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Get a weekly money check-in without opening a spreadsheet
Every Sunday a short note arrives showing how your spending compares with your budget and what's coming up next week.
When to use it
Every Sunday evening
Step by step
Keep a spending sheet
Use a Google Sheet with tabs for Budget (category and monthly limit) and Spending (date, description, amount, category). The receipt or bank-export recipes can fill it.
Put bills in your calendar
Make sure upcoming bills and paydays are in Google Calendar as events, so they can be included in the check-in.
Write your check-in prompt
Save this prompt in your notes so you can reuse it each week.
Prompt to copyHere is my budget and this month's spending so far, plus next week's calendar of bills and paydays. Write a short weekly money check-in (under 150 words) with: 1) spending so far vs budget for each category, marked on track, close or over; 2) how much flexible money is left for the rest of the month and per week; 3) bills and paydays coming next week; 4) one practical, friendly suggestion. No financial advice, no lecturing. Budget: [paste] Spending: [paste] Next week: [paste]Schedule it
If your AI assistant offers scheduled tasks and can read your connected Google apps, set this to run every Sunday. Otherwise set a Sunday reminder and paste the latest figures in yourself.
Adjust as you go
If the check-in keeps flagging the same category, change your budget for it so it reflects real life.
What you get
Week 2 check-in: Groceries £180 of £280 (close). Eating out £95 of £100 (nearly there). Transport £60 of £140 (on track). Flexible left: £210, about £70 a week. Next week: phone bill £25 Tue, payday Fri. Tip: plan two batch-cook nights to stay under on groceries.
Tips
- Only connect your AI assistant to your Google account if you're comfortable with it reading those files, and never store account numbers in the sheet.
- Keep the tone kind. You're more likely to keep reading a note that doesn't scold you.