Welcome back to the Chat…GPT. This time we’re turning ChatGPT into our own financial planner.
This summer I purchased my first home. It took a lot of time, saving, and morning affirmations to achieve
it. But I did it. I’m excited that my homeownership dreams are finally coming true. And Sugar has found
her favorite spot by our new window to lay in the sun.
There are a lot of financial responsibilities that come with being a homeowner. More than I realized. All
the costs fall on me, installations, repairs, and any other financial responsibilities that come with the
house. But…no pressure.
As a dog mom “soft life” advocate, I enlisted the help of ChatGPT to become my preliminary financial
planner. It helped tremendously. So, in this blog post I’m sharing 7 tips that helped me and will help you
transform your AI Budgeting game with the help of a ChatGPT financial planner.
Get Your Dog Mom Finances in Order with AI
In the real world, it’s essential to gather and review your financial information before you meet with a
financial planner. This helps you identify your goals and creates a more effective planning session with
your planner. The same rules apply to ChatGPT. Before you enter a prompt, gather your financial
information and getting clear on your situation is step one. Here are 7 tips to help:
Tip #1: Identify and Understand Your Dog Mom Money Style
Every dog mom has a natural approach to handling money. Once you know your style, ChatGPT can help you build financial strategies that align with how you think, feel, and spend your money. Our 5-Minute Dog Mom Money Style Quiz can help
you with this. I’m a “Dreamer” by the way.
Tip #2: Get Honest About Your Full Financial Picture
Get honest with yourself about your financial numbers. List your income, debt, monthly expenses, savings, and even irregular bills (like pet insurance renewals or annual vet visits). When you share your real financial numbers, ChatGPT can help you create a customized plan that will help you reach your goals.
Tip #3: Plan for the “Shift Happens” Moments
Sometimes the biggest budget challenges don’t come from overspending, they come from the unexpected. A job layoff. A career break. A sick dog. ChatGPT can help you map out your emergency savings plan designed around your real life. Use our free Micro-Retirement Planning Checklist to help plan for the unexpected before it happens.
Tip #4: Add Your Pay Schedule & Due Dates
The biggest help for me was sharing information about my pay schedule. Listing my pay dates and amounts helped ChatGPT incorporate time into my financial plan. ChatGPT can help break it down check-by-check, if you tell it when the money comes in and when the bills go out.
Tip #5: Be Specific, Time-Based, & Personal with Your Financial Goals
Want to pay off your credit card before the holidays? Fund a product launch for your brand? Save for a maternity leave or a new dog? Your goals deserve to be part of the plan. The more specific you are, the more ChatGPT can reverse-engineer how to make it happen within your timeline and lifestyle.
Tip #6: Use A Move-In Checklist to Anticipate Real Costs
Every dog mom has living costs. So, even if you’re not moving you can still use our Dog Mom Move-In Checklist to help you anticipate costs that might come your way. Costs such as cable installation, alarm systems, furnishings for your dog, etc.
Tip #7: Tell ChatGPT What Season You’re In
Whether you’re thriving, surviving, or shifting, your budget should reflect your season. Be honest. Are you starting over? Resting after burnout? Pursuing a dream? Let ChatGPT know. It helps create a realistic plan that works with your energy, not against it.
Building Your ChatGPT Financial Planning Prompt
Now, let’s get to the Chat. The seven tips listed in the previous section will help you create a prompt to effectively use ChatGPT as a financial planner.
1. Identify your Current Financial Snapshot (income, expenses, debt, savings)
2. Map out your Monthly Bill Dates
3. Get clear on your Short- and Long-Term Goals
4. Identify your what “financial season” your in
Once you’ve identified this information, you’re now ready to start creating your financial plan. Use the
sample prompt below to start your ChatGPT financial planning journey:
I make [insert monthly income] after taxes. My monthly bills include [list key expenses like rent, car
payment, insurance, groceries, etc.]. I also have [insert total debt/savings]. I get paid on [insert pay
schedule]. My short-term goals are [insert goals], and I want my financial plan to feel [insert tone —
grounded, hopeful, flexible, structured, etc.]. Can you build a 3- to 6-month financial plan that aligns
with all of this?
Your Fearless Financial Plan Starts Now
A few weeks ago, I was listening to Mellody Hobson tell her story about how she ran up a $2,000 debt on
her AMEX card to go on a ski trip when she was in college. As she was sharing her story, her statement
resonated with me. “Making financial decisions is scary.”
Yep. She ain’t never lie. Especially, since I just took the big leap from renter to first time homeowner. I
had no choice, but to rethink my financial plan. Which, was a little scary. That’s why I decided to enlist
the help of ChatGPT. It helped me build a financial framework and gave me some financial clarity.
Now, I’ll be real. The goal of this ChatGPT exercise is not to give you some magical formula. It’s to help
you start mapping out your plan with no judgement.
Now, we’d also love to hear from you. What tools do you use to create your financial plan? How do you
factor in pet care expenses for your dog?
Let’s continue the conversation “after bark.” Sign up for our P. S. After Bark newsletter to talk your shift and all
things dog mom lifestyle. Stay connected and share your pupcake stories with us @pupcakesugar.
