Hi guys! Welcome back to Friday Five, where I share five ways I’ve been using AI in my life as a working mom, plus the prompts so you can try them yourself.
This week we’ve got saving money (yes please), work dilemmas, paperwork and a little Bravo (because, of course). And one of the best ideas didn’t even come from me!
Let’s goooo.
1. 💸 Cut a phone bill in HALF
Okay, this one is SO GOOD.
My friend Aaron uploaded his phone bill to ChatGPT and asked it to analyze his plan, how much data he was using and whether he was paying for stuff he didn’t need.
Turns out, he was.
ChatGPT helped him figure out which plan made more sense, then walked him through how to change it online.
His phone bill is now HALF what it was before.
I mean!!! How many of us are paying for phone plans, internet or subscriptions we signed up for years ago and haven’t thought about since?
THE PROMPT:
I’m uploading my latest cell phone bill. Analyze my current plan, what I’m paying for and how much data I’m using. Tell me if I’m paying for features I don’t need. Research my provider’s current plans and recommend the most cost-effective option based on my usage. Calculate how much I could save monthly and annually, and walk me through how to change my plan online. Flag any fees or benefits I might lose.
Tip: Remove personal account details before uploading, and check a few months of data usage if possible.
2. 💼 Figured out if I was doing work I wasn’t hired to do
Have you ever found yourself taking on more and more responsibilities at work and wondered...wait, is this even my job?
Um, same.
I’ve been working with a client on marketing and AI strategy, but lately I’ve found myself spending a lot of time on social media production, including working with a videographer on hooks, scripts and edits.
Which made me wonder: Was this part of what I originally agreed to do?
So I had ChatGPT compare my original job description and agreement against the work I’m doing now. It helped me figure out what was part of the original agreement, what wasn't, and whether I needed to bring it up with the client.
THE PROMPT:
Here’s my original job description or scope of work: [PASTE]. Here’s what I’m currently responsible for: [LIST]. Compare the two and identify which responsibilities clearly fall within my original role, which are gray areas and which appear to be additional work. Help me figure out whether I should address this and how to have a constructive conversation about it.
Useful whether you’re a consultant, a corporate employee or someone who keeps getting volunteered for things you never agreed to do (aka voluntold).
3. 📄 Made complicated paperwork a LOT less complicated
One thing nobody tells you about starting a business: SO. MANY. FORMS.
This week I had to deal with tax forms, vendor onboarding documents and agreements filled with language that made my eyes glaze over.
So I used AI to explain unfamiliar terminology, identify what information I needed and flag questions I should ask my accountant.
My favorite instruction: Explain this like I’m in eighth grade.
Sometimes I don’t need a 12-paragraph explanation. I need someone to tell me what a form is asking in NORMAL HUMAN WORDS.
THE PROMPT:
I’m working through [TYPE OF FORM]. Explain each section like I’m in eighth grade. Tell me what information I need to provide, what questions I should ask a professional and anything important I shouldn’t overlook. Don’t guess at answers or fill in missing information. Give me a simple checklist of next steps.
This works for everything from insurance forms to school paperwork. Just remove sensitive information before uploading, and verify important legal or tax details with a professional.
4. 📝 Turned a giant mess of notes into something useful
I’m taking an advanced AI course right now, and the amount of information coming at me is...A LOT.
I’ve been taking notes while watching videos. I know I could get AI to take notes for me, but the act of note-taking helps me focus, process and remember so I’m keeping it old school. So, I end up with a giant document full of random bullet points, half-finished thoughts and things I SWEAR made sense when I wrote them down.
So I gave the whole thing to Claude and asked it to organize everything into a clean reference document, grouping related concepts, removing repetition and explaining complicated stuff in plain English.
THE PROMPT:
I’m going to paste my notes from [COURSE/MEETING/WEBINAR]. Organize them into a clear, easy-to-reference guide. Group related ideas, eliminate repetition and explain complicated concepts in plain English. Preserve specific examples and action items. Use headings, bullets and tables where helpful. Don’t add information that wasn’t in my original notes.
Think parent-teacher conferences, doctor’s appointments, work trainings...basically anywhere you leave with a brain dump and no idea what to do with them.
5. 📚 Found my next fun read
I feel like my brain has been on overdrive lately with starting my own business, momming, and the general state of life and the world, and have been getting through some incredible but long books (latest: The Calamity Club, HIGHLY recommend!). I wanted a fun, light nonfiction book as kind of a “brain break”. Something involving celebrities, pop culture, maybe a Bravo star. Basically, I wanted to be entertained, not educated.
Instead of scrolling through a million Goodreads reviews, I told Claude exactly what I was in the mood for.
Then I refined the recommendations to include younger female authors and Bravo personalities. The trick is being REALLY specific about your mood, not just asking for “a good book.” And ultimately, I read Give Them Lala (don’t judge me please) and How to Giggle, and it was the exact brain candy I needed.
THE PROMPT:
Recommend 5 books based on my current reading mood. I’m looking for [GENRE/VIBE], I love [AUTHORS/BOOKS/SHOWS] and I’m NOT in the mood for [THINGS TO AVOID]. Prioritize entertaining, easy-to-get-into books. Give me a short description of each, explain why I’d like it and tell me which one I should read first.
And if you missed last week’s Friday Five, I also shared how I’m building my own AI Librarian to help me find books from my Goodreads list that are available at my local libraries.
That’s it for this week!
If you try ONE thing from this list, make it the phone bill audit. And if it saves you money, PLEASE come back and tell me how much.
And if you’ve used AI for something unexpectedly useful lately, tell me in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas!
xo,
Sarah
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