Honestly, I get where you’re coming from—sometimes it feels like the house is just waiting for you to relax before it throws a new problem your way. But I gotta say, the 1% rule isn’t gospel. Some years are rough, sure, but I’ve seen plenty of folks go a couple years with nothing major, then suddenly it’s all at once. It’s not always doom and gloom, even in North Texas where the soil loves to mess with foundations. Sometimes you catch a break... just wish it happened more often.
Yeah, the 1% rule is more like a rough guess than a real plan, especially around here. I’ve had years where it felt like every appliance was in a secret pact to break at once, then nothing for ages. Still, I always keep a little extra stashed just in case—North Texas clay doesn’t care about your budget.
Yeah, I hear you on the 1% rule. Sometimes it feels like it’s just a number someone pulled out of thin air, especially with the way things go in North Texas. That clay can really do a number on foundations and plumbing—had to redo my sewer line one year, and it wasn’t cheap. Keeping a cushion in your budget is smart, even if it means putting off a few upgrades. It’s all about rolling with the punches, right?
That clay can really do a number on foundations and plumbing—had to redo my sewer line one year, and it wasn’t cheap.
Yeah, that’s the part people overlook when they just focus on the 1% rule. In North Texas, soil movement is no joke. I’ve seen folks get caught off guard by foundation repairs that wipe out their cash flow for the year. Curious—do you factor in extra reserves for those “Texas specials,” or just roll with standard maintenance budgets? Sometimes I wonder if we should be setting aside more than most calculators suggest...
Honestly, I learned the hard way a few years back—thought my emergency fund was solid until a slab leak and some shifting hit in the same summer. That “Texas special” you mentioned is real. Now I always pad my reserves, even if it means less cash flow up front. Those calculators don’t know our soil... or our luck. Sometimes feels like you’re just waiting for the next crack to show up.
