Cloud cost optimization is guided by the equation Cloud Costs = Usage x Unit Price, which helps structure the approach by identifying who in an organization can influence each component. Unit Price can be optimized through financial decisions such as committing to specific usage or negotiating discounts, with finance or FinOps teams typically handling these decisions. Usage, the critical factor in long-term cost reduction, requires engineering efforts like shutting down unused resources, changing infrastructure components, or redesigning systems for efficiency. An effective strategy involves collaboration between engineers, product managers, and financial teams, and regular assessment of infrastructure usage, using tools like AWS Cost Explorer or Azure Cost Analysis, to make data-driven decisions. The process emphasizes the importance of understanding cloud resource allocation and maintaining good cloud bill hygiene, allowing engineers to grasp cost implications and prioritize tasks for cost reduction.