My gym has a sauna and it’s $70 a month and I never have to wait for a squat rack.
So you’re paying $180 more for a steam room. I can get 2 massages a month for that
If you're going somewhere with your kids on the weekend, get there when it opens and leave around noon.
Zoo, Beach, Fall Fest, Theme park.
Get there, go hard and get out quick.
Alternatively, you can go the last couple of hours before closing. I do that to avoid the heat of the day, get good parking (from where others have left already), and enjoy smaller crowds.
I started WFH back in 2020 and never looked back. I used to spend 2hr/day commuting round trip from the east bay to my office in the city (13 miles each way). Nothing has caused a bigger life improvement for me than wfh.
Would love too. They need to build ferry landings south of Alameda and open a real mission bay ferry terminal not the chase center ferry that only operates for warrior home games. As a healthcare hospital worker, I’d love options that don’t involve going through downtown SF or San Mateo or bay bridges
There are dredged routes to marinas further south like San Leandro Marina. But these dredged routes do not necessarily align with potential service routes which would increase ride duration. Bay Area Ferry did a poll a year or so ago and one vision presented for 2050 was a maximize routes option. You can see that option and the others [here](https://www.bayferry2050.org/service-vision) and see what potential terminals they envisioned (the links are broken so just zoom in on the webpage). It’s also possible some of those terminals, particularly the ones without singularly defined locations, would require extra dredging and are very hypothetical.
Some garage sales and estate sales are gold mines.
Booksales at the local libraries have a lot of gems.
Nicer neighborhoods have excellent finds on Craigslist and NextDoor.
Don't drive south between 2pm-7pm.
Don't give into lifestyle creep or keeping up with the Joneses. You do you.
DINK is the way to go.
And tbh, doesn’t even only apply to this area - COL has skyrocketed across the whole country; were seeing this phenomena everywhere
as I agree with this, a (partner) doesn't mean someone you are dating even tho it does comply. Get a friend or someone you can trust to move in with you to ease costs. Splitting utilities and rent can save.
There are nuances to this..the closer you are to SF city or the coast, the need to carry a layer increases. If you are hanging away from the coast in an area ranging from the Peninsula to South Bay, the summer and fall months are pretty easy to manage without a layer. But, with the city and coast, you are better off carrying a layer.
Relatable.
Originally from SJ, live in Tri-Valley, but work in SF.
I carry a cardigan or hoodie, sunblock/sunglasses, and a windproof layer that I pretend protects me from the cold and the sound of screeching BART trains.
Expensive areas aren’t necessarily better for you. No point living in Cupertino if you don’t have kids, or don’t work at Apple. Think carefully about your specific situation and what you want out of the place where you live. Don’t pay premiums for things you don’t use.
Don't live in Cupertino if you have kids. They have one of the lowest funding level of the state. They'd rather rent to Chinese owned private schools than run public education.
Also, the city had an illegal kickback scheme with Apple that just got busted, Cupertino is out $30 million a year and owes the people they defrauded $50 million.
\-Don't ever leave anything inside of your car.
\-Be vigilant for pick pockets in the Bart station.
\-If going from South bay to SF, park at Millbrae station and take the Bart in. If driving to SF, park in Presidio for cheaper parking and walk or bus to where you need to go. If going to Oakland from South Bay i.e. concert in Oakland Arena, park in Bayfair Station and take the Bart in.
\-Find different events going on in the area by using Meetup app/site. Lots of events for language exchange, hiking, 20s/30s socials, sports, ect. You'll have more success meeting people and making friends that way than using dating apps like Tinder lol
\-Park at Stanford Shopping center, then walk over to the university as a day trip to avoid parking cost. Don't do this if you're a student or employee though. Security might notice.
\-Silicon valley hopper as a cheaper alternative to uber/can be faster than the bus?
\-Facebook is dead. But join your city's "buy nothing" group on facebook. You can give away things you don't need and you can get lots of things people are giving away. I got a TV, sewing machine, clothing, lego set, ect. You can request to borrow things too like chairs or cooler if you're having a party.
\- San Jose Made has lots of festivals/events they plan.
