Let's start with the obvious stuff that people somehow still ignore. As one SF resident put it bluntly: "Walking, biking, or bussing. No Ubers. Don't drink $15 cocktails. Cook your own groceries. Figure out free activities." That's it. That's the tweet. The number of people earning six figures in this city who Uber three blocks to buy a $17 grain bowl is genuinely staggering.

But here are some moves that actually set San Franciscans apart from the rest of America's cost-cutters:

Get a library card immediately. The SFPL card gives you free access to most city attractions once a year — museums, gardens, the whole deal. It's one of the few things your tax dollars fund that actually delivers bang for the buck. Use it.

Download the Too Good To Go app. Restaurants and bakeries offload unsold food at steep discounts. You can score solid meals for under $12, which in this city basically qualifies as theft.

Shop ethnic grocery stores. Places like May Wah Market on Clement Street will cut your grocery bill dramatically compared to Whole Foods or even Safeway. Better produce, better prices, and you'll actually learn to cook interesting food.

Resist the electrification money pit. The state and regional regulators keep pushing residents toward heat pump water heaters and all-electric homes, but the math is brutal. One Bay Area homeowner noted their heat pump water heater quote came in at $9,000 — compared to $1,500 for a traditional gas unit — and that was before the major electrical upgrades their home would need. Another discovered a simple service upgrade would cost $25,000-$30,000 because of underground wiring. Sacramento's green mandates sound great in press releases, but the costs land squarely on you.

The real secret to saving money in San Francisco isn't some life hack — it's refusing to participate in the city's culture of performative spending while staying skeptical of every government program that promises to save you money by costing you more upfront. Your wallet will thank you.