I like your tips. I also take the approach of just awkwardly asking when I'm buying my first coffee for the day: "Hey is it alright if I work here and mooch you

I like your tips. I also take the approach of just awkwardly asking when I'm buying my first coffee for the day: "Hey is it alright if I work here and mooch your internet?" - I've found that the staff seems to appreciate acknowledgement that I'm mooching. I've only seen one or two coffeeshops that have paid wifi access, which I appreciate even more! Once you've worked from a few coffeeshops you can recognize the places that welcome remote workers - they go out of their way to provide lots of outlets and lots of 1/2 person tables. If a place has bright lighting, loud music, very few outlets - it's polite to find somewhere else.