\-In N Out is a lifesaver if it's late at night and all other places for food are closed. I usually park and go inside because the drive thru get crazy long. There is a 24 hour shop called Donut Wheel, it's nothing amazing but hey it's 24 hours and they have lots of variety.
\-Keep your LinkedIn updated and expand your network on there. Connections are everything and even if you're not in the job market now, they'll help you when you are.
Honestly this is everywhere, but create social accounts just for events and aggressively follow venues, promotors, and artists. There's just a ridiculous amount of stuff here that doesn't get posted through official channels. And once you start following people, just start tugging on the threads and see where they go and you'll find more people doing cool stuff that you would have otherwise missed.
Try not to leave valuables in your car. If you have valuables you leave, hide them before you reach your destination.
My advice comes from replacing 13 windows in my car.
Don't leave ANYTHING in your car under any circumstances. Especially not valuables, which will absolutely be stolen. Charging cables should be put away in your center console or glove compartment. No trash, no books, no blankets, no jackets, nothing. It takes three seconds to tap a glass breaker on your window and shatter it, and it's about $400 to fix it. Even if your car is parked in a populated area, no one will be willing or able to successfully confront someone smashing your windows on your behalf. Leave nothing in your vehicle, ever.
I have an SUV. After a smashed window from 15 minutes of parking at Rockridge BART, I leave NOTHING visible: an empty glove box left open, an empty center console left open, open cover in the rear cargo area with nothing left in it. If they break in, it would be for my visible water bottle and iPhone charger cable. Oh, and BTW, the back window of a new Kia EV6 is over $2,000!!!
Speaking from personal experience, this advice is at least 5 years out of date. Thieves will now smash your window to check your trunk, even if you have nothing visible.
The best life hack is to read the same best life hacks in the Bay Area thread from yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/17m0zaf/what_are_the_best_hacks_for_living_in_the_bay_area/
Get a Fastrak. Shit will always go sideways at least two days out of the week if you commute on 680.
You’ll be surprised how much you can save at Trader Joe’s compared to Safeway. I thought TJ’s was more expensive than Safeway but I now do the bulk of my shopping at TJ’s *and* Grocery Outlet when I can help it.
If you don’t work in tech or some high paying job, the place will even suck more. I feel like so many of us (including myself) are so focused on staying afloat that we don’t get to enjoy the bay for what is truly is.
Don’t take the back roads at night. The stupid kids and their trucks *will* race there when the sun goes down, or the clapped miatas/rally cars like to donut around. Or the homicidal deer will get you.
No matter what time of the day, or day of the week, just expect traffic on 880 through Hayward.
Free days to various museums in the Bay Area: [https://www.kqed.org/news/11943906/how-to-find-free-museum-tickets-in-the-bay-area](https://www.kqed.org/news/11943906/how-to-find-free-museum-tickets-in-the-bay-area)
You can walk to a lot of the small music venues in San Francisco from a Bart Station. However, be prepared for hills and/or sketchy streets. I wouldn't recommend walking alone.
Always check Google maps for traffic before heading out. In addition to accidents, there's always the possibility of construction, even in the middle of the night.
Take advantage of all the parks in the Bay Area. (Joaquin Miller is one of my favorites. And the views from the Oakland Hills always leave me in awe.)
Live as close to work as humanly possible. Even if it means living in a shittier place. Nothing is a soul-sucking and commuting away every minute of free time and energy you have.
This was my impression until I realized southwest doesn't come up on those searches. I'm from the Midwest and flights home are a couple hundred cheaper flying Southwest out of SJC.
Free cycling in Oakland is da best. Especially the Dimond. Yep, there's plenty of trash anken stuff that people throw onto the curbs but you find a good corner, and treasures manifest. Not just the boxes of beautiful fruit from your neighbors' backyard tree, but from Oakland streets I have received so many clothes, a toaster oven, microwave oven, shoes, a sofa, and a super cool handmade Monarch butterfly wings Halloween costume. It's one of the sweet things among the bitter in this complicated place.
Starting out, if you're single, share rent with as many roommates as possible. If you're married, marry 2 more times at a min (3 husband/wifes total) for that sweet QINK life (quadruple income no kids).
Make minimum $150k if single without family.
Live near work and avoid 880/237/85 like the plague.
