KnowYard Community

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ring footage and police reports don't accomplish anything in my experience. The camera is for insurance claims, not actual justice. Sad but true.

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.

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.

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.

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

Independent shops run by one or two mechanics are almost always better than chains. Jiffy Lube and Firestone will upsell you on things you don't need every single visit.

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.

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.

Look for shops that have been in the same location for 10+ years. If they've survived that long without moving, their reputation is keeping them alive. That's the best signal.

Rain + Texas drivers = absolute chaos. The first rain after a dry spell might as well be an ice storm based on how people react. Either 25mph in the left lane or 80mph tailgating. No in between.

I met my girlfriend at a trivia night at a local brewery. Go to recurring social events where you see the same people week after week. That's how actual connections form.

If the job posting has been up for 6+ months, either the role doesn't exist (ghost listing to collect resumes) or nobody wants it because the work environment is toxic.

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.

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

SimpliSafe. No contract, $17/month monitoring, easy DIY install. Had it 3 years and it's triggered twice from actual incidents — both times the monitoring center called within 30 seconds. Would buy again.

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

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.

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.

I walked out of an interview where the manager bragged about never taking vacation. That's not dedication, that's a warning about what they'll expect from you.

Nobody in this state understands the zipper merge. Two lanes go to one and everyone treats it like a personal insult.