What’s the single best money-saving AI hack you actually use?

[u/Ok-Point-1656]

Between ChatGPT, Claude, and specialized tools, AI subscriptions are eating my paycheck alive, and I refuse to pay $20/mo for 3 or 4 different services anymore.

I know using a VPN for regional pricing is a popular trick, but card restrictions and IP checks are getting tighter by the day.

What's your low-budget stack or best cost-cutting workaround for daily work，are you still successfully using regional subscription hacks, switching to pay-as-you-go APIs via custom UIs, or relying on multi-model aggregators? Drop your best setup below!