Free guide · works with ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
How to make a household budget with ChatGPT
Takes you from a blank page to a working, NZ-ready budget: a 12‑month bills calendar, an envelope-style spending plan, a goals/debt roadmap, and a simple check‑in routine. Every step creates a named artefact you can reuse and update.
Step 1, free.
Copy this, paste it into your AI, and swap the [BRACKETS] for your own details.
Setup: Define household profile
Provide: [HOUSEHOLD NAME], [PEOPLE & AGES], [INCOME SOURCES & PAY CYCLES] (e.g., salary fortnightly Thu, student allowance weekly Tue), [BENEFITS OR CHILD SUPPORT], [HOUSING SITUATION] (own/rent/board; frequency), [TRANSPORT] (car/public/other), [MUST-HAVE CATEGORIES] (power, rates, groceries, fuel, insurance, childcare, etc.), [NON-NEGOTIABLES] (values/constraints), [NOTES] (anything that affects money). Act as a budgeting coach and systems analyst to capture a clean, NZ‑ready profile that a plan can be built on. Work through it like this: 1) Clarify who earns what and when: list each income source with pay cycle and variability (fixed/variable/seasonal). 2) Map living context: housing type and cadence, transport realities, and any region-specific costs that matter (e.g., parking for CBD work). 3) Define must‑have categories (essentials only) and identify any irregular essentials you already know happen during the year. 4) Record constraints: non‑negotiables, legal commitments, and known risk factors (e.g., casual hours, health). 5) State assumptions you’re making today to fill gaps. Give me the output as: Household Profile with sections: A) Summary (one paragraph), B) People, C) Income Table (Source | Pay Cycle | Typical Net | Variability | Next Pay Date if known), D) Pay Cycle Map (who is paid when), E) Must‑Have Categories (bulleted), F) Constraints & Non‑Negotiables, G) Known Irregular Essentials (bulleted), H) Assumptions & Open Questions. Quality bar: Clear enough that another coach could build a first draft plan without asking what gets paid when. If something’s missing, mark MISSING in place and list the exact questions under Open Questions.
How to get a good answer.
- 01Fill every [BRACKET] with real detail. Vague in, vague out.
- 02Read the answer, then reply with what's wrong or missing. The AI fixes it in seconds.
- 03Check facts, prices and anything legal or safety-related yourself before you use it.
The rest of the workflow.
Step 1 gets you started. The full Home Budget & Money Planner takes you all the way, 14 steps in order:
- 01Setup: Define household profile (free above)
- 02Setup: Choose method and map accounts
- 03Discovery & Capture: Money snapshot
- 04Discovery & Capture: Spending review
- 05Discovery & Capture: Irregular bills inventory
- 06Plan & Build: Income allocation blueprint
- 07Plan & Build: Build the 12‑month bills calendar
- 08Plan & Build: Create the envelope budget plan
- 09Plan & Build: Goals and debts roadmap
- 10Prove & Deliver: Reality check and stress‑test
- 11Prove & Deliver: Package the one‑page budget and rules
- 12Prove & Deliver: Automation checklist and first moves
- 13Maintain & Improve: Monthly check‑in routine
- 14Maintain & Improve: Quarterly tune‑up and progress report
Pay once, keep it. Delivered instantly with a copy button on every prompt.
Questions
Does this work with the free version of ChatGPT?
Yes. The prompt works in the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, on a phone or a computer.
What do I put in the [BRACKETS]?
Your real details: notes, numbers, names, whatever the bracket asks for. The more specific you are, the better the answer.
Is the AI's answer always right?
No. Treat it as a strong first draft: check facts, figures and anything legal or safety-related before you use it.
What's in the full Home Budget & Money Planner?
14 steps run in order, a system prompt that sets the AI up for the job, worked examples, fix-it prompts and a quality checklist. It's NZ$14.50 once, no subscription.
Know someone who'd use this?
Send them the free prompt: