10 AI prompts to put money back in your pocket

For this week’s No More Ls column, we’re looking at the AI prompts that just might help you save or earn money. 

By Srivindhya Kolluru

As Canadians turn to GenAI (generative AI) tools for tasks ranging from answering a professional email to mapping out a travel itinerary, these chatbots can also help you uncover some serious savings. With the help of Cindy Marques, CFP, a Toronto-based financial planner and director at financial services firm Open Access Ltd., we’ve gathered a roundup of 10 AI prompts that can help you put money back in your pocket. 

This list comes with a disclaimer, though. These prompts aren’t a replacement for a financial advisor, who can give you nuanced advice. And some privacy advice, too. When uploading any docs to AI, edit them first to hide personal information—by cropping it out, deleting it, or covering it with black boxes. Or you can copy and paste and edit the important information into the input field, after you enter your question prompts. And be sure to use legitimate AI tools—never a link from social media or an email, which could be a phishing attempt. 

1. Uncover savings in your mortgage agreement 

Prompt: I’ve uploaded my mortgage agreement. What penalties should I negotiate? Is there a better way to structure the interest I will be charged?

If you’re one of the one million or so Canadians set to renew their mortgage this year, tools like ChatGPT can help uncover penalties you should be aware of or opportunities to reduce your mortgage. “Sometimes there are these terms baked in that you might not understand, like flexible interest rate options or a way to structure it,” says Marques. She recommends uploading your mortgage document—or copying and pasting certain parts of it to keep your privacy—and asking questions about how best to negotiate your mortgage based on the information provided.

2. Negotiate your rental agreement 

Prompt: Here is my rental agreement. What rules should I pay special attention to, so that I don’t owe fines or penalties? 

Similar to a mortgage agreement, rental leases can sometimes include hard-to-understand legalese. You could be charged fees for breaking rules restricting DIY repairs and renovations or for disobeying your building’s long-term guest policy—without even knowing it. 

3. Structure due dates for bills

Prompt: Each month, I pay about $200 for utilities, plus $120 for car insurance and $12 for tenant insurance. How can I plan for these recurring bills to manage my cashflow more efficiently?

Upload your monthly bills to an AI tool to spot trends and help cut costs. “ Heating costs are going to be higher in the winter than in the summer, so uploading a bunch of bills and having [the AI] spit out a trend can help you be prepared in your cashflow planning. It can help you save money in other ways if you can better anticipate what you’re spending on your house,” says Marques. 

4. Audit subscriptions and other miscellaneous charges

Prompt: Here are a few credit statements from this year. Categorize my recurring monthly expenses in a table? 

Even $10 a month for a subscription you forgot to cancel after the free trial can make a substantial difference when you’re on a tight, fixed budget. “Upload a credit card statement or bank statement and ask, ‘Can you identify subscription services or even just categorize my expenses?’,” says Marques. You can see how much of your monthly budget is going towards subscriptions and similar non-essentials versus necessities. 

5. Maximize tax credits and deductions

Prompt: Speak to me as if you are a CPA based in (province/territory), Canada. Ask me guiding questions to help me find out which tax credits and benefits I may be eligible for?

When tax season rolls around, you don’t want to be scrambling to find out which credits and deductions you’re eligible for and accidentally leave money on the table. Marques suggests asking the AI to assume the persona of a Canadian accountant and to ask you questions about your life in order to determine what kind of benefits and credits you might be eligible for. 

6. Using AI as a sous-chef

Prompt: I have $100 to buy groceries. Can you design a vegetarian meal plan that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner? Include the price breakdown by ingredients.

Canadians, on average, spend a little over $1,000 dining out at quick-service restaurants (a.k.a., fast food) and about the same amount at full-service restaurants per year. Meal planning for the week can help offset some of those costs. One example of a prompt Marques suggests is: “ Can you make a meal plan and list out the ingredients I would need and their cost?” You can also get more detailed by including dietary restrictions, food preferences, or favourite grocery stores. Or ask the tool for copycat recipes of dishes from your go-to restaurants.

7. Use AI as your wingman to buy a car

Prompt: I live in (city). I’m looking for a reliable mid-sized SUV for my family of four. Can you share a few options under $50,000 from local dealerships? 

The average cost of a new car in 2025 was $37,664, and ownership-related costs average $5,497, so it makes sense to find the cheapest vehicle options, whether it’s leasing, financing or buying. Marques suggests dumping all the auto information and data your dealer handed you to figure out the best way to buy, for you and your budget. “Ask questions to determine which plan means the lowest monthly expense and the lowest cost overall.” 

8. Make it your debt manager 

Prompt: I owe $(amount) in student loans and have about $(amount) in credit-card debt. Outline a debt repayment strategy so I can become debt-free, with options for one, two and three year plans.

List out all your debts and ask the AI: “How should I prioritize my debt repayments to pay the least interest overall? What are some opportunities out there to adjust these credit cards or make changes to lower my monthly interest rate?” 

9. Speaking of credit card debts…

Prompt: I’m looking for a credit card that offers cashback rewards available in Canada. Can you suggest options? Ask me qualifying questions, such as income and credit score to help determine the list. 

Annual credit card fees and punishing interest rates can add up. So, if you’re consistently behind on your payments, know that it can damage your credit score. Marques recommends using AI to find a credit card that works for you based on features (e.g. cashback or travel perks) you’re interested in. “The AI tool might say, ‘hey, X financial firm has this card available at half the interest rate.’ You can then call them and ask to switch.”

10. Source low-effort micro-savings challenges 

Prompt: I want to save $200 by the end of the month. Suggest creative savings challenges to meet this goal. 

Set a micro-savings goal that’s realistic but challenging, and ask the AI how to find ways to help you meet that target. You can then set this cash aside in a fund toward a specific goal, like an emergency savings fund or pet expenses. It’s a good idea to name your savings accounts ”vacation fund,” “emergency money” or such to keep your deposits and withdrawals focused on the purpose. 

Using AI to plan finances

As with learning to use any new technology, it can take some time to get used to a GenAI tool—especially if you're new to this—so be prepared to spend some time tweaking your questions and adding more detail as needed. 

Srivindhya (Vindhya) Kolluru is a Toronto-based journalist who writes about business and personal finance.

Read more from this issue of The Get:

1. MVP: Bobbie Racette on going from unemployed to mogul
2. Why am I suddenly paying more taxes on my paycheque?
3. How to make January suck less
4. True or False: Your credit score follows you to Canada

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