Best Gold IRA for us little guys? (Columbus, OH)

• •So I just started dipping my toes into the whole Gold IRA thing, and wow, it's a lot to take in!
• •I'm a teacher here in Columbus, and honestly, my current 401k isn't exactly setting the world on fire.
• •I've been reading up on inflation and how gold can be a hedge, and it just makes so much sense to diversify some of my retirement savings.

So I just started dipping my toes into the whole Gold IRA thing, and wow, it's a lot to take in! I'm a teacher here in Columbus, and honestly, my current 401k isn't exactly setting the world on fire. I've been reading up on inflation and how gold can be a hedge, and it just makes so much sense to diversify some of my retirement savings.

The thing is, I'm not exactly sitting on a huge pile of cash. I'm looking to roll over maybe $20,000 from an old 401k to start, and then maybe contribute a little more each year. A lot of the companies I'm seeing advertised seem geared towards people with six-figure portfolios, and I'm worried about getting slammed with fees that eat up a good chunk of my initial investment. I've seen Augusta Precious Metals and Goldco mentioned a lot, but are they beginner-friendly for someone with a smaller balance, or are there better options out there that cater to people like me?

I'm trying to be really careful here because this is a big step for me. I've been doing some research online, but it's hard to cut through all the marketing speak. Has anyone here started a Gold IRA with a similar amount? What companies did you go with, and what was your experience like? Any red flags to watch out for, especially with custodian fees or storage costs for smaller amounts of physical gold? I'm really open to any advice or recommendations you seasoned investors might have!