Why This Comes First
You're about to sign up for several new services — a ChatGPT Pro subscription, a VPS provider, a domain registrar, and more. Each one wants a credit card. Privacy.com lets you create vendor-locked virtual cards that:
- Can only be charged by one merchant
- Have spending limits you control
- Can be paused or closed instantly
- Keep your real card number out of every sign-up form
This isn't optional paranoia — it's practical hygiene. If any service gets breached or starts charging you unexpectedly, you close that one card. Everything else stays untouched.
What to Do
- Go to privacy.com and create a free account
- Link your bank account or debit card (this is the funding source)
- Download the Privacy.com mobile app (iOS/Android) for easier card management on the go
- Create your first virtual card — name it something like "Vultr VPS"
- You'll create more cards as we go (one per service)
After signup, you'll land on the Privacy.com dashboard. You should see your linked funding source and a button to create a new card. That's where you'll create the "Vultr VPS" card.
Tips
- Name each card after the service it's for (e.g., "ChatGPT Pro", "Vultr", "Proton Mail")
- Set spending limits appropriate for each service — for Vultr, $30/month covers the VPS + backups
- The free tier gives you 12 cards per month, which is plenty for this curriculum
- If you already have a system you trust for this (e.g., virtual cards from your bank), that works too — the point is one card per vendor
When You're Done
- A Privacy.com account (or equivalent virtual card service)
- Your funding source linked
- Your first virtual card created (named "Vultr VPS")