Seriously considering a Gold IRA for inflation protection - Minneapolis perspective

• •Okay, so inflation has me a little rattled, more than I expected, actually.
• •The thought of retiring early in about 10-12 years (that's the dream, anyway!) and having my savings devalued just… ugh.
• •The cost of living in Minneapolis keeps climbing, and I just can't shake the feeling I need to do more than hope the Fed gets it under control.

Okay, so inflation has me a little rattled, more than I expected, actually. I've got about $180k in a traditional IRA right now, and while it's been doing its thing, I'm starting to feel seriously exposed to this constant chipping away of purchasing power. The thought of retiring early in about 10-12 years (that's the dream, anyway!) and having my savings devalued just… ugh. The cost of living in Minneapolis keeps climbing, and I just can't shake the feeling I need to do more than hope the Fed gets it under control.

I've been looking into rolling over a portion of my IRA into a Gold IRA. I'm a marketing exec, so I'm used to analyzing trends, and the historical performance of gold during inflationary periods seems pretty compelling. It’s not about getting rich quick, but rather about preserving the wealth I’ve already accumulated. Has anyone here in a similar position – maybe eyeing early retirement, a portfolio in the $100-250k range – made the jump? What was your experience like? Did you go for a partial rollover or move more significant chunk?

My main concern is striking the right balance. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket, but I also want enough exposure to make a difference if inflation continues to be a problem. I've been playing around with the Retirement Planner on Gold IRA Blueprint – it's actually pretty solid for seeing different scenarios. It’s making me think about how much of my current IRA I should ideally allocate to physical gold. Any insights or war stories (good or bad!) from those who've gone through the rollover process, especially with inflation as a primary driver, would be really appreciated.