Token usage with Claude Code follows a frustrating pattern: costs are not spread evenly — they cluster around a handful of bad habits. Most developers using Claude Code daily are burning 40–60% more tokens than they need to, simply because of how they phrase prompts, what they put in CLAUDE.md, and which model they reach for by default. This guide covers five concrete changes that make an immediate difference. Why Tokens Are Worth Caring About Every message you send in a Claude Code session includes: