I second both replies.
- Never ever use a view limiting device (foggles, hood, etc) without a safety pilot-- even if you have TCAS.
- As for practice approaches, Any pilot can fly Practice Instrument Approaches in visual meteorological conditions. I'd recommend flying them (as well as simulated instrument) as much as you can. The skills of instrument flying should be taught much more than the minimalistic basic attitude instrument flying that you get with your private pilot instruction.
Here's my soapbox rant.
The FAA is highly reactionary. The Feds take a pet into their offices and focus on them based on accident and incident statistics and reports. It just seems that continued flight into instrument conditions (or marginal VFR conditions) by Private Pilots doesn't kill enough pilots to be focussed on.
As a professional pilot with a current flight instructor's rating (that I rarely use), I'd rather see students learn (and test satisfactorily) more instrument skills and phase out ground reference maneuvers as a tested item for a checkride. A turn around a point won't save your hide, while instrument skills CAN. I acknowledge that ground reference maneuvers if practiced in strong winds will help a pilot make nicer traffic patterns, but ugly traffic patterns don't kill pilots outside of inappropriate management of airspeed and descent profile.
End Soapbox rant.
Get more instrument experience. Yes, fly those approaches in visual conditions. Yes get some practice simulated instrument. Practice controlled descents, climbs, turns in simulated instrument. Fly constant airspeed and rate climb and descents on planned headings (then try gps or vor or ILS tracks) Practice configuration and airspeed changes in simulated instrument (straight and level, and descending) Do simulated instrument go-arounds... but please not at low altitude. Practice instrument approaches in visual conditions with a safety pilot with a hood or foggles. ALL OF THIS CAN BE DONE WITH FLYING BUDDIES. IT DOESN"T HAVE TO BE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. An instructor might be able to help you hone the skills faster but it'll also eat cash like you wouldn't believe.
Better yet... get some instrument training. Get some instrument time.
AN IMPORTANT HINT if you want to pay for instrument instruction-- see if you can do some of it in a quality PC based simulator. Simulator can be cheaper than fuel in your airplane per hour and can be more productive. Most if not all of the time in the sim will be loggable instrument time, and 20 hours will count towards your instrument rating if you went that far. Some flight instructors charge a lesser hourly rate for simulator instruction as well even though its instrument instruction.
Your flying will improve for it-- as well as with tailwheel instruction, a seaplane rating, mountain flying instruction, aerobatics training, unusual attitude recovery training, a multi-engine rating, ALL will improve your skills.
Improving your skills is one thing. Puting another tool in your "flying toolbox" is always worth the cost. Only this tool increases your safety margins.
can kill you. One of the most frequent errors I see in lower time pilots, during flight reviews or checkouts, is an uncoordinated turn from base to final caused by a lack of understanding of what they were supposed to learn during ground reference manuevers. While I agree with much of what Bill has to say, I would hesitate for anyone to under estimate the value of those very basic concepts. 