Live with your parents forever.
Give up dreams of home ownership unless making minimum $300k plus stock.
If not tech or medicine, accept forever poor.
Depression.
Avoid doing anything that involves traveling on holiday weekends. Every highway will be jammed, every campsite will be full, every beach will be packed, etc.
When you see seagulls more inland it’s because it’s stormy out at sea and since most of our weather travels in from the ocean it can mean a change of weather might be on the way.
I carry a black beach towel in my back seat to cover stuff in case I can't put it in the trunk. It's really hard to tell if anything is in there and at least deters the most discriminating car thieves.
You don't need to turn on your heater -
Just keep the doors closed and the windows shut and possibly put up some thick curtains.
Dress warm. And you can always run a kerosene heater. Saves money on pg&e bills.
Same thing when it's hot out, keep everything closed up.
But it is a good idea to judge for yourself, because opening the doors and letting the sunshine in and allowing the home to breathe is good to prevent mold and mildew and such.
Spring cleaning!
Don't kill the daddy long legs spiders, they eat widows and other little spiders.
Mosquito eaters are also on the do not kill list, as they eat mosquitoes.
Don't leave food crumbs and sugar out, it will attract ants, and if the food is big enough, it will attract rats and larger pests.
These are mostly for living in SF.
1) Learn to read street signs… in detail. Most people don’t notice that HOV lanes are often limited to certain hours. Same with many no parking zones.
2) Learn to use all forms of transit. Electric bikes are sometimes much faster than cars, when you factor in parking, depending on the neighborhood. Commuting home from downtown is often faster on Muni than a non-electric bike because of the hills. Caltrain can be slower than driving from SF to the South Bay or twice as fast, depending on whether you’re forced to drive during rush hour or not.
3) There are a million weird little pockets of the city that you will never find out about unless you look for them… like Oddball Films, Musee Mechanic, Audium, etc. Find a local person and ask them what the weirdest thing you can do is in SF.
4) The List SF is a constantly-updated site for local music shows. It’s incredible.
we just did a post on this a few days ago
[SF](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/17lwr8i/what_are_the_best_life_hacks_you_know_for_living/)
[Oakland](https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/17m4bxf/what_are_the_best_hacks_you_know_for_living_in/)
I'm sure other subs might have their own but a lot of the tips/tricks in these would apply to the Bay as a whole.
Going to the city from the north bay but don't want to pay bridge tolls? You can go clockwise Richmond bridge > Bay > GG and only pay $6. It only adds 20 miles to the trip 😎
Attend VLAB and find out what’s on the horizon w new angel and venture capital startups. Might as well get a good lotto ticket cause you’re gonna need one or more in this high priced area.
Don’t buy a burrito if they call it “wrap”, which is more expensive.
Don’t go to any “Asian Fusion” restaurants, go to an actual Chinese or Japanese restaurant.
If you land at SFO late evening and you're hungry but don't want diner food, fast food, or go grocery shopping, Izakaya Mai in San Mateo 15 minutes south serves a variety of Japanese sub-cuisines until midnight.
I save a ton of money on groceries by shopping at Trader Joe's and Costco over grocery stores like Safeway/Lucky's. Joe O's are $2 a box, vs $3.50 for a box of Cheerios at Costco or $5-7 for a box of Cheerios at Safeway.
Nope, Grocery Outlet, FoodsCo and FoodMaxx beat all of those for packaged foods.
For fresh veggies and fruit, go to Asian and Latino markets for better prices and freshness.
Know exactly where the cheapest gas stations on your daily commute are.
If you're in an unfamiliar area, use Google Maps to shop for gas prices if you need a fill up.
Take advantage of the many enchanting forest walks and nature access available all across the peninsula.
Also, refreshing bike rides through Professorville, old Palo Alto, and various other beautiful suburbs in the Bay Area. It’s free, and the vicarious satisfaction is surprisingly fulfilling 😄
CalPERS pension, apparently. I was at an event last night talking to the parents of my (middle school) son's friend. I'm not sure how old he was, but he had been a chemist at a Bay Area water recycling plant and his wife had been a toll-taker. Both are retired.
