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Compared to where I moved from in the northeast, this is still a bargain. But yeah the trajectory is not great.

State parks. Texas state parks system is incredible and massively underused. A year pass is $70 and gets you into every park in the state. Weekend camping is $15-25/night.

Birria tacos here have gotten so much better in the last few years. The trend actually brought legit birria spots out of hiding.

Just wait for your first blue norther. 80 degrees at lunch, 35 degrees by dinner. You will learn to check the weather every morning.

It's both. It's a tourist trap AND it's good. Those things can coexist. The prices are high but the quality is real.

The "no income tax" thing is a trap. They get you with property tax, sales tax, and toll roads. You end up paying the same or more than a lot of income tax states.

NWS confirmed brief touchdown near Benbrook. Damage reports coming in on Winscott Road.

The fudge and the jerky are genuinely high quality. Everything else is overpriced gas station food with cute packaging. Fight me.

Costco for bulk items, HEB for weekly stuff, and I still end up at Walmart at 10pm because I forgot something. Every single week.

San Antonio erasure in this thread is criminal. River Walk, missions, best Mexican food in Texas, most affordable big city. Put some respect on SA.

The electricity thing. I had no idea you have to CHOOSE your electric provider. Signed up for a variable rate plan my first month and got a $380 bill in August.

There's a burger joint near me that's been cash only for 30 years. No website. No social media. Packed every day at lunch. That's the ultimate endorsement.

Hail. Nobody told me about the hail. First spring here my car got destroyed. Get comprehensive insurance immediately.

How big everything is. Nothing is close. Even the grocery store is a 15 minute drive. Coming from a walkable city this took serious adjustment.

The real authentic spots are usually in strip malls with no English on the menu. If abuela is in the kitchen you're in the right place.

The brisket sandwich is legitimately good for what it is. Is it better than a dedicated BBQ joint? No. Is it the best food you can get without leaving a gas station parking lot? Absolutely.

If the menu is laminated and the decor includes wood paneling, you're about to have an incredible meal. That's just science.

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.

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.

The family-owned Chinese spot near me has been open since the 80s. Same family. Same recipes. Still the best egg drop soup I've ever had.

Allergies. Cedar fever in winter is not a joke. I never had allergies anywhere else. Moved here and now I want to die every December through February.

Groceries are where I feel it the most. Same cart that cost $120 two years ago is $170 now. And the shrinkflation is real — everything is smaller.

Car insurance in Texas is insane and nobody talks about it. Mine went from $140 to $210/month for the same coverage. Zero accidents. Zero tickets.

Skip the places with "Mexican Grill" in the name. Find the places with handwritten specials on the whiteboard. That's where the real food is.

The freedom is worth every extra dollar though. I can paint walls, have a dog, play music at midnight. After 6 years of apartment living the privacy alone is priceless.