Uncle Buck's Tips and Bits

Budgeting for Beginners Introduction: Your Money, Your Rules Have you ever looked at your bank account and wondered, "Where did all my money go?" You aren’t alone. Most people feel like their money has a mind of its own—it shows up on payday and disappears like a ghost by the weekend. Think of a budget not as a "no-fun list," but as a map. If you were going on a treasure hunt, you wouldn't just start running into the woods; you’d want a map to show you where the gold is hidden. Budgeting is just a map for your money. It tells every dollar exactly where to go so that you stay in control. In this guide, we’re going to break budgeting down into simple steps that even a five-year-old could understand. By the end, you’ll have a plan that actually works. Step 1: Know Your "Incoming" (The Payday Party) Before you can plan where your money goes, you need to know exactly how much you have. This is called your Income. For most of us, this is the money we get fro...

    Why 30-Minute Meals Actually Work (And Why You’ll Stick With Them) Let’s be real:   You don’t need another complicated diet plan or a 2-hour recipe that requires “artisanal sea moss” and a sous-vide machine.   What you do need is dinner on the table fast, without blowing your budget or feeling guilty about ordering pizza again.   That’s where 30-minute meals come in—and they’re not just a trendy hashtag. They’re a proven, sustainable way to eat better, save money, and protect your peace. Here’s why they work—backed by science, real life, and common sense.  1. Your Brain Loves Simple Wins Think about teaching a 5-year-old to tie their shoes. You don’t start with a triple-loop bow. You start with one loop. Small steps = big confidence. The same goes for cooking.   When a meal takes under 30 minutes, it feels doable—not daunting. And when something feels doable, you’re more likely to actually do it. Psychologists call this the “pro...

  If you own a home with an attic, a crawl space, or a pier and beam foundation, you’ve probably looked at those exposed pipes and wondered: “Should I be wrapping those up?” Usually, this thought occurs to homeowners at two specific times: when the weatherman predicts a hard freeze, or when they notice their energy bill creeping up. As a plumbing professional, I get asked about pipe insulation constantly. Is it a magic bullet against freezing? Is it worth the money? Does it actually help with hot water delivery? The short answer is: Yes, you should do it. But the long answer is a bit more complicated. Insulation isn’t a heat source, and if done incorrectly, it can actually hide problems. Today, we are going to strip back the marketing and look at the real-world pros and cons of insulating pipes in the most vulnerable areas of your home. The Landscape: Where Are Your Pipes Exposed? Before we get into the good and the bad, we need to talk about where we are insulating. In modern sl...

  Stop Doing This! 5 Viral "Plumbing Hacks" That Are Secretly Ruining Your Home. We live in the golden age of the "Life Hack." You can’t scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts for five minutes without seeing a satisfying video of someone cleaning their bathroom with a magical mixture of household items, or unclogging a drain with a "secret" trick. The videos are short, the music is catchy, and the results look sparkling clean. Millions of likes. Thousands of shares. But as a professional plumber, do you know what I see when I watch those videos? I see job security. I see thousands of dollars in future repairs. I see cracked porcelain, corroded pipes, and melted seals. The influencers making these videos are content creators, not tradesmen. They care about the visual, not the structural integrity of your plumbing system. Today, I am going to be the buzzkill that saves your bank account. We are debunking the top 5 viral plumbing "hacks...

Texas Freeze Alert: Your Essential Guide to Preparing for Winter's First Bite Winter is knocking, and it’s bringing a significant cold front to Texas, promising the coldest temperatures of the season so far. While we might joke about our "mild" winters, the reality is that even a brief freeze can cause real problems if you're not prepared. This isn't just about bundling up; it's about safeguarding your home, garden, and loved ones from potential damage and discomfort. This coming Monday, November 10th , many parts of the Lone Star State are expected to experience freezing or near-freezing temperatures. Whether you're in the bustling DFW metroplex or the quiet corners of the Hill Country, now is the time to act. Don't wait until the mercury drops – let's get you ready! Understanding the Forecast: Where the Cold Will Hit Hardest Before we dive into preparation, let's understand what's heading our way. A robust cold front is forecast to sweep ...