Analyzing Expenses with ChatGPT - AI Spending Pattern Identification

Introduction

"How long will it take to save 100 million won (~$75,000)?" "If I want to travel abroad next year, how much should I save each month?" Everyone asks these questions at some point. But when you actually try to calculate, it gets complicated. Should you open Excel and enter formulas? Should you look for a savings calculator app?

What's even more troublesome is there are too many variables. When will you get your bonus? How much will holiday gift expenses be? What if something unexpected comes up? Considering all these things one by one makes you want to give up on planning.

But with AI, you can easily do these complex simulations conversationally. Tell Claude about your current situation and goals, and it will show you realistic plans across multiple scenarios. Just like consulting with a financial planner!

Calculating Time to Reach Target Amount

Real Example 1: Saving for Marriage

My input:

I want to save 50 million won (~$38,000) for marriage. Current situation:
- Current savings: 12 million won (~$9,000)
- Monthly salary: 3.5 million won (~$2,600)
- Monthly fixed expenses: 1.5 million won (~$1,100) (rent, utilities, food, etc.)
- Monthly savings capability: 1 million won (~$750)

How long will it take? And tell me how to save faster.

Claude's response:

Basic Simulation (1 million won monthly savings):

Months	Cumulative Savings (KRW)	Remaining (KRW)
Current	12,000,000	38,000,000
6 months	18,000,000	32,000,000
12 months	24,000,000	26,000,000
18 months	30,000,000	20,000,000
24 months	36,000,000	14,000,000
30 months	42,000,000	8,000,000
36 months	48,000,000	2,000,000
38 months	50,000,000	0 ✓

Result: Approximately 3 years and 2 months

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Faster Achievement Methods:

Scenario 1: 1.2 million won monthly savings (+200,000 won)

• Achievement period: 32 months (2 years 8 months) ← 6 months shorter!
• Additional savings methods:
  • Reduce dining out/delivery once per week: Save 80,000 won monthly
  • Reduce café visits: Save 50,000 won monthly
  • Organize subscription services: Save 30,000 won monthly
  • Change phone plan: Save 20,000 won monthly
  • Reduce small impulse purchases: Save 20,000 won monthly

Scenario 2: 1.5 million won monthly savings (+500,000 won)

• Achievement period: 26 months (2 years 2 months) ← 1 year shorter!
• Method:
  • Basic savings 200,000 won + Side income 300,000 won
  • Side income examples:
    • Evening delivery part-time: 2 times/week, 250,000 won monthly
    • Talent sales (design, translation, etc.): 200,000 won monthly
    • Secondhand trading: 50-100,000 won monthly

Scenario 3: 1 million won monthly + Interest from savings

• Assuming 4% deposit rate
• Achievement period: 37 months ← 1 month shorter
• Total interest income: Approximately 700,000 won

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💡 Realistic Recommended Plan:

Goal: Achieve within 30 months (2.5 years)

• Basic savings: 1 million won monthly
• Bonuses: 2 times/year, 2 million won each = 4 million won annually
• Tax refund: 500,000 won annually
• 13th-month salary effect: Year-end surplus 1 million won

Yearly Projections:

• Year 1: 12 million + (1 million×12) + Bonus 4 million + Other 1.5 million = 29.5 million won
• Year 2: 29.5 million + (1 million×12) + Bonus 4 million + Other 1.5 million = 47 million won
• Year 2.5: 47 million + (1 million×6) + Bonus 2 million + Other 750,000 won = 55.75 million won ✓

Goal achieved! 🎉

Real Example 2: Home Purchase Simulation

My input:

Save 100 million won (~$75,000) deposit within 5 years

Current:
- Savings: 20 million won (~$15,000)
- Couple combined salary: 6 million won (~$4,500)
- Monthly living expenses: 2.5 million won (~$1,900)
- Monthly savings: 2 million won (~$1,500)
- Couple bonuses: 4 million won each annually (total 8 million won)

Is it possible? Show me multiple scenarios.

Claude's response:

Scenario Analysis:

Basic Plan (2 million won monthly savings):

Year	Monthly Savings	Bonus Total	Total Accumulated	Progress
Start	0	0	20,000,000	20%
Year 1	24,000,000	8,000,000	52,000,000	52%
Year 2	48,000,000	16,000,000	84,000,000	84%
Year 3	72,000,000	24,000,000	116,000,000	116% ✓

Result: 3 years achieves 120 million won! 2 years earlier than target! 🎉

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Aggressive Plan (2.5 million won monthly savings):

Reduce living expenses from 2.5 million → 2 million won?

Year	Monthly Savings	Bonus Total	Total Accumulated
Start	0	0	20,000,000
Year 1	30,000,000	8,000,000	58,000,000
Year 2	60,000,000	16,000,000	96,000,000
Year 2, Month 3	67,500,000	18,000,000	105,500,000 ✓

Result: Achieved in 2 years 3 months!

How to reduce living expenses by 500,000 won:

• Dining out 300,000 → 150,000 (twice/week → once/week)
• Café/drinks 100,000 → 50,000
• Shopping/entertainment 200,000 → 100,000
• Taxi → Public transit: Save 50,000 won
• Organize small expenses: Save 50,000 won

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Aggressive Plan (3 million won monthly + Investment returns)

3 million won monthly savings + Stock/ETF investment (assuming 5% annual return)

Year	Savings Total	Bonus	Investment Return	Total Accumulated
Start	0	0	0	20,000,000
Year 1	36,000,000	8,000,000	1,200,000	65,200,000
Year 2	72,000,000	16,000,000	4,500,000	112,500,000 ✓

Result: Achieved 110 million won in 2 years!

