In a cloud environment, where horizontal and vertical scaling are relatively easy and frictionless, engineers are often forced to choose between cost and stability. This talk posits that the cost versus stability trade-off is frequently imaginary. Stable systems are cost-effective systems. Join Cat to explore real-world examples of how focusing on stability can yield cost savings in a cloud environment. These real-world examples will also show how to frame engineering decisions in a way that accurately weighs cost and stability concerns, amongst others. This talk is well suited for application engineers, performance engineers, architects, and finops professionals. Some experience with cloud environments is helpful but not necessarily needed.