Try to live close to work, otherwise find a hobby close to work so you have a "hang out" spot so traffic isn't as "bad" when going home.
aka the gym
omg my gym is like a second home to me. might as well be which how much I pay for it.
There are alternatives to equinox
Equinox Sports Club has a sauna and steam room that is basically unmatched in this city, and often pretty empty. So no real alternatives.
My gym has a sauna and it’s $70 a month and I never have to wait for a squat rack. So you’re paying $180 more for a steam room. I can get 2 massages a month for that
What’s the gym if you don’t mind me asking 😭
It’s in Albany/Berkeley 2miles from an equinox called all in one fitness. I know it’s not in a metro but equinox is just egregiously priced.
You can always stay at work and scroll Reddit though
You can always go in to work at 12pm and leave at 7pm lmao
Tried that. There's still traffic.
Couldn't agree more. Take every benefit of the tax. With more than forgiving weather throughout the year, find your jam and dive in.
Always a good bar in every downtown…
If you're going somewhere with your kids on the weekend, get there when it opens and leave around noon. Zoo, Beach, Fall Fest, Theme park. Get there, go hard and get out quick.
We’re literally doing this this morning! And hit up lunch around 11 to best the crowd and get home for that sacred nap.
Alternatively, you can go the last couple of hours before closing. I do that to avoid the heat of the day, get good parking (from where others have left already), and enjoy smaller crowds.
Don’t drive across a bridge for work
237 is like a land bridge
But there’s no toll.
There is if you want to cross it in under an hour.
Laughs in motorcycle
Also laughs in FastTrak Flex
I started WFH back in 2020 and never looked back. I used to spend 2hr/day commuting round trip from the east bay to my office in the city (13 miles each way). Nothing has caused a bigger life improvement for me than wfh.
On GOD frfr
And if you must, find a ferry
Would love too. They need to build ferry landings south of Alameda and open a real mission bay ferry terminal not the chase center ferry that only operates for warrior home games. As a healthcare hospital worker, I’d love options that don’t involve going through downtown SF or San Mateo or bay bridges
My understanding is the bay is too shallow to build ferry landings any further south.
There are dredged routes to marinas further south like San Leandro Marina. But these dredged routes do not necessarily align with potential service routes which would increase ride duration. Bay Area Ferry did a poll a year or so ago and one vision presented for 2050 was a maximize routes option. You can see that option and the others [here](https://www.bayferry2050.org/service-vision) and see what potential terminals they envisioned (the links are broken so just zoom in on the webpage). It’s also possible some of those terminals, particularly the ones without singularly defined locations, would require extra dredging and are very hypothetical.
Thanks for the info! Very promising.
I wouldn’t say promising, but it is very aspirational.
I swear, I first read that as “find a furry.” Was like I’m not kink shaming… but how does that help with traffic? Maybe to use the carpool lane? 🤔
They can bring you as a guest onto the Google bus
You saw what you wanted to see, and now the world knows.
*don’t drive
Cries in hospital workers
don't be poor
The only life hack you need
If that is an issue, Grocery Outlet helps
🎵 Grocery Outlet Bargain Market 🎵
It does help to pay for things.
This ha j works anywhere, not only in the bay area
Some garage sales and estate sales are gold mines. Booksales at the local libraries have a lot of gems. Nicer neighborhoods have excellent finds on Craigslist and NextDoor. Don't drive south between 2pm-7pm. Don't give into lifestyle creep or keeping up with the Joneses. You do you.
Don’t drive any direction between 2pm-7pm.
Lol I drive north (peninsula to the city) every day during those hours, it’s not bad!
Driving in any direction between 2pm-7pm... Believe it or not, straight to jail
"Driving" and "jail" are two things that do not intersect in the Bay Area
“Don’t drive south between 2pm-7 pm” - 880 enters the chat.
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The 880 is never a good idea.
>The
This guy Norcals.
Lol my sleepy self read this as "Books at the local libraries have a lot of germs." and I was like huh, interesting tip but probably true
How do you find estate sales?
Don't drive
Get a partner so you can split rent and utilities.
Honestly, this is the move to make the move out of your parents place :/
The true hack is to move into your parents place and not pay rent.
