KnowYard Community

UPS warehouse and driving positions. Warehouse starts around $21/hr, drivers make $35+/hr after training. Union benefits. It's physical work but it's legit.

Trades. HVAC, plumbing, electrical. Most will hire you with zero experience and train you. Starting pay is $18-22/hr but within 2-3 years you're at $30+. Texas needs tradespeople badly.

Year 8 teacher here. I love teaching. I cannot afford teaching. I tutor, do test prep on weekends, and drive for a rideshare in the summer. It shouldn't be like this.

Protested 5 years in a row. Won every time. Average reduction of about $20K in appraised value. The informal hearing is where it happens — bring your comps printed out and be polite.

I just order online now. If I need an employee to unlock 4 different items during a 15 minute shopping trip, I'd rather pay for shipping and skip the hassle.

Same thing happened to me in January. 3 years, great reviews, gone in a 10 minute call. The market is rough but not dead. Took me 11 weeks to find something. Apply everywhere, even stuff you think you're overqualified for.

Comprehensive insurance covers it but file the claim and your rates go up. My deductible is $500 and the replacement was $2,200. Insurance covered it but my premium went up $30/month. So I'll pay it back in 5 years. Cool.

Nobody benefits. Shoplifting goes up, stores lock everything, customers leave, stores close, and the neighborhood loses access to basic retail. It's a death spiral.

Utility companies are almost always hiring and pay decent with good benefits. Check your local electric co-op or water district. $22-28/hr starting for field positions and you don't need a degree.

Check if your TPMS can be reset before replacing the sensor. Sometimes a reset clears the light. YouTube your car model + TPMS reset. Saved me $200.

Park in the garage if you have one. If you don't, park in the most well-lit area possible. Motion sensor light aimed at where you park helps too.

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.

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.

Good mechanic red flag test: tell them you're there for an oil change and see if they come back with a list of $500 in "urgent" repairs. If they do, never go back.

Ring footage and police reports don't accomplish anything in my experience. The camera is for insurance claims, not actual justice. Sad but true.

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

Package lockbox on the porch. $80 on Amazon. You put a sign on it that says "delivery drivers: please place packages inside." Works 95% of the time. Haven't had a theft since.

Google reviews matter but read the actual reviews, not just the star rating. Look for people who mention honest pricing and them being told what DIDN'T need fixing.

Cat shield or cage. $150-300 installed. It's a metal plate bolted over the catalytic converter. Doesn't make it impossible to steal but makes it take 10+ minutes instead of 90 seconds. Most thieves move on.

Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, and Prius are the most targeted. Higher ground clearance = easier access, and Toyota cats have more precious metals. If you own one of these, you're a target.

Ask on your neighborhood Facebook group or Nextdoor. Mechanic recommendations are the one thing those groups are actually useful for.

Church and mutual friends are how most people here meet. I know that's not helpful if you're not religious but that's honestly the reality.

Still waiting for prices to come down. Used EVs are getting more affordable though. Seen used Tesla Model 3s under $25K. Might be the move.

Shhh stop telling people. Part of what makes it great is that it's not packed every showing.

The inspection system exists to generate revenue. Change my mind. A car that runs perfectly, stops properly, and has functioning lights should pass.