KnowYard Community

Electrician for 12 years. Made $95K last year. Zero student debt. Bought a house at 24. I work hard but I'm not broke. Most of my college friends can't say both of those things.

the 70% light sparring philosophy is correct and im glad more gyms are adopting it. i trained at a gym that went hard every session and had 3 concussions in 2 years. switched to a gym that emphasizes technical sparring and my skill development actually accelerated because i wasnt scared of getting KOd every practice

You can do both. Get your trade license AND take classes part-time. My buddy is a licensed plumber making $75K while finishing his business degree at night. He wants to run his own shop.

If the job posting has been up for 6+ months, either the role doesn't exist (ghost listing to collect resumes) or nobody wants it because the work environment is toxic.

The real answer is that it depends on what trade and what degree. A CS degree from a good school pays more than plumbing. But a plumbing license pays more than a generic business degree with $40K in loans.

My commute used to be 1.5 hours round trip. That's 7.5 hours a week, 30 hours a month, sitting in traffic producing nothing. Remote work gave me a whole day back every month.

The biggest red flag: when they rush you to accept without giving you time to think. "We need an answer by tomorrow" is pressure, not urgency. Good opportunities can wait 48 hours.

Emergency fund before you buy. At least $10K set aside for repairs. The AC, water heater, or roof WILL need attention in the first 2 years. Guaranteed.

I negotiated mine down $150 by showing them comparable units on Zillow that were cheaper. They'd rather keep a paying tenant than turn the unit. It's worth trying.

The freedom is worth every extra dollar though. I can paint walls, have a dog, play music at midnight. After 6 years of apartment living the privacy alone is priceless.

Electrician for 12 years. Made $95K last year. Zero student debt. Bought a house at 24. I work hard but I'm not broke. Most of my college friends can't say both of those things.

Document every maintenance request in writing (email, not just the portal). If they haven't fixed stuff you reported, that's leverage for negotiation or for your city's tenant complaint process.

Document every maintenance request in writing (email, not just the portal). If they haven't fixed stuff you reported, that's leverage for negotiation or for your city's tenant complaint process.

I negotiated mine down $150 by showing them comparable units on Zillow that were cheaper. They'd rather keep a paying tenant than turn the unit. It's worth trying.

This is exactly why I love this platform. Real DFW conversations.

Facebook marketplace for house rentals. A lot of smaller landlords don't list on Zillow or Apartments.com. Some of the best deals are private listings from owners.

The lawn thing is SO real. My water bill in August was $180. For GRASS. I'm seriously considering xeriscaping the whole front yard.

Saving this post. Exactly what I was looking for.

If the menu is laminated and the decor includes wood paneling, you're about to have an incredible meal. That's just science.

I have everything delivered to my office now. Annoying to carry it all home but at least it's secure.

Older suburbs that haven't been "discovered" yet by flippers. The apartment complexes built in the 90s-2000s that are well-maintained but not trendy. Those are the sweet spot.

DFW is big enough that most gyms dont overlap competitively. your coach at a dallas gym probably isnt competing against a fort worth gym for the same students. this makes cross training easier here than in smaller markets

The companies forcing return-to-office are just trying to justify their lease costs. It's not about productivity and everyone knows it.

The caveat is that trades destroy your body. I'm 38 and my knees and back are shot. The money is real but so is the physical toll. Have a plan for what you do at 50.

the gyms that hard spar every session are producing brain damage not fighters. light technical sparring 80% of the time with occasional harder rounds is the way. the dutch and thai camps that hard spar daily are the exception and even they have way more health issues than they should