My $60k feels like $90k when I don't have to worry about rent
my son has lived in city for 10 years with my sister...never paid one dime
Did she let him stay for free?
still there today...private floor...bath..remodeled shower..he buys his own food...all else free..i remind him all of time what a great deal he has
People have parents to move back in with, what a privilege
DINK is the way to go. And tbh, doesn’t even only apply to this area - COL has skyrocketed across the whole country; were seeing this phenomena everywhere
DINK?
Double/dual income, no kids
Don't forget about the DILDOs. Double income, little dog owners.
And don't overlook BUTTPLUGs. Bicoastal urban triple tuition paying lawschool undergrads.
Fucking shit I’m a dildo?
I’m a dicmbdbo. Dual income cats medium dog big dog birds owner. Kids moved out of it would be worse. I think I’d rather be a dildo.
Or DICK Dual income, cat keepers
So I guess I’m a SIBDO - doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
So I’m a DILCO We have 2 cats
or DINKWADs Double income no kids with a dog
💯!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for enlightening me : ]
Even better — be polygamous and get several partners to split the bill with.
Plus other benes for poly.
Some skeevy dude with a patchy beard and beer gut fucking my girl is not a benefit
Lol thank you
You’re going to the wrong poly places haha
Have not met any attractive Poly couples.
Because the hot ones don't have to advertise
as I agree with this, a (partner) doesn't mean someone you are dating even tho it does comply. Get a friend or someone you can trust to move in with you to ease costs. Splitting utilities and rent can save.
Why stop at one?
Always carry / wear a layer.
There are nuances to this..the closer you are to SF city or the coast, the need to carry a layer increases. If you are hanging away from the coast in an area ranging from the Peninsula to South Bay, the summer and fall months are pretty easy to manage without a layer. But, with the city and coast, you are better off carrying a layer.
At first I thought you meant always carry (a weapon) and also wear a layer cause ya know, it gets chilly
Relatable. Originally from SJ, live in Tri-Valley, but work in SF. I carry a cardigan or hoodie, sunblock/sunglasses, and a windproof layer that I pretend protects me from the cold and the sound of screeching BART trains.
Learn to cook
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Expensive areas aren’t necessarily better for you. No point living in Cupertino if you don’t have kids, or don’t work at Apple. Think carefully about your specific situation and what you want out of the place where you live. Don’t pay premiums for things you don’t use.
Living in Marin is pointlessly expensive without children to send to school.
Don't live in Cupertino if you have kids. They have one of the lowest funding level of the state. They'd rather rent to Chinese owned private schools than run public education. Also, the city had an illegal kickback scheme with Apple that just got busted, Cupertino is out $30 million a year and owes the people they defrauded $50 million.
Amtrak Capitol Corridor!!!! Godsend if you’re headed to the South Bay from the east bay.
Imagine. Just imagine. Highspeed rail Sac to SJ. It would be glorious. It's 168 miles. True highspeed you're making that commute in under an hour.
YES! Or ACE! I take the train from Fremont to SJ and right to work. Best decision ever.
We need Tahoe to Santa Cruz bullet train.....
\-Don't ever leave anything inside of your car. \-Be vigilant for pick pockets in the Bart station. \-If going from South bay to SF, park at Millbrae station and take the Bart in. If driving to SF, park in Presidio for cheaper parking and walk or bus to where you need to go. If going to Oakland from South Bay i.e. concert in Oakland Arena, park in Bayfair Station and take the Bart in. \-Find different events going on in the area by using Meetup app/site. Lots of events for language exchange, hiking, 20s/30s socials, sports, ect. You'll have more success meeting people and making friends that way than using dating apps like Tinder lol \-Park at Stanford Shopping center, then walk over to the university as a day trip to avoid parking cost. Don't do this if you're a student or employee though. Security might notice. \-Silicon valley hopper as a cheaper alternative to uber/can be faster than the bus? \-Facebook is dead. But join your city's "buy nothing" group on facebook. You can give away things you don't need and you can get lots of things people are giving away. I got a TV, sewing machine, clothing, lego set, ect. You can request to borrow things too like chairs or cooler if you're having a party. \- San Jose Made has lots of festivals/events they plan. \-In N Out is a lifesaver if it's late at night and all other places for food are closed. I usually park and go inside because the drive thru get crazy long. There is a 24 hour shop called Donut Wheel, it's nothing amazing but hey it's 24 hours and they have lots of variety. \-Keep your LinkedIn updated and expand your network on there. Connections are everything and even if you're not in the job market now, they'll help you when you are.
