Every untruth creates an obligation: keep the story consistent, track who heard what, anticipate where it might get checked. The cost is not the moral discomfort, which fades, but the ongoing administration, which does not. Honesty is cheaper largely because it asks nothing of your memory. You can say it the same way every time with no preparation at all.

Notice the small conveniences you tell this week, the ones that smooth a moment over. Try the plain version instead and see how much lighter the following days feel. Most of what a lie buys is about ninety seconds.