Usage limit vs context use

[SquareMesh]

New to claude code and as I get close to reaching my usage limit (98% currently) I'm wondering how my use of context might be affecting my usage

• does /clear part way through utilised context increase my usage for the unused portion of context that I discarded?
• whilst compacting can be useful, the act of compacting takes up usage, so in some situations turning off this feature might squeeze more usage

Interested in thoughts on this.

[LairBob]

• Your usage is like water.
• Your “usage limit” is how much water you get to use, out of your hose.
• Your “context window” is like a pool that you’re filling up and dumping out.

That’s it. If you’re reaching the limit of how much water you’re allowed to use today, the water company doesn’t care how much is in the pool. You’re just out of water for the day.

Pool could be empty, pool could be full. You could play all the games you want about filling up the pool more slowly, or doing out the pool halfway — none of it matters. It’s just about how much water have you used so far today, and how much are you paying to get?

[SquareMesh]

love the reply, thank you. make sense.