I started using Claude seriously because it felt like the first AI that really clicked with how I think. It was thoughtful, good with long writing projects, good at tone, and good at helping me turn half-formed thoughts into something coherent. For a while it felt less like using a tool and more like having a really sharp writing/thinking partner. But over time I started feeling more and more stressed about usage. Every prompt felt like I had to decide whether it was “worth” spending premium m...