The truth is a one-time payment. A lie auto-renews every month with a higher fee.

An honest answer costs what it costs, once, and then it is over. A lie requires maintenance, because you have to remember the version you gave, keep the people who heard different things apart, and protect it every time the subject comes near. The maintenance is the real expense, and it grows with time rather than shrinking.

When something uncomfortable needs saying, say the plain version early and accept the bad half hour. If you are already maintaining something, correcting it now will cost less than it ever will again.