How I cut my Claude Code bill from $800 to $150/month
JC
Jeecg
cnblogs.com
$150/mo (was $800)|Claude Opus
5 optimizations on a 50k-line TypeScript project. Per-session tokens: 150K β 60K.
π― Goal
50,000-line TypeScript project, first month Claude Code bill hit $800. Needed to cut costs drastically without losing productivity.
π Tools & Models
Claude Code (Opus).claudeignoreCLAUDE.md
π‘ Method / Workflow
5 key optimizations:
1. .claudeignore to exclude irrelevant files (node_modules, dist, .git, etc.)
2. Trim CLAUDE.md from 400+ lines to core essentials
3. Conversation habits: state requirements clearly in one shot, avoid multi-round follow-ups
4. Leverage Prompt Caching (input tokens account for 70-85%)
5. Use Sonnet instead of Opus for non-critical tasks
π Token Cost / Spend
Cost
$150/mo (was $800)
Model
Claude Opus
Reads
5,600
$800 β $150/month (81% reduction). Per-session: 150K β 60K tokens.
β Result / Effect
Monthly bill down 81%. Code quality unchanged. Development efficiency actually improved.
π Lessons & Resources
Most effective: .claudeignore (reduced 40% useless context). Second: conversation habits.
Resources: .claudeignore config template, optimized CLAUDE.md skeleton.
Author
JC
Jeecg
cnblogs.com
About This Experience
CategoryCost Saving
AI ModelClaude Opus
Token Cost$150/mo (was $800)
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