Free tier usage monitoring in AWS - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

Free tier usage monitoring helps you keep track of how much of the free resources you have used on AWS. This prevents unexpected charges by alerting you before you go over the free limits.

When you start using AWS services and want to avoid surprise bills.

When you run small projects or tests that fit within the free tier limits.

When you want to learn AWS without paying for extra usage.

When you manage multiple AWS accounts and want to monitor free tier usage centrally.

When you want to receive alerts if your usage approaches or exceeds free tier limits.

Commands

This command fetches your AWS free tier usage for May 2024, showing how much of the free resources you have used this month.

Terminal

aws ce get-free-tier-usage --time-period Start=2024-05-01,End=2024-05-31 --granularity MONTHLY

Expected Output

{

  "FreeTierUsage": [

    {

      "Service": "AmazonEC2",

      "UsageQuantity": 10,

      "UsageUnit": "Hours"

    },

    {

      "Service": "AmazonS3",

      "UsageQuantity": 5,

      "UsageUnit": "GB-Months"

    }

  ]

}

→

--time-period - Specifies the start and end dates for the usage data.

→

--granularity - Sets the data detail level; MONTHLY shows total usage per month.

This command creates a budget alert that emails you when your free tier usage costs for EC2 and S3 reach 80% of $15 in a month.

Terminal

aws budgets create-budget --account-id 123456789012 --budget '{"BudgetName":"FreeTierUsageAlert","BudgetLimit":{"Amount":"15","Unit":"USD"},"TimeUnit":"MONTHLY","BudgetType":"COST","CostFilters":{"Service":["AmazonEC2","AmazonS3"]}}' --notifications-with-subscribers '[{"Notification":{"NotificationType":"ACTUAL","ComparisonOperator":"GREATER_THAN","Threshold":80,"ThresholdType":"PERCENTAGE"},"Subscribers":[{"SubscriptionType":"EMAIL","Address":"[e-mail]"}]}]'

Expected Output

{"Budget":{"BudgetName":"FreeTierUsageAlert","BudgetLimit":{"Amount":"15","Unit":"USD"},"TimeUnit":"MONTHLY","BudgetType":"COST"}}

→

--budget - Defines the budget details like name, limit, and services.

→

--notifications-with-subscribers - Sets up alert notifications and who receives them.

This command lists all budgets set up in your AWS account to verify your free tier usage alerts.

Terminal

aws budgets describe-budgets --account-id 123456789012

Expected Output

{"Budgets":[{"BudgetName":"FreeTierUsageAlert","BudgetLimit":{"Amount":"15","Unit":"USD"},"TimeUnit":"MONTHLY","BudgetType":"COST"}]}

→

--account-id - Specifies the AWS account to check budgets for.

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from this pattern, remember: monitoring your free tier usage with AWS Cost Explorer and Budgets helps avoid unexpected charges.

Common Mistakes

Not specifying the correct time period in the usage command.

You might get no data or data for the wrong dates, missing your actual usage.

Always set the --time-period flag with the correct start and end dates for the usage you want to check.

Creating a budget without notification subscribers.

You won't receive alerts, so you might miss when usage approaches limits.

Include notification subscribers with valid email addresses to get alerts.

Using the wrong AWS account ID in budget commands.

Budgets won't apply to your intended account, so alerts won't work.

Double-check and use the correct AWS account ID for your budgets.

Summary

Use 'aws ce get-free-tier-usage' to check your current free tier usage for specific dates.

Create budgets with 'aws budgets create-budget' to set cost limits and receive alerts.

Verify your budgets with 'aws budgets describe-budgets' to ensure alerts are active.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of AWS free tier usage monitoring?

easy

A. To avoid unexpected charges by tracking usage

B. To increase the AWS free tier limits automatically

C. To disable all AWS services after free tier expires

D. To get free AWS support for all services

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand free tier usage monitoring

   It is designed to track how much of the free tier you have used to prevent surprise bills.

2. Step 2: Compare options with purpose

   Only To avoid unexpected charges by tracking usage matches the goal of monitoring usage to avoid unexpected charges.

