How to network in SF without burning your rent money
Pick a few recurring communities, events, office hours, or friends-of-friends and show up prepared. Meet people with a specific question, useful update, or genuine curiosity. Follow up briefly and keep promises.
Set a monthly networking budget for transit, coffee, and occasional tickets. Eat before events, avoid rideshares by default, and do not treat every dinner as a business expense.
The best network compounds through reliable relationships. It does not require turning rent money into a social tab.