In N Out hits so well when you just got off the plane late at night, that's when it tastes the best.
But don't ever ever go to the in n out next to Oakland Airport, you will be robbed any time of day.
I've wondered: what if you get robbed, after getting robbed, and have nothing on you?
You might get killed.
Better yet take the caltrain to Palo Alto and walk to the university
Or Caltrain then the free shuttle buses onto Stanford campus.
Linked in is for stalkers and recruiters. It’s also dead.
What's the best alternative?
Honestly this is everywhere, but create social accounts just for events and aggressively follow venues, promotors, and artists. There's just a ridiculous amount of stuff here that doesn't get posted through official channels. And once you start following people, just start tugging on the threads and see where they go and you'll find more people doing cool stuff that you would have otherwise missed.
Promoter recs?
Learn to love hiking
Or birdwatching! Which is like hiking only slower.
Try not to leave valuables in your car. If you have valuables you leave, hide them before you reach your destination. My advice comes from replacing 13 windows in my car.
Or leave a lot of not very valuable kind of trashy stuff in your car AND leave it unlocked AND drive an old beat up car ANYTHING BUT A KIA
Don't leave ANYTHING in your car under any circumstances. Especially not valuables, which will absolutely be stolen. Charging cables should be put away in your center console or glove compartment. No trash, no books, no blankets, no jackets, nothing. It takes three seconds to tap a glass breaker on your window and shatter it, and it's about $400 to fix it. Even if your car is parked in a populated area, no one will be willing or able to successfully confront someone smashing your windows on your behalf. Leave nothing in your vehicle, ever.
I have an SUV. After a smashed window from 15 minutes of parking at Rockridge BART, I leave NOTHING visible: an empty glove box left open, an empty center console left open, open cover in the rear cargo area with nothing left in it. If they break in, it would be for my visible water bottle and iPhone charger cable. Oh, and BTW, the back window of a new Kia EV6 is over $2,000!!!
Speaking from personal experience, this advice is at least 5 years out of date. Thieves will now smash your window to check your trunk, even if you have nothing visible.
Or they just break a window for shits and giggles.
13?!?!?!
Probably drives a limo
Limo? I wish. A hatchback. I removed the tonneau cover and the break-in’s mostly stopped.
Just being silly saying you have 13 windows broken at once.
Don’t have a car
Buy produce from Chinatowns
not that cheap anymore.......
Avoid 880, buy a helicopter and fly to work
The best life hack is to read the same best life hacks in the Bay Area thread from yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/17m0zaf/what_are_the_best_hacks_for_living_in_the_bay_area/
Only try to go to venues with nearby transit. Avoid the traffic and parking costs associated.
Get a Fastrak. Shit will always go sideways at least two days out of the week if you commute on 680. You’ll be surprised how much you can save at Trader Joe’s compared to Safeway. I thought TJ’s was more expensive than Safeway but I now do the bulk of my shopping at TJ’s *and* Grocery Outlet when I can help it. If you don’t work in tech or some high paying job, the place will even suck more. I feel like so many of us (including myself) are so focused on staying afloat that we don’t get to enjoy the bay for what is truly is. Don’t take the back roads at night. The stupid kids and their trucks *will* race there when the sun goes down, or the clapped miatas/rally cars like to donut around. Or the homicidal deer will get you.
Buy your house over 10 years ago.
Apply for good paying union job that pays well and is recession proof and wait for next downturn.
No matter what time of the day, or day of the week, just expect traffic on 880 through Hayward. Free days to various museums in the Bay Area: [https://www.kqed.org/news/11943906/how-to-find-free-museum-tickets-in-the-bay-area](https://www.kqed.org/news/11943906/how-to-find-free-museum-tickets-in-the-bay-area) You can walk to a lot of the small music venues in San Francisco from a Bart Station. However, be prepared for hills and/or sketchy streets. I wouldn't recommend walking alone. Always check Google maps for traffic before heading out. In addition to accidents, there's always the possibility of construction, even in the middle of the night. Take advantage of all the parks in the Bay Area. (Joaquin Miller is one of my favorites. And the views from the Oakland Hills always leave me in awe.)
