Read Time: 3.4 min

Hey Reader,

I wish I could start on a happier note and say Tony the Tiger's catchphrase, "It's GRRREAT!!"

But unfortunately, the reality is… "It's NOT GRRREAT!!"

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👀 What I'm Watching:

Brace yourself for what's coming...

The global oil benchmark just jumped to over $90 a barrel (btw this a nearly 10% increase since the start of 2026).

AKA brace yourself for higher prices at the gas pumps.

But it's not just gas that's gonna cost you more money.

What's happening?

Things are getting very serious overseas.

Last weekend, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran and Iran retaliated with strikes of their own.

One of the biggest moves Iran is making right now is closing the Strait of Hormuz which is basically one of the most important global shipping and trade routes for oil.

How important? Well, about 20% of the world’s oil passes through here.

TWENTY PERCENT. THE BIG TWO-OH.

But here’s what many people don’t realize...

It’s not just about gas.

Stuff like sugar, fertilizer and food also move through here. Meaning global food production and supply will get squeezed soon which could push grocery prices higher.

And no one knows when the trade route will reopen or when the fighting will end.

Iran's Foreign Minister said they're not looking for a ceasefire and they don't see any reason to negotiate.

Even the legislative effort to restrict President Trump from continuing military action in Iran? It just failed.

In fact, things seem to be escalating. Other countries like France and the UK are now moving warships and helicopters closer to protect their air bases on Cyprus.

📝 The Breakdown:

Here's how this impacts your money and wallet:

First, the most obvious impact? Expect to pay more to fill up your car and buy groceries.

Second, the less obvious (but arguably even bigger) impact is with interest rates.

If rising gas and food prices cause inflation to spike again, the Federal Reserve might pump the brakes on cutting interest rates further.

So if you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for lower rates to buy a house... you might have to wait a little longer.

✍️ Your Next Move:

Here's what you need to do today:

1. Fill up your gas tank now

No one knows when this ends. And the longer it drags on, the higher gas prices will go.

So try to fill up now before it gets even more expensive.

Remember to take advantage of gas reward programs to save a few bucks at the pump. If you have Costco, consider Costco gas (it's usually cheaper) and check your credit card for any gas cash back offers.

I personally like to stack my gas-savings perks with Upside. It's a free app that gives you cash back for every gallon you fill up. You can search for "Upside" in the app store or you can sign up with my link here and use code FPNEG to get an extra 15¢ per gallon cash back.

2. Stock up on groceries

Fortunately, grocery prices haven't been hit hard (yet) with this latest news but it's likely coming.

So consider grabbing a little extra non-perishable stuff now if you can.

3. Stress test your budget for fun

Not sure if you consider this fun, but I'd suggest you open up your Freedom Spending Plan and stress test it.

If gas goes up 20% and groceries go up 10%, does your spending plan still work? Adjust your Flexible Spending now so you're not scrambling later.

If you don’t have my Freedom Spending Plan yet, you can grab it for free here - it's part of my free Freedom Builder Starter Kit.

🗓️ Behind The Scenes:

Here's a quick recap of what I was up to this past week:

• I gave up hope that Hawaiian Airlines would find my lost laptop cause I figured what are the chances that stuff reported to Lost and Found is actually found? And considering a laptop is a pretty expensive item, I thought my chances were less than zero. But thankfully I got it back before I flew back to NYC. Shout out to Hawaiian Airlines!
• I started to play around with Claude Cowork this week. The first thing I asked it to do was organize my desktop and I was pleasantly impressed. I had about 200 different documents, files, folders and applications on climbing on top of each other and I've been putting off organizing it for months. Claude Co-Work did it for me in a few minutes. I'm gonna keep playing around with it and wi report back in next week's newsletter.

✅ Cool Things From This Week:

• Money Tip of the Week: Your savings rate matters more than your salary.​
• ​Credit card debt just hit a new record. Here’s why it keeps climbing.​
• ​The surprising price workers are willing to pay for remote jobs.​