter $10—just enough for one burrito. Click Continue. Bitrefill will collect your email address for order status updates. Enter your email address and click Continue once more.
You'll next be prompted to select your payment method. Choose Lightning (BTC). The max payment amount is reflected on this page for your convenience.
Next, you'll be shown an invoice stating the price in satoshis*. Click the code shown in the "Copy the lightning invoice" field to copy it. Open your Casa Extension, select Send Payment, paste the copied code into the payment code field, and click Review Payment.
Double-check the payment info, then click Confirm Send when you're ready. Shortly after confirmation of your payment, Bitrefill will provide you with a voucher code and instructions for how to apply the code. Boom! Just like that, I'm off to gorge on a face-sized burrito.
Have a suggestion for the next Node Tutorial? Send us a tweet @CasaHODL. We'd love to hear from you!
*After our latest update, you can now set satoshis as your preferred BTC unit within the Casa Extension! This makes things like choosing an adequate channel Funding Amount much easier to grasp. To do this, open your Casa Extension, select the three dots in the upper-right, choose Settings, then change the Preferred BTC Units to sats.
