KnowYard Community

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

Check the TxDOT project tracker website. You can see the actual contract, budget, and timeline. It won't make you feel better but at least you'll know when to expect relief.

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

Got a used Prius for my commute. $14K and it gets 50mpg. My gas bill went from $380 to $140. Best financial decision I've made in years. I still have the truck for weekends.

My concern is long road trips. I drive to other parts of the state regularly and charging adds 30-45 minutes to the trip. Not a dealbreaker but it's not nothing.

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.

The toll roads add up too. My commute is technically 10 minutes faster on the tollway but costs $8/day. That's another $160/month. I take the free road now and listen to podcasts.

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.

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.

Community health centers (FQHCs) take everyone regardless of insurance and usually have shorter wait times. Google "community health center near me." They're federally funded and underutilized.

I genuinely think some of these projects are designed to never finish so the contracts keep paying out. Call me cynical but 3 years for a highway widening is insane.

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.

The $300/month savings is real. My coworker and I compared over 6 months. Her EV costs about $60/month in electricity vs my $340 in gas for similar driving.

Whoever designed highway interchanges in Texas clearly wanted to see if humans could navigate 5 lanes merging simultaneously at 70mph. The answer is no.

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.

Made the switch 6 months ago. Home charging overnight is a game changer. I wake up to a full "tank" every morning. Never going to a gas station again.

For dentists: look at newer practices that opened in the last 1-2 years. They're actively building their patient base so they have availability. Established dentists are booked out forever.

I will say this: Texas drivers are aggressive but they commit. It's the hesitant drivers from other states merging at 40mph who cause the real accidents.

TxDOT project timelines are suggestions at best. I've lived near a highway expansion that was supposed to take 2 years. It took 6. When it finished they immediately started a new project on the connecting highway.

Urgent care clinics do physicals and basic checkups. It's not ideal for ongoing care but if you just need a checkup done this month, they can do it.

The joke is that Texas has two seasons: summer and construction. And somehow they overlap perfectly to make everything worse.

Zocdoc app. Filter by insurance and availability. I found a PCP with a next-day appointment that I couldn't find through any other method.

Some shops will charge less. The dealer quoted me $250, an independent tire shop did it for $120. Call around before you pay dealer prices.

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.

Welcome to Texas inspection theater. My favorite is when they fail you for a windshield crack that's been there for 2 years and is nowhere near the driver's line of sight.