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The best part is when they finish one section and it's beautiful for about 6 months before the potholes come back because they used the cheapest materials possible.

Call your insurance company and ask for a list of in-network providers accepting new patients. The online directories are always outdated but the phone reps have current info.

Costco or Sam's gas is consistently 15-20 cents cheaper per gallon. Over a month that saves me $25-30. The membership pays for itself just in gas.

Red light running is the Texas state pastime. The light turns red and three more cars go through. I wait a full two seconds after my light turns green now.

If your employer offers any kind of remote days, negotiate hard. Even 2 days from home cuts your gas bill 40% and adds years to your car's life.

Deadbolt, motion sensor lights, and a door reinforcement kit. The kit is $50 and makes it nearly impossible to kick the door in. That's the most vulnerable entry point.

The worst drivers are always the ones on whatever highway I'm currently on. This is a universal law.

The live music scene here is bigger than most people outside DFW realize. Deep Ellum alone has 30+ live music venues. Fort Worth has Tulips, Magnolia Motor Lounge, and more. You'll be fine.

I switched from a truck to a sedan specifically because of gas costs. Went from $400/month to $180/month. I miss the truck but I don't miss being broke.

Keep a cooler in your trunk in summer. Cold water, some snacks. If you break down on a Texas highway in July, help might take 30-45 minutes. You want water available.

Car insurance in Texas is insane and nobody talks about it. Mine went from $140 to $210/month for the same coverage. Zero accidents. Zero tickets.

Compared to where I moved from in the northeast, this is still a bargain. But yeah the trajectory is not great.

Invest in a good insulated water bottle. A Yeti or Stanley with ice stays cold for 8+ hours in your car. Warm water in the Texas heat is torture.

Parking strategy: find shade, even if it means walking farther. A shaded parking spot saves you 20 degrees of interior temp compared to full sun.

The weather changing 40 degrees in one day. I've worn shorts and a jacket in the same 12 hour period. Multiple times.

Groceries are where I feel it the most. Same cart that cost $120 two years ago is $170 now. And the shrinkflation is real — everything is smaller.

The "no income tax" thing is a trap. They get you with property tax, sales tax, and toll roads. You end up paying the same or more than a lot of income tax states.

Electrolytes, not just water. Liquid IV, Pedialyte, even pickle juice. When you sweat this much, plain water isn't enough. You're losing salt faster than you can replace it.

Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle is basically a mini Grand Canyon and nobody talks about it. The drive up there is flat and boring but the canyon itself is stunning.

Unpopular opinion: corn tortilla breakfast tacos are superior. Flour gets soggy too fast if you're taking them to go.

Property taxes are the real killer. No income tax sounds great until you realize you pay 2.5% of your home value every year. That adds up FAST on a 400k house.

It depends where you came from. My friends in California still pay double what I pay for everything. Texas is expensive compared to 2019 Texas, but cheap compared to a lot of other places.

Texas pride. I've never lived anywhere where people fly the state flag more than the US flag. And they're not being ironic about it.

Check on your elderly neighbors during heat waves. Seriously. Heat stroke can kill and not everyone has working AC or the ability to get to a cooling center.

YMCA is slept on. Some of them have surprisingly good weight rooms, plus pool, basketball courts, and sauna. $45/month for an adult membership at most locations.