If you can count yourself as an Angie’s List member, you can now accurately say that you’re one in a million. Actually, you’re one in more than a million.

Yep: Angie’s List now has more than 1 million members nationwide. While it’s a milestone worthy of celebration, we didn’t spend a lot of time back-slapping. It’s more important to us to keep minding the store so we can help you find the quality help you need whether it’s roofing, plumbing or something health-related.

For the record, we are very gratified that even in this economy, we’ve continued steady growth. And that’s all because you recognize Angie’s List as a good way to help you find quality contractors and doctors and maybe even save some money along the way.

Speaking of help, I thought I’d start a feature on this blog designed to meet your specific and current interests as gauged by activity we’re seeing here at Angie’s List. I’ll try to do it every week.
 
3 Things Angie’s List members want to know right now:

1.    Is air duct cleaning worth it?
2.    What makes windows energy efficient and will it work for me?
3.    Should I remodel or just buy a new house?

Angie's List members: If you've ever referred a friend to Angie's List, you likely got a big bag of M&M’s and a thank you note for your “big mouth” after your friend bought a membership.

For the month of October, we're upping the ante. For each new membership purchased by the 31st that identifies you as the referral, we're going to enter your name into a drawing for a $1,000 cash Big Mouth prize.


(We'll send the M&M’s and the letter, too...)

A new American Express report out this month says 60 percent of respondents to a recent survey are planning to spend either the same or more in the next 30 days compared to the past month.

Plans to spend on car maintenance showed the biggest jump – up 37 percentage points, but home improvement plans were also on the rise.

I was happy to see this report because it reflects the trend we’ve seen throughout this recession: that the economic downturn is prompting consumers to spend smarter – investing in maintaining their homes and cars rather than skipping those steps for a quick (and expensive) upgrade.

That’s good news for the highly rated service companies on Angie’s List. So keep those reports coming in – the more we know before we hire, the better the experience should be.

Here’s to smart spending – and smart hiring, too!

I know I’ve talked about do-it-yourself dangers a lot lately, but it seems like more needs to be said. Why? Because one of my co-workers came in the other day talking about how Angie’s List might have saved her life.

That’s a comment that will make you pay attention.

It seems my co-worker – who knows better – got a little excited while doing yard work over the weekend even though she didn’t have the proper equipment and was working alone. She did a fine job using an electric trimmer to edge her shrubs. Then she remembered the dead branches in a tree and went for the chainsaw and the only ladder she had – a rickety, wooden one.

She was actually up on the top step of the ladder stretching to reach the first dead branch when she finally paid attention to the warning bells going off in her head. She said she couldn’t stop thinking about the statistics of death and serious injury that come from ladder-related incidents. We’ve reported about these statistics over the years, and I’ve done several media interviews on the subject.

It was the echo of those comments that got her down safely, and I’m grateful for it.

As you get your home ready for winter – fertilizing your lawn, cleaning gutters, trimming trees, raking leaves, checking for problems with windows, foundations or your roof – please do it safely. Or better yet, hire a professional who has both the ability and equipment necessary to get the job done right.

And if you have a rickety ladder like my co-worker, please follow her example and put it away. Better yet, introduce it to the scrap heap.

While some of us like to be current with the day’s fashions, not all of us need to stand at the cutting edge of anything. Most of us, though, don’t mind coming across a bargain -- trendy or not -- especially one that has some staying power.

I happen to know about a trend that is both cutting edge and a great money saver: window tinting – it’s not just for limousines and sports cars anymore.

Home window tinting isn’t a dark film like those stretch limos have. It can carry a tint or it can be clear so you can’t even tell that it’s there. It reduces the sun’s glare and heat, which means your home retains either heating or cooling rather than losing it through the windows, which reduces your energy costs. Most of use spend about 60 percent of our total energy bill on heating and cooling, so reducing those costs even by a little can mean a lot overall.

But wait, there’s more!  The tinting shields your furniture and rugs from UV rays that can cause fading. And, for 2009 only, you can receive a 30% energy tax credit for purchasing home window film. The IRS has guidelines for this, so if you want to do it and get the credit, please check the process before you buy or hire.

Just a little trendy tip from me to you. Pass it on!