AG Nixon's latest consumer alert reminds us that home repair ripoffs become one of the top issues as spring and summer approach. This is the season when a lot of us start looking to have repairs done on our homes. And believe me, the crooks are ready for you. We have lots of tips in the above-linked news release, but the biggies are don't do business with door-to-door contractor salesmen and don't pay full price up front. Wait until the job is done to pay the full amount.

Also, make sure you get your agreement in writing. Some contractors don't offer written contracts, but you can draw up your own using our home repair worksheet. This PDF document tells you what to include in your contract.

As you can see from 2007's top 10 consumer complaints, home repair is a big one - always is.