I tested out the AI budgeting app Cleo to see if it could help me cut back on overspending. Cleo's AI is designed to feel more like a friend than a robot. Cleo immediately called out one of my guilty pleasures: ordering too much delivery from GrubHub, and suggested a couple of ways to cut back. I chose the more ambitious route, limiting myself to one transaction over the next 21 days. I thoroughly savored my one allotted delivery a little earlier on in the challenge than I'd intended, and the next time I logged into Cleo, she reminded me I'd hit my spending goal. Got it, no more delivery for me. I asked Cleo to hype me one of her custom chat modes to help me stay strong. I was feeling pretty good about myself, but then I got a 50% GrubHub code for Amazon Prime day. That was hard to resist, and once I blew my challenge, why not treat myself after a hard day? This may have been where I started spiraling. Needless to say, I did.

not ace my challenge, but it wasn't Cleo's fault. Cleo had recommended a less aggressive goal to start with, and as much as AI can do for you, you're ultimately the one in control of your spending decisions. AI can't slap my phone out of my hand when I click on the GrubHub app yet, but Cleo did do something for me that other budgeting apps haven't. She made me feel more accountable. It felt like having a friend to check in, cheerlead you, and when necessary, deliver some tough love. Enter Cleo's roast mode. Well played, AI. You see me, and I feel it. It won't let you down next time.

Using AI to Stay On Budget

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