diff --git a/sims/modules/bar.py b/sims/modules/bar.py
index e161fde..c2362da 100644
--- a/sims/modules/bar.py
+++ b/sims/modules/bar.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from sims.services.screenrec import ScreenrecService
 from sims.services.smart_corners import get_smart_corners_service
 from fabric.widgets.button import Button
 from fabric.widgets.circularprogressbar import CircularProgressBar
-from sims.services.system_stats import SystemStatsService
+from sims.services.system_stats import get_system_stats_service
 
 from sims.config import BATTERY, BAR_HEIGHT, WINDOW_TITLE, NOTMUCH, BUDDY, ORG
 
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class StatusBar(Window):
         )
         self.children = self.inner
 
-        self.system_stats_service = SystemStatsService(update_interval=3000)
+        self.system_stats_service = get_system_stats_service()
         self.system_stats_service.connect("stats-changed", self.update_progress_bars)
 
         self.set_size_request(-1, BAR_HEIGHT)
diff --git a/sims/modules/battery.py b/sims/modules/battery.py
index 798eb97..1777770 100644
--- a/sims/modules/battery.py
+++ b/sims/modules/battery.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from gi.repository import GLib
 from fabric.widgets.box import Box
 from fabric.widgets.label import Label
 from fabric.widgets.image import Image
-from sims.services.battery import BatteryService
+from sims.services.battery import get_battery_service
 
 
 class Battery(Box):
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ class Battery(Box):
 
         self.bat_label = Label(name="bat-label", label="100%")
 
-        # Create battery service with signal-based updates
-        self.battery_service = BatteryService(update_interval=10000)  # Check every 10 seconds
+        # Shared battery service with signal-based updates (one poller for the
+        # whole process, including the buddy's battery checks)
+        self.battery_service = get_battery_service()
         self.battery_service.connect("battery-changed", self.update_battery)
 
         self.children = [self.bat_icon, self.bat_label]
diff --git a/sims/modules/buddy.py b/sims/modules/buddy.py
index e40e417..e1b99b5 100644
--- a/sims/modules/buddy.py
+++ b/sims/modules/buddy.py
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 from fabric.widgets.box import Box
 
 from sims.widgets.buddy import BuddyWidget
-from sims.services.buddy import BuddyService
+from sims.services.buddy import get_buddy_service
 
 
 class Buddy(Box):
     def __init__(self, notmuch_service=None, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(name="buddy-container", v_align="center", **kwargs)
-        self.service = BuddyService(notmuch_service=notmuch_service)
+        self.service = get_buddy_service(notmuch_service=notmuch_service)
         self.sprite = BuddyWidget(on_pet=self._on_pet)
         self.service.connect("mood-changed", self._on_mood_changed)
         self.children = [self.sprite]
+        # The shared service only emits on *changes* and may already sit in a
+        # non-idle mood when this output's sprite is built: adopt it now.
+        self.sprite.update_mood(self.service.mood)
 
     def _on_mood_changed(self, _service, mood: str):
         self.sprite.update_mood(mood)
diff --git a/sims/modules/microphone.py b/sims/modules/microphone.py
index 5df9208..e3f9b8c 100644
--- a/sims/modules/microphone.py
+++ b/sims/modules/microphone.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-from fabric.audio.service import Audio
 from fabric.widgets.box import Box
 from fabric.widgets.button import Button
 from fabric.widgets.label import Label
+from sims.services.audio import get_audio_service
 
 MIC_ICON = "󰍬"
 MIC_MUTED_ICON = "󰍭"
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class MicrophoneWidget(Box):
 
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self.audio = Audio()
+        self.audio = get_audio_service()
 
         self.icon_label = Label(
             name="microphone-icon",
diff --git a/sims/modules/notmuch.py b/sims/modules/notmuch.py
index a518388..0c036a5 100644
--- a/sims/modules/notmuch.py
+++ b/sims/modules/notmuch.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ class NotmuchWidget(Button):
         )
 