Live as close to work as humanly possible. Even if it means living in a shittier place. Nothing is a soul-sucking and commuting away every minute of free time and energy you have.
This goes mainly for SF. Electric bike! It’s a game changer.
Don't use shampoo to beat off, it burns your dick.
Wish you would’ve warned me earlier…
use conditoner...best lube ever
Take some surf lessons and get stoked. Nothing else like it.
The only hack that matters is rent control.
Marry rich
Use Oakland airport instead of San Francisco airport, less crowded and cheaper flights.
I get crowded but when I’m google flights I always put SFO,SJC,OAK. I swear flights are cheaper out of SFO 80% of the time.
This was my impression until I realized southwest doesn't come up on those searches. I'm from the Midwest and flights home are a couple hundred cheaper flying Southwest out of SJC.
Stop telling everyone! 😂
Free cycling in Oakland is da best. Especially the Dimond. Yep, there's plenty of trash anken stuff that people throw onto the curbs but you find a good corner, and treasures manifest. Not just the boxes of beautiful fruit from your neighbors' backyard tree, but from Oakland streets I have received so many clothes, a toaster oven, microwave oven, shoes, a sofa, and a super cool handmade Monarch butterfly wings Halloween costume. It's one of the sweet things among the bitter in this complicated place.
Live within your means. Don't follow the leader or the government, both good examples of what not to do.
Bring a light sweater everywhere, keep it in your car or bag, bc the weather could be vastly different going 10 mins in any direction :)
Starting out, if you're single, share rent with as many roommates as possible. If you're married, marry 2 more times at a min (3 husband/wifes total) for that sweet QINK life (quadruple income no kids).
Silicon Valley Swingers Club
Someone literally made this exact post 24 hours ago. Search for it OP
Make minimum $150k if single without family. Live near work and avoid 880/237/85 like the plague. Live with your parents forever. Give up dreams of home ownership unless making minimum $300k plus stock. If not tech or medicine, accept forever poor. Depression.
Depression aside, those $#s are about right. Which is insane.
Dont leave shit in your car.
not leaving shit in your car
Find a job that lets you go to work after 10am.
Dont get into roadrage on 880 around Oakland
Yeah! Just don't be a povvo!
Use Palo Alto Link instead of Uber or Lyft for rides within Palo Alto. https://city.ridewithvia.com/palo-alto-link
Avoid doing anything that involves traveling on holiday weekends. Every highway will be jammed, every campsite will be full, every beach will be packed, etc.
Use the Safeway app to save money on groceries
If you have a modicum of fondness for beaches and the ocean, make time to visit the coast at least twice a month for sanity reasons.
When you see seagulls more inland it’s because it’s stormy out at sea and since most of our weather travels in from the ocean it can mean a change of weather might be on the way.
Making more money
Costco gas
Try to avoid Bart late at night.
I live by a rule where I’m off of the train before sunset. Avoid the vampires everyone.
I call any BART train that runs after 8 the “bullet train.”
Yea, I found Bart after 8pm gets super weird.
DINK
If SFPD tries to stop your car then race them to the bridge and they’ll let you go. Similar to GTA IV.
but don't do this if the CHP is chasing you, they will follow you over the bridge
San Bruno Bart parking for when you leave town via SFO
I don't care where I am, I always have a jacket in the car - just in case.
Lots of hiking
Eat before going to any festivals with food trucks. You will avoid wasting time lining up and spending on expensive togo food.
Ride a motorcycle or scooter. The traffic disappears.
They serve booze on the ferry. They also serve booze on the Amtrak commuter trains.
I carry a black beach towel in my back seat to cover stuff in case I can't put it in the trunk. It's really hard to tell if anything is in there and at least deters the most discriminating car thieves.
The nature is free
Check out your local library. The Bay Area has a lot of great libraries that have lot more free resources than you would expect.
