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No problem. The amount of needed SP varies a bit, but you can always see it here: https://steemd.com/distribution

I do really think taking part of the powerupchallenge is a great idea, especially for new users. I powered up every single thing I earned for my first 3 months on here. Then I had to pay a couple bills and recently took a bit to start crypto-trading..just to try it out.

So is steemit your first exposure to crypto currencies?

Yep. Prior to this, I'd heard of bitcoin, maybe litecoin, but that was about it.

Then welcome to the cryptosphere :) I've been around the space since early 2013 so I'm "seasoned," you could say. If you're looking for some great other coins to get into, here are ones that I hold: Diamond (DMD)--this one mints at 25% APY and is a very stable coin; XEM, DNotes. All of these coins have great developers and communities. They're all buy and hold. I don't "trade," per se, just use the exchanges to buy or sell what I need. This isn't financial advice, and you have to do your own homework, but I think you'll be happy to have heard about these coins :)