         # Initialize the service
-        self.service = NotmuchService()
+        self.service = get_notmuch_service()
         self.service.connect("counts-changed", self.update_display)
 
         logger.info("[Notmuch] Notmuch widget initialized")
@@ -205,4 +205,20 @@ class NotmuchWidget(Button):
 
         logger.info(
             f"[Notmuch] Updated display: {unread} unread, {debt} aging — classes={classes}"
-        )
\ No newline at end of file
+        )
+
+
+_service: "NotmuchService | None" = None
+
+
+def get_notmuch_service(update_interval: int = 60000) -> "NotmuchService":
+    """Return the process-wide notmuch service, creating it on first use.
+
+    Each poll shells out to `notmuch count` twice. Every bar widget used to own
+    a service, so one `refresh-notmuch` (or one timer tick) opened the database
+    2 x bars times over; now all widgets share a single poller.
+    """
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = NotmuchService(update_interval=update_interval)
+    return _service
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sims/modules/player.py b/sims/modules/player.py
index 26660c6..0b9c60d 100644
--- a/sims/modules/player.py
+++ b/sims/modules/player.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from fabric.widgets.overlay import Overlay
 from fabric.widgets.stack import Stack
 from ..widgets.circle_image import CircleImage
 import sims.modules.icons as icons
-from sims.services.mpris import MprisPlayerManager, MprisPlayer
+from sims.services.mpris import MprisPlayer, get_mpris_player_manager
 from fabric import Fabricator
 
 # from sims.modules.cavalcade import SpectrumRender
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ class Player(Box):
         )
         self.switcher.set_stack(self.player_stack)
         self.switcher.set_halign(Gtk.Align.CENTER)
-        self.mpris_manager = MprisPlayerManager()
+        self.mpris_manager = get_mpris_player_manager()
         players = self.mpris_manager.players
         if players:
             for p in players:
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ class PlayerSmall(Box):
 
         self.add(self.mpris_small)
 
-        self.mpris_manager = MprisPlayerManager()
+        self.mpris_manager = get_mpris_player_manager()
         self.mpris_player = None
         self._players = {}
         self._player_handlers = {}
diff --git a/sims/services/audio.py b/sims/services/audio.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..000e4c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sims/services/audio.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""Shared audio service.
+
+fabric's `Audio` wraps a libcvc (`Cvc.MixerControl`) client: constructing one
+opens a PulseAudio/PipeWire connection, subscribes to every stream event and
+enumerates sinks/sources. Widgets were creating one per output, so keep a
+single process-wide instance instead.
+"""
+
+from fabric.audio.service import Audio
+
+_service: "Audio | None" = None
+
+
+def get_audio_service() -> "Audio":
+    """Return the process-wide Audio service, creating it on first use."""
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = Audio()
+    return _service
diff --git a/sims/services/battery.py b/sims/services/battery.py
index 740ba54..c62893b 100644
--- a/sims/services/battery.py
+++ b/sims/services/battery.py
@@ -69,4 +69,19 @@ class BatteryService(Service):
     @property
     def charging(self):
         """Get current charging status"""
-        return self._charging
\ No newline at end of file
+        return self._charging
+
+
+_service: "BatteryService | None" = None
+
+
+def get_battery_service(update_interval: int = 10000) -> "BatteryService":
+    """Return the process-wide battery service, creating it on first use.
+
+    Only the first caller's `update_interval` wins, so the bar widget (10s) and
+    the buddy (15s) share one psutil poll instead of running their own.
+    """
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = BatteryService(update_interval=update_interval)
+    return _service
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sims/services/buddy.py b/sims/services/buddy.py
index e65bf48..6128c5d 100644
--- a/sims/services/buddy.py
+++ b/sims/services/buddy.py
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from fabric.core.service import Service, Signal
 from fabric.utils import invoke_repeater
 
