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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.

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.

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.

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.

$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.

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

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.

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.

Property taxes are the real killer. No income tax sounds great until you realize you pay 2.5% of your home value every year. That adds up FAST on a 400k house.

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

Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle is basically a mini Grand Canyon and nobody talks about it. The drive up there is flat and boring but the canyon itself is stunning.

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

The no turn signal thing drives me INSANE. It's a lever. Right there. On the steering column. Takes zero effort.

Hot take: Texas drivers are aggressive but predictable. They're going fast and they expect you to keep up. Northeast drivers are passive-aggressive which is somehow worse.

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.

The friendliness is real. People wave at strangers, hold doors, and make small talk in checkout lines. Moved from the northeast and this took months to get used to.

Paper plates = no insurance and possibly no registration. And they drive like it because they know they can't be traced. Biggest problem on Texas roads right now.

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

Hill Country in the spring is unbeatable. Fredericksburg for wineries, Enchanted Rock for hiking, and the wildflowers on the roadside are insane in April.

Whataburger loyalty is not a meme. People here will defend that place with their lives. I said it was mid ONE TIME and almost got run out of the office.

Marfa is one of the weirdest towns in America in the best way. Art installations in the middle of nowhere, the Marfa lights, Prada Marfa. Combine it with Big Bend for a full trip.

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.

Unpopular opinion: corn tortilla breakfast tacos are superior. Flour gets soggy too fast if you're taking them to go.

High school football being a religion. I thought people were exaggerating. Then I saw a high school stadium bigger than most college stadiums. These people are not playing.

Port Aransas for a cheap beach trip. Not the prettiest beach in the world but the vibe is chill, the fishing is good, and hotels are way cheaper than Galveston.