Hello, Hello, Hello and Welcome to the BiggerPockets Money Newsletter!!!

I am SO EXCITED to bring this newsletter to the BiggerPockets Money audience. You probably listen to the podcast on your favorite podcast app, but did you know you can WATCH us on YouTube, too? You can see me groan at Scott's bad dad jokes and puns and watch Scott be equally excited about those bad jokes. But sometimes, we're sharing slides with numbers on them, where watching it can be super helpful.

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This week, we'll jump into:

—Mindy Jensen, host of the BiggerPockets Money podcast

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🏦 Looking for Rate Cuts?

Jerome Powell's recent testimony to Congress on Feb. 11 sent a clear message: Don't hold your breath for rate cuts. With inflation still running hot and job markets remaining strong, the Fed Chair emphasized "... we do not need to be in a hurry..." to lower rates. I don't like it, because I'd LOVE another low rate loan on that house I'm building, but my bank accounts are yielding more. 

What This Means for Investors

Key Takeaway for Real Estate Buyers
If you're eyeing property purchases, don't base your decisions on hopes of lower rates. Run your numbers at current mortgage rates, and make sure the investment works TODAY. If the monthly payments only make sense with a future refinance, you might want to reconsider your strategy.

Are You More FI Than You Think?

Think you're years away from financial independence? Your location might be the only thing holding you back.

Recently, Millennial Revolution published an eye-opening article titled "You're More FI Than You Think" that challenges our assumptions about how much we really need to retire. The secret? Geographic arbitrage---the strategy of leveraging lower living costs in different locations to stretch your wealth further.

This isn't just about moving abroad. Take Physician on FIRE's approach: By choosing Northern Minnesota over high-cost metro areas, he was able to buy a home for less than his annual salary while actually earning more due to the location's "less desirable" status. Talk about a wealth-building hack!

Geographic arbitrage doesn't HAVE to mean moving out of the country, or even out of your state. But the purpose of this article is to introduce you to the concept, to get you to start thinking about other places you could live, and perhaps be FI already---or at least a lot closer!

How to Save THOUSANDS With Points Hacking 

Brian Kelly The Points Guy joins us to share tips and tricks for effectively using credit card bonuses to collect free travel---and shares which cards he likes best!

▶️ Listen to the whole episode here!

How to Prepare for FIRE!

Emma Von Weise joins Mindy & Carl to talk about financially preparing for your retirement---including stockpiling cash for those down years.

👀 Watch the whole video here!

🎟️ How to Level Up Investing with Self-Directed IRAs and 401(k)s

Register for this FREE webinar to learn how self-directed IRAs give investors the opportunity to grow rental real estate portfolios faster, unlock new funding sources, and keep more of their profits through tax-advantaged strategies. Join us February 27th at 6pm EST with John Bowens, Head of Education and Investor Success for Equity Trust Company.

What FIRE-related content would you love to see in the newsletter? 

Reply to this email to let us know!