Whether you have new home appliances or are comfortably getting along with your old ones, there will come a day when you'll encounter a breakdown. There's never a good time for any appliance to stop working, but if you don't have a plan for repairs, your household could be in chaos. An appliance protection plan is the best way to keep things running smoothly especially in times of trouble.

The last two months were really busy. Between preparing for the holidays, hosting get-togethers, and visiting friends and relatives, you probably didn't have a lot of time to think about home improvement projects.

Today's home appliances are great time-savers and include high-tech features that also can save you money. Did you know that using a dishwasher is more energy efficient that washing your dishes by hand? Using an Energy Star-certified machine can actually save you close to 5,000 gallons of water a year and reduce your annual electric bills by $40.