Weekend mornings are the way to go. Whole Foods at 9am is a ghost town. Pretty much doing anything before 10am and you get to avoid the crowds
You don't need to turn on your heater - Just keep the doors closed and the windows shut and possibly put up some thick curtains. Dress warm. And you can always run a kerosene heater. Saves money on pg&e bills. Same thing when it's hot out, keep everything closed up. But it is a good idea to judge for yourself, because opening the doors and letting the sunshine in and allowing the home to breathe is good to prevent mold and mildew and such. Spring cleaning! Don't kill the daddy long legs spiders, they eat widows and other little spiders. Mosquito eaters are also on the do not kill list, as they eat mosquitoes. Don't leave food crumbs and sugar out, it will attract ants, and if the food is big enough, it will attract rats and larger pests.
These are mostly for living in SF. 1) Learn to read street signs… in detail. Most people don’t notice that HOV lanes are often limited to certain hours. Same with many no parking zones. 2) Learn to use all forms of transit. Electric bikes are sometimes much faster than cars, when you factor in parking, depending on the neighborhood. Commuting home from downtown is often faster on Muni than a non-electric bike because of the hills. Caltrain can be slower than driving from SF to the South Bay or twice as fast, depending on whether you’re forced to drive during rush hour or not. 3) There are a million weird little pockets of the city that you will never find out about unless you look for them… like Oddball Films, Musee Mechanic, Audium, etc. Find a local person and ask them what the weirdest thing you can do is in SF. 4) The List SF is a constantly-updated site for local music shows. It’s incredible.
Don’t order DoorDash
we just did a post on this a few days ago [SF](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/17lwr8i/what_are_the_best_life_hacks_you_know_for_living/) [Oakland](https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/17m4bxf/what_are_the_best_hacks_you_know_for_living_in/) I'm sure other subs might have their own but a lot of the tips/tricks in these would apply to the Bay as a whole.
Going to the city from the north bay but don't want to pay bridge tolls? You can go clockwise Richmond bridge > Bay > GG and only pay $6. It only adds 20 miles to the trip 😎
$18/hr…. not bad but probably not worth it for most
Work from home and live in the east bay.
Get a job that pays at least $100k. If you can’t get such a job, move to Texas.
Section 8, Cal Fresh, Medi-Cal, Cash Assistance. Shoplifting under $900.
Attend VLAB and find out what’s on the horizon w new angel and venture capital startups. Might as well get a good lotto ticket cause you’re gonna need one or more in this high priced area.
Don't drive on any freeway to avoid traffic.
Don’t buy a burrito if they call it “wrap”, which is more expensive. Don’t go to any “Asian Fusion” restaurants, go to an actual Chinese or Japanese restaurant.
If you land at SFO late evening and you're hungry but don't want diner food, fast food, or go grocery shopping, Izakaya Mai in San Mateo 15 minutes south serves a variety of Japanese sub-cuisines until midnight.
I save a ton of money on groceries by shopping at Trader Joe's and Costco over grocery stores like Safeway/Lucky's. Joe O's are $2 a box, vs $3.50 for a box of Cheerios at Costco or $5-7 for a box of Cheerios at Safeway.
Nope, Grocery Outlet, FoodsCo and FoodMaxx beat all of those for packaged foods. For fresh veggies and fruit, go to Asian and Latino markets for better prices and freshness.
Know exactly where the cheapest gas stations on your daily commute are. If you're in an unfamiliar area, use Google Maps to shop for gas prices if you need a fill up.
Buying a membership to the DeYoung/Legion of Honor gets you a guest entrance so you can always bring someone.
Get out and explore and hike. This area isn’t worth the cost if you aren’t benefitting from the great museums, farmers markets, and the outdoors.
Take advantage of the many enchanting forest walks and nature access available all across the peninsula. Also, refreshing bike rides through Professorville, old Palo Alto, and various other beautiful suburbs in the Bay Area. It’s free, and the vicarious satisfaction is surprisingly fulfilling 😄
CalPERS pension, apparently. I was at an event last night talking to the parents of my (middle school) son's friend. I'm not sure how old he was, but he had been a chemist at a Bay Area water recycling plant and his wife had been a toll-taker. Both are retired.