Guide · Claude Optimization

How to stop burning
through Claude credits.

23 habits to cut AI waste and get more from every conversation. Written for operators running Claude across multiple workflows, not as a beginner intro.

10 min readUpdated 2026-05-23Want the cheat sheet instead?

Section 1

How Claude counts tokens.

Every conversation with Claude has a running tab. Each word you send, each word the model sends back, and every file you attach get converted into tokens. Tokens are the unit of work the model bills against, whether you pay by API or by a plan that meters usage.

Two facts drive almost every wasted dollar. First, the model re-reads the entire conversation on every turn. A message you sent 30 turns ago is being processed again right now. Second, attachments do not get cheaper as the conversation gets longer. A 50-page PDF you uploaded at the start is still on the bill at the end.

The habits below cut the running tab in three ways: shrink what enters the context, stop the same content from being re-read forever, and pick the cheapest surface for the work. None of them require a new tool. Most of them require unlearning a habit.

Section 2 · Tips 1 to 9

Advanced moves most people miss.

The compounding wins. None of these are obvious from the Claude UI. All of them outlast any single workflow.

Section 3 · Tips 10 to 23

Fundamentals that compound.

Boring on their own. Brutal in combination. Most teams that cut their Claude bill in half did it by stacking five or six of these.

Where to start

Three starter packs.

Pick the profile that fits and run the five tips below for two weeks. Then add the next pack. Behavior change beats tool change every time.

Starter pack

Claude Code heavy

You write code, ship features, or use Claude Code daily.

  • 02Plan in chat. Build in Claude Code
  • 09Use the right Claude product for the task
  • 20Scope Claude Code tightly
  • 21Use CLAUDE.md for the permanent stuff
  • 14Do not dump files into context

Starter pack

Chat heavy

You live in Claude.ai chat for sales, ops, marketing, research.

  • 03Ask Claude to ask you first
  • 06Batch related tasks into one message
  • 11Restart conversations instead of stacking corrections
  • 12Summarize and start fresh every 15 to 20 messages
  • 17Use Projects for recurring files

Starter pack

Budget conscious

You want the biggest spend cut with the smallest behavior change.

  • 01Convert files before you upload them
  • 10Keep context files under 2,000 words
  • 13Use cheaper models for cheap tasks
  • 18Set user preferences
  • 22Spread heavy work across the day

For teams

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