⚠️ Caution: Investment carries risk of principal loss. Compose mainly with stable ETFs or deposits.

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💡 Recommended Plan: Balanced Approach

Goal: Achieve 120 million won within 3 years

• Monthly savings: 2 million won (maintain basic)
• All bonuses saved: 8 million won annually
• Maintain living expenses: 2.5 million won (no extreme frugality)
• Achieve goal comfortably while maintaining quality of life!

After 3 years:

• Monthly savings: 72 million won
• Bonuses: 24 million won
• Initial funds: 20 million won
• Total: 116 million won

Remaining 16 million won can cover moving costs and appliance purchases!

Reverse Calculation: When Target Period is Fixed

Real Example 3: Europe Trip in 1 Year

My input:

I want to go to Europe exactly 1 year from now.
Estimated cost: 5 million won (~$3,800) (2 people)
Current travel savings: 800,000 won (~$600)

How much should I save monthly?

Claude's response:

Target Calculation:

• Amount needed: 5,000,000 won
• Current holdings: 800,000 won
• Need to save: 4,200,000 won
• Remaining time: 12 months

Monthly savings amount: 350,000 won (~$263)

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Monthly Plan:

Month	Savings	Cumulative	Remaining	Progress
January	350,000	1,150,000	3,850,000	23%
February	350,000	1,500,000	3,500,000	30%
March	350,000	1,850,000	3,150,000	37%
April	350,000	2,200,000	2,800,000	44%
May	350,000	2,550,000	2,450,000	51%
June	350,000	2,900,000	2,100,000	58%
July	350,000	3,250,000	1,750,000	65%
August	350,000	3,600,000	1,400,000	72%
September	350,000	3,950,000	1,050,000	79%
October	350,000	4,300,000	700,000	86%
November	350,000	4,650,000	350,000	93%
December	350,000	5,000,000	0	100% ✓

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💡 If that's too much:

Plan B: 300,000 won monthly + Use bonus

• Monthly savings: 300,000×12 = 3,600,000 won
• Existing savings: 800,000 won
• Cover with bonus: 600,000 won
• Total: 5,000,000 won ✓

Plan C: Flexible savings

• Abundant months: 400-500,000 won
• Tight months: 200-250,000 won
• Average 350,000 won target
• Request Claude to check progress monthly!

Prompt Template

For Period Calculation

I want to save [target amount].

Current situation:
- Current savings: [amount]
- Monthly savings capability: [amount]
- Bonuses: [times] per year, [amount] each
- Other income: [specify if any]

1. Time needed to achieve goal
2. Show monthly accumulation in table
3. Three scenarios for faster achievement
4. Realistic recommended plan

For Monthly Savings Calculation

I need [amount] for [goal] in [period].

Current savings: [amount]

1. How much should I save monthly?
2. Create monthly plan table
3. How to adjust if it's too much?

Multiple Goal Simulation

My input:

I want to save for multiple things at once:
1. Emergency fund 5 million won (~$3,800) (within 6 months)
2. Laptop 2 million won (~$1,500) (within 3 months)
3. Travel fund 3 million won (~$2,300) (within 1 year)

Monthly salary 3 million won, living expenses 1.5 million won
Is this possible?

Claude's response:

Priority-Based Plan:

Phase 1 (Months 1-3): Focus on Laptop

• Monthly savings: 700,000 won (for laptop)
• After 3 months accumulated: 2.1 million won → Purchase laptop ✓
• Remaining living expenses: 800,000 won

Phase 2 (Months 4-6): Focus on Emergency fund

• Monthly savings: 1 million won (for emergency fund)
• 3-month accumulation: 3 million won
• Leftover laptop fund 100,000 won added → Emergency fund 3.1 million won
• Remaining goal: 1.9 million won

Phase 3 (Months 7-12): Complete Emergency fund + Travel fund

• Monthly savings: 1.5 million won
• Emergency fund: 500,000 won monthly × 4 months = 2 million won → Emergency fund complete ✓
• Travel fund: 1 million won monthly × 6 months = 6 million won
• But target is 3 million won, so save only 500,000 won monthly

Final Plan:

Period	Laptop	Emergency	Travel	Monthly Savings
1-3 months	700,000	-	-	700,000
4-6 months	Complete	1,000,000	-	1,000,000
7-12 months	Complete	500,000	500,000	1,000,000

Results:

• Laptop: 3 months ✓
• Emergency fund: 9 months (3 months delayed)
• Travel fund: 12 months ✓

💡 Adjustment: Reducing emergency fund from 5 million → 3 million won makes all goals achievable within timeframe!

Conclusion

Savings needs concrete numbers and plans, not vague goals, to succeed. AI simulations make it clear "if it's really possible" and "how to do it," making execution much easier!

In the next post, I'll show you how to get customized advice with specific questions like "how to reduce food expenses this month."

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💡 Today's Tip: Ask Claude "Check my savings progress on the 1st of each month" and it will tell you actual vs. planned performance and encourage you!