KnowYard Community

The fact that he tried the handle and moved on when it was locked tells you everything. Most of these people are looking for easy targets. Make your house not the easy one.

Motion sensor lights on the driveway made a difference for us. Not a guarantee but they don't like being lit up.

Starting salary in my district is $52K. Starting salary at Buc-ee's is $50K. With less stress, less responsibility, and no papers to grade at home. That tells you everything about how we value teachers.

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.

I bring my own parts and pay labor only. A good mechanic won't care. The ones who insist on using their parts are marking them up 50-100%.

Get a dog. I'm only half joking. Even a small loud dog changes the calculation for someone trying doors at 3am.

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.

Left teaching last year for corporate training. Same skills, double the salary, and I don't cry in my car anymore. I miss the kids but I don't miss the system.

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.

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.

Whatever you pick, the yard sign and window stickers matter almost as much as the actual system. Most burglars are opportunistic and will skip a house with visible security signs.

Our neighborhood pooled money for extra private security patrol one night a week. Break-ins dropped significantly. It's not cheap but it works.

Never, ever leave a gun in your car overnight. I know Texas loves truck guns but an unsecured firearm in an unlocked vehicle is just a free gun for criminals.

Same thing happened to us last month. We added window sensors and a door bar on the sliding glass door. Total cost: $80. Sleep much better now.

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.

Share that footage on your neighborhood social media. Nextdoor, Facebook group, whatever. Other people's cameras might have caught him arriving or leaving in a car. Plate numbers are what police need.

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.

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

Skip ADT. The equipment is overpriced, the contracts are 3 years, and the cancellation process is a nightmare. There's a reason they need door-to-door salespeople.

LOCK YOUR CARS. I know it sounds obvious but half the break-ins are just unlocked doors. They walk down the street pulling handles. If it's locked they move on.

Reolink cameras (no subscription, local storage) paired with SimpliSafe sensors for monitoring. Best of both worlds. Camera footage stays on YOUR hard drive, not someone else's cloud.

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.

The "but you get summers off" crowd has clearly never met a teacher. My wife spends summer doing curriculum planning, professional development, and setting up her classroom. It's unpaid work.

My wife is a teacher and her take-home after insurance, retirement, and union dues is about $3,200/month. Our mortgage alone is $2,100. Do the math.

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.