You may have heard of Angie's List - the service you pay for that recommends and gives reviews of companies. Everything from plumbers to dog-walkers is listed in there, and real customers tell you what it was like to work with those companies. The service is available in a lot of big cities, and it's localized to each city. But if you're not in one of those areas, it won't do you any good.

A small town near the Lake of the Ozarks has come up with its own free version. The town of Laurie created the Helpers for Hire program years ago, so that the local folks would know the reputable contractors and service providers. Wouldn't it be cool if other cities big and small could do something like this?

After all, one of our four consumer rules to live by is: work with companies that are known to you or recommended by someone you trust.