&gt;It feels like, rather than a basic income, we need two orthogonal currencies: one for necessities (food, rent, utilities) and one for niceities.<p>There isn&#x27;t really a difference here.  Need vs. want isn&#x27;t a binary classification, even though we treat it as one.  It is a spectrum.  Even worse, it is a spectrum where ever people with choice don&#x27;t always make the choices of need.  Take someone thirsty who is drinking soda.  Enough so that they are lowering their life expectancy.  They have a need for water, not soda.  Soda is worse, comparable to slightly dirty water in how it impacts their life expectancy, but they choose it for other reasons.<p>It would be far easier to give people money and let them choose how to allocate it.  If someone&#x27;s immediate needs is a safer location to shelter in then they can decide what do they need less (maybe reduce their food budget to compensate).  The only issue needing government involvement is with ensuring parents meet the needs of their children (but once again, needs isn&#x27;t a distinct classification).