San Francisco

We know from experience that budget backpackers are always on the lookout for an inexpensive outfit or cheap read.

Luckily, San Francisco is a true hotspot for thrift stores and second-hand shops with great discounted clothes and books on almost every corner.

After many years of sifting through clothes racks — and the odd fashion faux pas on the way — we’ve settled on a few favorite stores.

To help you find the purchase of your dreams (and save a few bucks while you’re at it) here is a compilation of the best value-for-money stores in San Francisco.

If you've been in San Francisco for longer than a few days, there's two things you might notice:

1. We love any excuse for a celebration

2. Going out for said celebrations can get expensive

New Years Eve is no exception to either of these rules. San Francisco has lots and lots of events going on to celebrate the last day of the year - and most of them are expensive and/or will require you standing in a massive queue to get in the venue.

This coming Saturday in San Francisco will be much like any other Saturday in December. Packed cable cars going up and down our steep hills, early holiday shoppers milling through Westfield Mall, and groups of people taking selfies in front of the gigantic Christmas tree that's posted up in Union Square every year. Except for one thing - there's also going to be thousands of people dressed like Santa Claus.

Parking in San Francisco is a headache for everyone.

Traffic stats estimate there are 750,000 vehicles registered in our wonderful city, but only 550,000 legal parking spaces — the numbers just don’t fit.

Then there are all those rules and regulations to follow... and what's up with street cleaning times?

It can be confusing but getting your head around it is essential. If you park in the wrong spot you could end up getting towed or paying a hefty fine.