Red Flags (Cost Waste Indicators)
| Indicator | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sessions consistently >$1 | Not using /compact | Set reminder at 70% context |
| Cost per message >$0.05 | Context bloat | Start fresh /clear |
| >$5/day for hobby project | Over-using or inefficient queries | Review query specificity |
| Haiku failing simple tasks | Using wrong model tier | Use Sonnet for anything non-trivial |