KnowYard Community

Tex-Mex is not Mexican food and nobody who grew up eating both would confuse them. Both are good. They're just different cuisines at this point.

The hard truth is that unless someone is caught in the act, police don't have the resources to investigate car break-ins. Prevention is all you've got.

Drive through the area at night before you sign anything. If you feel uneasy at 10pm on a Tuesday, trust that instinct.

HEB store brand stuff is genuinely good quality. Their creamy creations ice cream competes with Blue Bell. I said what I said.

Walmart grocery pickup changed my life. I don't go inside anymore. Order on the app, pull up, they load it. Under 5 minutes.

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.

You are objectively wrong and I feel sorry for your taste buds. The honey BBQ chicken strip sandwich at 1am is a top 5 fast food item ever made.

Nobody ever includes property tax and insurance when they compare mortgage to rent. With those factored in, my "cheaper than rent" mortgage is actually $500 more than my old apartment.

I use a pellet grill and I'm tired of pretending I'm sorry about it. The brisket is good. My family loves it. I don't care about your offset smoker opinions.

Fully remote jobs are getting more competitive. 500+ applicants for every decent remote posting. Be prepared to apply to 50+ positions. It took me 3 months to find my current role.

HEB for meat and produce, Aldi for everything else. Kroger only if I forgot something and it's 9pm.

Mowing lawns. Seriously. Especially in summer when people don't want to be outside. $40-60 per yard, you can do 6-8 in a day. A truck and a mower is all you need.

For COBRA — check healthcare.gov first. Losing your job qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. ACA plans might be significantly cheaper than COBRA depending on your income.

I deliver for Amazon Flex on weekends. $25/hr base plus tips. Use your own vehicle. 4-5 hour blocks. It's not exciting but it's reliable money with a flexible schedule.

Counterpoint: standards are what make Texas BBQ great. If we stop caring about quality we end up like every other state's mid BBQ. Gatekeeping has a purpose.

Pressure washing. You can get a decent setup for $400. Driveways, fences, patios. Post on Nextdoor and you'll be booked within a week. $100-200 per driveway.

Dashcam with parking mode. It records when it detects motion near the car. Won't stop the theft but gives you evidence and sometimes a clear face.

The best BBQ I ever had was at a family reunion where my uncle cooked it in a homemade smoker made from a oil drum. No thermometer. No YouTube education. Just vibes.

I'm remote and I love it but I'll be honest — the isolation is real. I go days without talking to another adult in person. Make sure you have a plan for that.

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.

Skip the job boards for the first week. Reach out directly to everyone you know. LinkedIn connections, former coworkers, friends of friends. 70% of jobs are filled through networking and that's not a cliché.

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.

The smoke ring discourse is out of control. It doesn't even affect flavor. It's just a visual marker. Relax.

Look at healthcare and government tech roles. They're not as flashy but they're still hiring and they don't lay off every 6 months. Stability matters when you've been burned.

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