Build a no-code household budget calculator with ChatGPT

WorkedEvidence: Article or interviewPosted Oct 15, 2026Last checked Nov 3, 2026

Amanda Caswell asked ChatGPT and Claude for a household budget calculator, and ChatGPT's editable, offline-ready version won the round.

Source checked Nov 3, 2026
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How to use this

Tap Copy prompt.
Open ChatGPT.
Paste it into the message box.
Send it, then read the answer before acting on it.

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A prompt is the message you send to the AI tool. Copy the one on this page, put your own details where it asks, and read the answer before you act on it.

Prompt

Original prompt

The prompt as the person shared it in the source.

What the prompt labels mean

These are the person's own words, as shared in the source.

Build me a working household budget calculator. I want to enter monthly income, fixed bills, groceries, subscriptions and savings goals. Show how much money remains and let me change amounts to see the impact immediately. Make it simple enough for someone who has never written code to use.

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ChatGPT Used in source Gemini Grok Claude Used in source

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Optional stronger version

Our rewrite with extra checks. The poster didn't test it.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish.

Goal: Get a simple budget calculator I can open and use without writing any code.

Questions to ask me first:
- What are your main monthly money categories?
- Will you use it on a phone, a computer or both?
- Do you want it to start blank or with sample numbers?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Monthly take-home income: [AMOUNT]
- Fixed bills: [BILLS]
- Grocery and subscription amounts: [AMOUNTS]
- Savings goals: [GOALS]
- Device: [PHONE OR COMPUTER]

Rules:
- Make it a single file or tool I can open without installing anything.
- Update the money-left total instantly when I change a number.
- Include a reset button and clear labels.
- Keep my numbers on my device; don't send them anywhere.

Checkpoint: Show me a short description of the layout and wait for my OK before building it.

If you get stuck: If you can't make a downloadable file, give me a version I can paste into a free spreadsheet instead.

Verify before you finish: Test the math with my numbers and confirm the total left matches income minus everything else.

Output: The calculator plus three lines on how to open and use it.

Done when: I can enter my real numbers and see what's left each month.

Customize the stronger version

Answer these questions and we'll put your answers into the stronger version. The original prompt above stays exactly as published.

Monthly take-home income

Fixed bills

Grocery and subscription amounts

Savings goals

Device

Your prompt

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish.

Goal: Get a simple budget calculator I can open and use without writing any code.

Questions to ask me first:
- What are your main monthly money categories?
- Will you use it on a phone, a computer or both?
- Do you want it to start blank or with sample numbers?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Monthly take-home income: [AMOUNT]
- Fixed bills: [BILLS]
- Grocery and subscription amounts: [AMOUNTS]
- Savings goals: [GOALS]
- Device: [PHONE OR COMPUTER]

Rules:
- Make it a single file or tool I can open without installing anything.
- Update the money-left total instantly when I change a number.
- Include a reset button and clear labels.
- Keep my numbers on my device; don't send them anywhere.

Checkpoint: Show me a short description of the layout and wait for my OK before building it.

If you get stuck: If you can't make a downloadable file, give me a version I can paste into a free spreadsheet instead.

Verify before you finish: Test the math with my numbers and confirm the total left matches income minus everything else.

Output: The calculator plus three lines on how to open and use it.

Done when: I can enter my real numbers and see what's left each month.

Scroll to see the whole prompt. Your answers show in green.

5 blanks are still empty: Monthly take-home income; Fixed bills; Grocery and subscription amounts; Savings goals; Device. They'll stay in brackets in your prompt, so the chat tool may ask you about them.

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AI tools

ChatGPT Claude

Outcome

Amanda Caswell of Tom's Guide asked ChatGPT-6 and Claude Haiku 5.5 to build a working household budget calculator for income, fixed bills, groceries, subscriptions and savings goals that a non-coder could use. Claude built a straightforward calculator with sample bills already entered and room to add expenses. ChatGPT won the round with a more polished app: editable amounts to fit Caswell's household, a reset option and the ability to download it for use on the go or offline. Caswell called it something to keep using.

Evidence: Article or interviewA newsletter, journalist or interview account of what happened.

Source

Posted: Oct 15, 2026 by Amanda Caswell (Tom's Guide)
Last checked: Nov 3, 2026
Method:: How we verify

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/i-tested-chatgpt-6-vs-claude-haiku-5-5-on-everyday-tasks-heres-the-winner

Context: This was a side-by-side test of the two chatbots' results. The article doesn't say how long the calculator has been used with real household numbers.