# Paleo Budget

> Use when user says "budget", "token limit", "stay under N tokens", or wants per-task token caps. Enforce a hard token budget per task/response — track estimate, stop before limit, summarize if exceeded. Off: "no budget" / "unlimited".

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-mocasus-paleo-paleo-budget`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [mocasus](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/mocasus)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [AI & ML](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/ai-and-ml)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [mocasus](https://github.com/mocasus)
- **Source:** https://github.com/mocasus/paleo/tree/main/skills/paleo-budget
- **Website:** https://github.com/mocasus/paleo

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-mocasus-paleo-paleo-budget
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# paleo-budget
Hard token budget per task. Cap spend, never overflow.

## Rules
- Set budget up front: "budget 2000" = max ~2000 out-tokens for the whole task.
- Estimate before writing: rough tok ≈ chars / 4. Track running count.
- Stop at ~90% budget. If answer incomplete, summarize remainder in bullets.
- Tight budget → pair with `paleo` (terse). budget + paleo = max save.
- Code/commands stay exact — budget hits prose, not correctness.

## Levels
- `soft`: warn near limit, keep going.
- `hard` (default): cut off at limit, summarize the tail.
- `strict`: fail-loud if estimate exceeds budget before starting.

## Switch
- `/budget 1500 soft|hard|strict` set cap + mode.
- "no budget" / "unlimited" → off.

## Gotchas
- Token estimate is approximate (chars/4). Leave 10% headroom.
- Never truncate the critical part of the answer — summarize instead.
- Budget = output cap. Input/context not counted unless user says "total".

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [mocasus](https://github.com/mocasus)
- **Source:** [mocasus/paleo](https://github.com/mocasus/paleo)
- **License:** MIT
- **Homepage:** https://github.com/mocasus/paleo

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-mocasus-paleo-paleo-budget
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/mocasus
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.