#CostOfLiving | AM 1180 Radio

August 18, 2026

Georgia Gas Prices Climb As Oil Markets React To Middle East Uncertainty

Local News, Local News Items #AAA, #Alabama, #AlabamaGasPrices, #August17, #August172026, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #CherokeeCountyAL, #CostOfLiving, #CrudeOil, #DeKalbCountyAL, #Drivers, #FloydCounty, #FuelPrices, #GasolinePrices, #GasPrices, #georgiagasprices, #GordonCounty, #MiddleEast, #Monday, #NortheastAlabama, #NorthGeorgia, #northwestgeorgia, #OilPrices, #RomeGA, #StraitOfHormuz, #summervillega, #WalkerCounty, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

Sample Image

Georgia drivers are paying more at the pump this week as rising crude oil prices and continued uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East put upward pressure on gasoline prices.

August 17, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Summer Heat Brings Higher Power Bills — And Renewed Scrutiny of Georgia Power Rates

Local News, Local News Items #AirConditioning, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerCosts, #CostOfLiving, #DataCenters, #ElectricBills, #ElectricRates, #EnergyAffordability, #EnergyCosts, #ExtremeHeat, #georgiapower, #georgiapsc, #HeatAdvisory, #LocalNews, #NGEMC, #NorthGeorgiaEMC, #northwestgeorgia, #PlantVogtle, #PowerBills, #PublicServiceCommission, #Ratepayers, #SummerHeat, #UtilityBills, #UtilityRates, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

With temperatures pushing into the upper 90s and heat index readings topping 100 degrees across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia, air conditioners are working overtime — and many households are seeing the consequences when their electric bills arrive.

June 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Nearly Half Of Chattooga County Households Struggle To Afford Basic Needs, New ALICE Data Shows

Local News, Local News Items #ALICE, #chattoogacounty, #CommunityNews, #CostOfLiving, #EconomicHardship, #GeorgiaEconomy, #HouseholdIncome, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #summervillega, #trionga, #UnitedForALICE, #WorkingFamilies, #wzqznews 0

A newly released report from United For ALICE paints a sobering picture of financial hardship in Chattooga County, showing that many local families are struggling to make ends meet despite being employed.

June 3, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Rising Housing Costs Continue To Squeeze Chattooga County Residents

Local News, Local News Items #AffordableHousing, #chattoogacounty, #CommunityIssues, #CostOfLiving, #EconomicDevelopment, #HousingCosts, #HousingCrisis, #June2026, #LocalNews, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #RentalPrices, #summervillega, #trionga, #WorkingFamilies, #wzqznews 0

Finding affordable housing has become increasingly difficult for many families in Chattooga County as rent prices continue to rise while wages struggle to keep pace with the cost of living.

May 19, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Proposed Georgia Power Deal Promises Small Savings After Years Of Rising Bills

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ConsumerAdvocates, #CostOfLiving, #ElectricBills, #EnergyCosts, #GeorgiaConsumers, #georgianews, #georgiapower, #georgiapsc, #northwestgeorgia, #PowerBills, #PublicServiceCommission, #UtilityRates, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Power customers could see slightly lower electric bills later this year under a proposed agreement now headed to the Georgia Public Service Commission for approval.

April 24, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Auto Insurance Costs Climbing Across Georgia, Impacting Drivers Statewide

Local News, Local News Items #AutoInsurance, #CarInsurance, #ConsumerNews, #CostOfLiving, #DrivingInGeorgia, #FinancialNews, #GeorgiaDrivers, #georgianews, #InsuranceCosts, #InsuranceRates, #MoneyMatters, #northwestgeorgia, #wzqznews 0

Drivers across Georgia are continuing to feel the pinch as auto insurance costs remain among the highest in the country.

April 20, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Power Bills Strain Families as Summer Heat Approaches

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #CostOfLiving, #ElectricBills, #EnergyCosts, #EnergySavings, #FinancialStrain, #georgiapower, #georgiaweather, #Inflation, #LocalNews, #northwestgeorgia, #PowerBills, #RisingCosts, #StayCool, #SummerHeat, #UtilityBills, #wzqznews 0

As temperatures begin to climb across Northwest Georgia, many residents are bracing for another season of high Georgia Power bills — and for some families, the financial strain is already being felt.

April 13, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia Families Feeling The Pinch As Health Insurance Costs Continue To Climb

Local News, Local News Items #AffordableCoverage, #BudgetStrain, #CostOfLiving, #EconomicPressure, #FamilyBudgets, #FarmEconomy, #GeorgiaFamilies, #GeorgiaFarmers, #GeorgiaHealth, #georgianews, #HealthcareAccess, #HealthcareCosts, #HealthInsurance, #InsuranceCosts, #MedicalCosts, #ruralhealth, #SelfEmployed, #smallbusiness, #SmallBusinessOwners, #WorkingFamilies, #wzqznews 0

Health insurance costs continue to put pressure on family budgets in Georgia, and even when premiums are not the highest in the country, many households here still feel the strain more sharply than families in other states. Nationally, the average annual premium for employer-sponsored family coverage reached $26,993 in 2025, with workers paying an average of $6,850 of that total out of pocket. At the same time, workers’ wages rose 4% while family premiums rose 6%, meaning insurance costs are still growing faster than paychecks.

April 12, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Rising Costs Forcing Families To Rethink Summer Vacation Plans

Local News, Local News Items #Budgeting, #chattoogacounty, #CommunityNews, #CostOfLiving, #economicimpact, #FamilyBudget, #FamilyTravel, #GeorgiaFamilies, #LocalTravel, #MoneyMatters, #northwestgeorgia, #PersonalFinance, #RisingCosts, #Staycation, #SummerPlans, #SummerVacation, #TravelCosts, #TravelSmart, #TravelTips, #VacationPlanning, #wzqznews 0

As summer approaches, many families across Georgia are reworking their vacation plans as rising costs continue to strain household budgets.

April 4, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia Lawmakers Approve Income Tax Cuts As Property Tax Plan Falls Short

Local News, Local News Items #Budget, #CostOfLiving, #EconomicRelief, #GeorgiaLegislature, #georgianews, #georgiapolitics, #GeorgiaUpdate, #GoldDome, #GovernmentNews, #IncomeTax, #LegislativeSession, #Policy, #PoliticalNews, #PropertyTax, #PublicPolicy, #SineDie, #StateBudget, #StateGovernment, #statenews, #TaxCuts, #TaxPolicy, #TaxRelief, #wzqznews, georgia 0

Georgia lawmakers have approved a plan to cut the state’s income tax rate, but a broader effort to overhaul property taxes fell short before the end of the legislative session.