-from sims.services.system_stats import SystemStatsService
-from sims.services.battery import BatteryService
-from sims.services.mpris import MprisPlayerManager, MprisPlayer
+from sims.services.battery import get_battery_service
+from sims.services.mpris import MprisPlayer, get_mpris_player_manager
+from sims.services.system_stats import get_system_stats_service
 from sims.config import BATTERY, NOTMUCH
 
 
@@ -43,19 +43,19 @@ class BuddyService(Service):
         self._excited_until = 0.0
         self._last_unread = None
 
-        self._stats = SystemStatsService(update_interval=3000)
+        self._stats = get_system_stats_service()
         self._stats.connect("stats-changed", self._on_stats)
 
         self._battery = None
         if BATTERY.get("enable", False):
-            self._battery = BatteryService(update_interval=15000)
+            self._battery = get_battery_service()
             self._battery.connect("battery-changed", self._on_battery)
 
         self._notmuch = notmuch_service
         if self._notmuch is not None:
             self._notmuch.connect("counts-changed", self._on_notmuch)
 
-        self._mpris_manager = MprisPlayerManager()
+        self._mpris_manager = get_mpris_player_manager()
         self._mpris_players: dict[str, MprisPlayer] = {}
         for p in self._mpris_manager.players or []:
             self._attach_player(p)
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ class BuddyService(Service):
 
     # External triggers ---------------------------------------------------
 
+    @property
+    def mood(self) -> str:
+        """Currently arbitrated mood."""
+        return self._mood
+
     def pet(self):
         """Called when the buddy is clicked."""
         self._petted_until = time.monotonic() + PETTED_DURATION_S
@@ -146,3 +151,19 @@ class BuddyService(Service):
                     self._mood = mood
                     self.mood_changed(mood)
                 return
+
+
+_service: "BuddyService | None" = None
+
+
+def get_buddy_service(notmuch_service=None) -> "BuddyService":
+    """Return the process-wide buddy service, creating it on first use.
+
+    `notmuch_service` only applies to the first caller (the bar that owns the
+    notmuch widget). One arbitrated mood and one re-arbitration ticker are
+    shared by every output instead of one per bar.
+    """
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = BuddyService(notmuch_service=notmuch_service)
+    return _service
diff --git a/sims/services/mpris.py b/sims/services/mpris.py
index 2a6af57..3ffd43a 100644
--- a/sims/services/mpris.py
+++ b/sims/services/mpris.py
@@ -287,3 +287,19 @@ class MprisPlayerManager(Service):
     @Property(object, "readable")
     def players(self):
         return self._manager.get_property("players")  # type: ignore
+
+
+_service: "MprisPlayerManager | None" = None
+
+
+def get_mpris_player_manager() -> "MprisPlayerManager":
+    """Return the process-wide MPRIS manager, creating it on first use.
+
+    `Playerctl.PlayerManager.new()` plus one `Playerctl.Player` per MPRIS name
+    is the expensive part; every widget that wraps players should share this
+    manager and build its own `MprisPlayer` wrappers on top of it.
+    """
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = MprisPlayerManager()
+    return _service
diff --git a/sims/services/system_stats.py b/sims/services/system_stats.py
index 368122e..97f34eb 100644
--- a/sims/services/system_stats.py
+++ b/sims/services/system_stats.py
@@ -64,3 +64,19 @@ class SystemStatsService(Service):
     def memory_percent(self):
         """Get current memory percentage"""
         return self._memory_percent / 100
+
+
+_service: "SystemStatsService | None" = None
+
+
+def get_system_stats_service(update_interval: int = 3000) -> "SystemStatsService":
+    """Return the process-wide stats service, creating it on first use.
+
+    `update_interval` only applies to the first caller: one poller feeds every
+    bar, and psutil's non-blocking `cpu_percent` keeps a process-global baseline
+    that extra pollers would keep resetting.
+    """
+    global _service
+    if _service is None:
+        _service = SystemStatsService(update_interval=update_interval)
+    return _service