If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that we reside in Florida. I’ve mentioned on several occasions in the past some of the problems regarding homeowner insurance rates in Florida. The insurance relief that many lawmakers had promised looks like it is vanishing in a puff of smoke - and that rates could actually climb higher.

Kevin McCarty, the Florida Insurance Commissioner, has written an opinion piece that was published today in the Bradenton Herald. He addresses what has been happening on the insurance front, including the fact that insurers are asking for rate increases, because:

While the companies did, in fact, receive savings from the Florida Legislature’s initiatives, the companies did not plan to pass this savings to the consumer as the Legislature intended. Instead the savings would be used to purchase additional reinsurance, even purchasing reinsurance from their own subsidiaries, and to shore-up their financial surplus.

In fact there are no less than 8 rate hearings scheduled with companies asking for rate increases. From the Florida Office Of Insurance Regulation web site, here are the upcoming scheduled hearings from insurance providers:

8/14 - Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company
8/16 - Hartford Insurance Group
8/21 - IDS Property Casualty Insurance Company/Amex Assurance Company
8/21 - Capitol Preferred Insurance Company, Inc
8/23 - American Southern Home Insurance Company
8/30 - Sentry Insurance A Mutual Company
8/30 - Auto-Owners Insurance Company, Owners Insurance Company and Southern-Owners
Insurance Company
9/18 - Cincinnati Casualty Company and Cincinnati Indemnity Company

So it looks as if the saga continues with no real solution in sight.

Everyone gets into a money crunch now and then and has to look for ways to save money in the budget. If money is tight and you need to find ways to save money, there are some simple things you can start doing today that will make a difference in your bottom line. It boils down to making choices between needs and wants. Here are some easy ways to save money by evaluating your current spending choices: Read more »

If you are struggling financially and your budget needs an overhaul, one of the best places that you can cut back and reduce your costs is by saving money on groceries. By following a few simple guidelines you can achieve substantial savings. Most of the methods I have listed below you probably already know about. However, the key to saving money on groceries is to apply all of these methods together to maximize your savings. You do not have to be a coupon queen to save money.

The first step to saving money on groceries is to make a grocery budget and stick to it. This might be difficult at first but it will get easier with practice. Try to plan your weekly menu around the sales at your local grocery stores. Begin by setting a weekly budget goal of an actual dollar amount that you will spend for groceries and be determined to not go over that amount.

The next step in saving money on groceries is to only take cash with you to the store. You will not be tempted to use a credit card if you do not have it with you. Any money that you have left over after purchasing your groceries can be put toward next week’s food expenses or towards a splurge purchase! Reward yourself for your success on saving money on groceries.

Another method to saving money on groceries is going shopping by yourself. It is much easier to keep the budget in check when you only have to deal with your own impulse spending. I usually arrange for my husband to watch the children for me so I can shop alone. This way I can keep my focus on grocery shopping and I won’t have to continue telling the kids “no” to purchases they want to make. In fact, curbing impulse spending is a major factor in saving money on groceries.

Making a detailed grocery list is another technique to use when saving money on groceries. I make a weekly menu based on the sale items at the store. My grocery shopping list is developed from this. I have had to train myself that if an item is not on this list, I do not buy it.

Another technique I use when saving money on groceries is I avoid shopping when I am hungry. This helps me to avoid the temptation of impulse purchases. I make sure I’ve had enough to eat and drink before I head to the grocery store