Save more dollars at the grocery store with these tips

Sticker shock experienced by consumers at grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and food marts has been unavoidable since the pandemic. We all need to eat, but the price tag on groceries has put extra pressure on our pocketbooks for a few years now.

Here’s what the data show: According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2022, the typical American household spends $475.25 per month on groceries. This amounts to an annual grocery expenditure of $5,703. I don’t know about you, but these figures actually sound way lower than what many families, including mine, actually pay at checkout.

Want to spend less on groceries? Read my latest Money Saving Mastery column on this topic by clicking here.

Spooky season is upon us

Fall is right around the corner, making now the ideal time to start thinking Halloween. 

This year, I'm celebrating a decade representing a seasonal client with a monstrous following: Midnight Terror Haunted House in the Chicagoland area, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024. My task is to promote and publicize the haunt to the media. These efforts have resulted in terror-ific coverage in the Chicago Tribune, Fox News, NBC and other outlets.

This year's campaign spotlight's lots of fresh news about Midnight Terror, which can be gleaned by clicking here.

Cineversary podcast honors The Shawshank Redemption on its 30th birthday

In Cineversary podcast episode #74, host Erik Martin commemorates the 30th anniversary of the most crowd-pleasing picture of the past three decades and the greatest prison movie ever: The Shawshank Redemption. Partnering with him on this installment is Mark Dawidziak, author of The Shawshank Redemption Revealed: How One Story Keeps Hope Alive.

Mark Dawidziak

Together, they chisel away at this impressive cinematic edifice and examine why this film remains so beloved, how it has stood the test of time, resonant themes viewers appreciate, and more.

To listen to this episode, click here or click the "play" button on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download, or subscribe to Cineversary wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com.

Maximize those car insurance discounts and save more

Inflation and rising costs have taken a toll on consumers in recent years. One area where Americans are especially feeling the pinch is the cost of car insurance, with premiums increasing 18.6% from July 2023 to July 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But you can lower the cost of coverage by taking advantage of auto insurance discounts, many of which go unclaimed or underutilized by policyholders. Good driver discounts, low-mileage discounts, multi-policy discounts, and other programs can save 10% or more on your policy.

Learn more by reading my very first article for brand new client Fox Money, available here.

Here's what's required to qualify for a private student loan

Affording higher education is increasingly difficult for many families. Consider that over the past two decades, the average tuition and fees at public four-year colleges have surged by 179%, according to the Education Data Initiative, which reports that the average annual cost of college per student is $38,270 as of 2024. Family savings and financial aid in the form of federal student loans, scholarships and grants are often not enough. Fortunately, there’s another option that can help make up the shortfall: a private student loan.

Read my first article on this topic for brand-new client US News & World Report, available here.

How to negotiate a raise

Itching for a bump up in pay? Feel like you’re getting the short shrift salary-wise at work? If you’re like many employees today, this year’s pay raise you may have received – if any –was likely lower than you had hoped.

Bank of America’s recent workplace benefits report reveals that employees are increasingly worried about inflation. It found that 76% of workers feel the cost of living is rising faster than their salaries or wages, up from 67% in June 2023. And companies are allocating less for pay raises in 2024 than they did last year, with future increase projections also on the decline. WTW, a consulting and advisory firm, recently revealed that 47% of American firms have reduced their salary budgets for 2024, leading to a decrease in the median pay raise from 4.5% in 2023 to 4.1% this year. This drop corresponds with a cooling labor market, where only 38% of employers are finding it challenging to attract and retain talent, a decrease from 57% the previous year.

Learn more about this topic, and how to ask your boss for a pay hike, by reading my newest article for CTW Features, available here.