More in Money, Bills & Taxes.
Check an electric bill against other rate plans with ChatGPT
WorkedEvidence: Described by posterPosted Last checked
ChatGPT read Craig A. Linton's Con Edison usage data and suggested a rate plan switch Linton says saves about $1,100 a year.
Beginner-friendlyNo logins, payments or coding needed. Low risk: paste the prompt and you should get something useful.
How to use this
- Tap Copy prompt.
- Open ChatGPT.
- Paste it into the message box.
- Replace anything in [CAPITAL LETTERS IN BRACKETS] with your own details.
- Send it, then read the answer before acting on it.
New to this? What's a prompt?
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
Improved prompt
Our fuller version of the source's prompt, with fill-in details and rules, or one written to avoid what went wrong. Not tested by the poster.
Our fuller version of the person's prompt. They didn't use this version, and we haven't tested 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: Find out whether a different electricity rate plan would lower my bill, based on my actual usage. Questions to ask me first: - Who is your utility, and what rate plan are you on now? - Can you download 12 months of interval usage data (for example, a Green Button CSV)? - Are you open to changing when you use power, or only switching plans? Inputs (fill in or confirm): - Latest bill: [BILL PDF OR PHOTO] - 12 months of usage data: [GREEN BUTTON CSV] - Utility and current plan: [UTILITY / PLAN] Rules: - Compare my current plan with each plan my utility offers, using my real usage. - Show the estimated yearly cost for each plan and the math behind it. - Check for trial periods, switching fees or guarantees on the utility's own website and link them. - Label savings as estimates. Checkpoint: Show me the plan list with links before running the comparison. If you get stuck: If the data is incomplete, tell me which months are missing. Verify before you finish: Recheck the cheapest plan's math and terms. Output: A table of plans with estimated yearly cost, the best option and how to switch. Done when: I know whether switching plans would save money and how to do it.
Customize this prompt
Answer these questions and we'll put your answers into the prompt for you. You can leave any of them empty.
Your file stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded to TriedPrompts.
Your file stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded to TriedPrompts.
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: Find out whether a different electricity rate plan would lower my bill, based on my actual usage. Questions to ask me first: - Who is your utility, and what rate plan are you on now? - Can you download 12 months of interval usage data (for example, a Green Button CSV)? - Are you open to changing when you use power, or only switching plans? Inputs (fill in or confirm): - Latest bill: [BILL PDF OR PHOTO] - 12 months of usage data: [GREEN BUTTON CSV] - Utility and current plan: [UTILITY / PLAN] Rules: - Compare my current plan with each plan my utility offers, using my real usage. - Show the estimated yearly cost for each plan and the math behind it. - Check for trial periods, switching fees or guarantees on the utility's own website and link them. - Label savings as estimates. Checkpoint: Show me the plan list with links before running the comparison. If you get stuck: If the data is incomplete, tell me which months are missing. Verify before you finish: Recheck the cheapest plan's math and terms. Output: A table of plans with estimated yearly cost, the best option and how to switch. Done when: I know whether switching plans would save money and how to do it.
Scroll to see the whole prompt. Your answers show in green.
3 blanks are still empty: Latest bill; 12 months of usage data; Utility and current plan. They'll stay in brackets in your prompt, so the chat tool may ask you about them.
What you type stays in this browser tab. We don't send it or save it, and it's gone when you leave the page. If you use a "Try this in" button, your answers go to that tool as part of the prompt.
Try this in:
This prompt has blanks to fill in, like [BILL PDF OR PHOTO]. We'll copy it instead of filling it in, so you can edit it before you send.
Opens in a new tab. We don't see what you send.
These links are only a shortcut. We're not affiliated with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or xAI, and your results may not match the source.
The prompt they actually used
The exact prompt from the source.
Here's my latest electric bill. Research how I can save money.
AI tool
Outcome
Craig A. Linton uploaded the latest electric bill to ChatGPT and asked it to research how to save money. ChatGPT focused on whether Linton's usage pattern was a good match for the rate plan and asked for the 12-month Green Button CSV of interval data. After Linton uploaded it, ChatGPT recommended switching from the standard EL1 rate to Con Edison's Steady Use Rate, and pointed out that the switch was risk-free for 12 months: if the bill is higher after 12 months, Con Edison credits the difference. Linton switched and says ChatGPT found about $1,100 a year in savings without reducing energy use.
Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.
Source
- Posted
- by Craig A. Linton (LinkedIn)
- Last checked
- Method:
- How we verify
Context: The $1,100 a year is an estimate made at the time of switching, not a result measured after a year. Linton pays for ChatGPT Pro.
More in Money, Bills & Taxes
Compare employer health plans and an HSA vs FSA with ChatGPT
ChatGPT explained Amanda Caswell's health plans, compared yearly costs and made a checklist for enrollment in under 15 minutes.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewBeginner-friendlyView CaseSort 42 bank transactions into a budget with Gemini in Google Sheets
Gemini in Sheets sorted 42 sample transactions, showed $3,440.84 spent against a $2,830 budget and flagged a possible double charge.
WorkedGeminiEvidence: Article or interviewBeginner-friendlyView CaseEstimate monthly college savings for several kids with ChatGPT
ChatGPT's first college plan for Kimberly Palmer was $8,000 a month. More detail cut it to about $3,000, but that still didn't fit.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView CaseTrack every K-1 and 1099 and prep for a CPA with a Claude Cowork project
Claude Cowork tracked every K-1 and 1099 from a hundred-page statement in two minutes and caught a deferred gain the owner missed.
WorkedClaude CoworkEvidence: Described by posterView CaseNegotiate a car insurance renewal by phone with a ChatGPT script
Matilda Grace used a ChatGPT negotiation script on the phone and got £150 off a car insurance renewal, and uses it to shop cheaper.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewBeginner-friendlyView CaseFollow a ChatGPT monthly budget for four weeks
ChatGPT split Laura Beck's $3,000 into savings, fun and a buffer, but a $400 tire bill showed the buffer wasn't big enough.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView Case
Similar cases
Lower an electricity bill with ChatGPT's energy-saving tips
Tom's Guide's Elton Jones told ChatGPT they paid a $230+ monthly energy bill and asked for tips to lower it.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewBeginner-friendlyView CaseA tax deduction strategy from ChatGPT that would have cost a business owner: an accountant's story
An accountant says ChatGPT's $40,000 deduction plan was misapplied and outdated; it was caught before filing: a failure.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseAudit a bank statement for zombie subscriptions and price creep with ChatGPT
With a "forensic accountant" prompt, ChatGPT found $200 a month of zombie subscriptions and creeping bills, the author says.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterPoster says:$200 a month ($2,400 a year) found
View CaseBuild a zero-based budget to pay down $5,000 of credit card debt with ChatGPT
Facing $5,000 of card debt, an HR administrator used ChatGPT to build a zero-based budget and payoff plan instead of paying an adviser.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewBeginner-friendlyView CaseCut $1,437 a year from fixed bills by tackling one per week with ChatGPT scripts
A poster asked ChatGPT for a strategy and call scripts to cut their bills, tackling one per week.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView Case