ManFromNeptune,
Hash keys are case sensitive. To make something that looks and feels like a hash, but is case insensitive takes overhead. There is no way to get around that.

It might be worth while to keep in mind that your approach to solving a problem is unlikely to be the same as people with more experience. If you only ask how to accomplish your approach without stating the underlying problem, we are locked in without anyway of providing better, alternative advice.