KnowYard Community

I bought a whole-house generator after 2021. $8K installed. I shouldn't have to do that but I have elderly parents living with me and I'm not risking it again.

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.

Smart thermostat was a game changer for me. Bumps up to 80 when nobody is home, drops back to 76 an hour before we get back. Saved about $40/month in summer.

How genuinely friendly people are. I was suspicious at first. Turns out people just wave and hold doors open here. It's not weird, it's normal.

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.

Got dashcam footage that could fill a YouTube channel. Front and rear cameras are mandatory equipment in this state as far as I'm concerned.

The deregulated market is the problem. Nobody wants to invest in reserve capacity because there's no profit in power plants that only run during emergencies. So we have zero buffer.

The driving thing never stops being true. I live half a mile from a CVS and still drive there. It's 105 outside man I'm not walking.

Everything IS bigger. The steaks, the trucks, the highways, the distances, the portions. My first time ordering a "small" drink here I got what I'd call a large anywhere else.

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.

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

Brace for the first time someone invites you to a backyard BBQ and it turns into a 7 hour event with 40 people you've never met.

Solar panels with battery backup. Not cheap but after 2 summers of anxiety I made the investment. When ERCOT asks me to conserve, I just switch to battery. Independence from this grid is priceless.

I just accept that summer electric bills are $300+ and budget accordingly. It's the Texas tax nobody mentions.

Early morning on weekdays is the cheat code for popular parks. I go at 7am on a Tuesday and have the whole trail to myself. Same trail on a Saturday at 10am has 200 people.

TPMS is the most annoying inspection failure. My car failed for the same thing. $180 to replace a sensor that does nothing I can't do with a pressure gauge in 30 seconds.

The 2021 storm should have been a wake-up call. 200+ people died. And here we are still running the same grid on hope and prayers every summer.

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.

Check your insulation. Seriously. Had an energy audit done and found out my attic insulation was garbage. Got it blown in for $1,200 and my summer bills dropped about $80/month.

Ceiling fans in every room. They don't cool the room but they cool YOU and let you bump the thermostat up 3-4 degrees without noticing.

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.

Pool membership was the best $200 I ever spent. June through September I'm there 4 days a week after work.

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 Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for home gym equipment. I built my garage gym for $800 total — rack, barbell, 300lbs of plates, and a bench. Pays for itself in 14 months vs a gym membership.

$387 for 1600 sqft sounds high even for summer. What rate are you paying per kWh? Anything over 14 cents and you need to shop around when your contract is up.