3. Final Answer:

   To avoid unexpected charges by tracking usage -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Free tier monitoring = avoid surprise charges [OK]

Hint: Free tier monitoring means tracking usage to avoid bills [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking free tier monitoring increases limits
• Believing it disables services automatically
• Assuming it provides free support

2. Which AWS CLI command correctly lists your free tier usage costs using Cost Explorer?

easy

A. aws free-tier usage --period 2024-01

B. aws ce list-usage --start 2024-01-01 --end 2024-01-31

C. aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2024-01-01,End=2024-01-31 --metrics "BlendedCost"

D. aws cost-explorer show-usage --from 2024-01-01 --to 2024-01-31

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct AWS CLI syntax for Cost Explorer

   The correct command uses 'aws ce get-cost-and-usage' with --time-period and --metrics parameters.

2. Step 2: Check options for correct syntax

   Only aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2024-01-01,End=2024-01-31 --metrics "BlendedCost" matches the official AWS CLI syntax for cost and usage retrieval.

3. Final Answer:

   aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2024-01-01,End=2024-01-31 --metrics "BlendedCost" -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct AWS CLI syntax = aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2024-01-01,End=2024-01-31 --metrics "BlendedCost" [OK]

Hint: Use 'aws ce get-cost-and-usage' with time period and metrics [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using non-existent commands like 'list-usage'
• Wrong parameter names like --start or --from
• Mixing service names incorrectly

3. Given this AWS CLI command output snippet for free tier usage:

{
  "ResultsByTime": [
    {"TimePeriod": {"Start": "2024-04-01", "End": "2024-04-30"}, "Total": {"BlendedCost": {"Amount": "0.00", "Unit": "USD"}}}
  ]
}

What does this output indicate about your free tier usage for April 2024?

medium

A. You have used services but incurred no cost within free tier limits

B. You have exceeded free tier limits and were charged

C. No AWS services were used in April 2024

D. The command failed to retrieve usage data

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the 'Amount' field in output

   The 'Amount' is "0.00" USD, meaning no cost was charged.

2. Step 2: Interpret zero cost with usage

   Zero cost with usage means usage stayed within free tier limits, so no charges applied.

3. Final Answer:

   You have used services but incurred no cost within free tier limits -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Zero cost means usage within free tier [OK]

Hint: Zero cost in output means usage stayed free [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming zero cost means no usage
• Thinking zero cost means command error
• Confusing free tier limits with no charges

4. You run this AWS CLI command to check free tier usage but get an error:

aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2024-01-01,End=2024-01-31 --metrics BlendedCost

What is the likely cause of the error?

medium

A. Incorrect date format in --time-period

B. AWS CLI is not installed

C. Using 'ce' instead of 'cost-explorer' in the command

D. Missing quotes around the BlendedCost metric value

Solution

1. Step 1: Check syntax for --metrics parameter

   The metric name must be enclosed in quotes, e.g., "BlendedCost".

2. Step 2: Validate other parts of the command

   Date format and 'ce' alias are correct; AWS CLI installation error would be different.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing quotes around the BlendedCost metric value -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Metric names need quotes in AWS CLI [OK]

Hint: Always quote metric names in AWS CLI commands [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Not quoting metric names
• Changing date format incorrectly
• Confusing service aliases
• Assuming AWS CLI not installed without checking

5. You want to set up an automated alert to notify you when your AWS free tier usage approaches its limit. Which AWS service combination is best suited for this task?

hard

A. AWS CloudTrail with AWS Lambda

B. AWS Budgets with Amazon SNS notifications

C. Amazon CloudWatch Logs with AWS Config

D. AWS IAM with AWS Organizations

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify service for cost and usage alerts

   AWS Budgets allows setting thresholds and alerts for cost and usage.

2. Step 2: Identify notification method

   Amazon SNS can send notifications via email or SMS when budget thresholds are met.

3. Final Answer:

   AWS Budgets with Amazon SNS notifications -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Budgets + SNS = automated cost alerts [OK]

Hint: Use AWS Budgets and SNS for free tier alerts [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using CloudTrail which tracks API calls, not costs
• Confusing CloudWatch Logs with cost alerts
• Using IAM or Organizations which manage access, not alerts