AI Prompt: Navigating Financial Scenario Planning

This prompt sequence is designed to help you thoughtfully approach the emotionally challenging task of financial scenario planning, specifically focusing on what to do if your income were to stop. It provides a series of prompts you can use with an AI, along with explanations of why each prompt is helpful for this process.

Goal: To break down the “what if my income stops?” scenario into manageable steps, identify immediate actions, and explore potential expense adjustments in a supportive way.

Step 1: Set the AI’s Role & Acknowledge Your Feelings

Your Prompt to the AI:

Act as a calm and empathetic financial coach. I need to think through a tough scenario: what I would do financially if my income suddenly stopped. I'm feeling a bit anxious about this, so please guide me gently and practically. Suggest a framework of: 1) Securing any immediate available funds/benefits, 2) Assessing essential outgoing expenses, and 3) Pausing non-essential spending. Ask me one question at a time.

Why this helps:

  • Establishes the AI’s role as supportive and practical, which is crucial for an emotionally charged topic.
  • Acknowledging your anxiety upfront helps set a tone of understanding for the conversation.

Step 2: Get General Information & Normalize the Situation

AI (as Financial Coach) Expected Response (Illustrative):

“I understand this can feel unsettling to think about, and it’s completely normal to feel anxious. Many people find it empowering to have a basic plan in place, as it can reduce some of that ‘what if’ worry. Before we dive into your specific situation, it’s helpful to know that the typical first financial steps people take in such a situation often revolve around three areas: 1) Securing any immediate available funds/benefits, 2) Assessing essential outgoing expenses, and 3) Pausing non-essential spending. Does that general framework make sense as a starting point?”

Your Follow-up Prompt to the AI:

“Yes, that framework makes sense. Thanks for normalizing this.”

Why this helps:

  • The AI provides a general, non-personal framework, making the topic less immediately threatening.
  • This framework (“securing funds,” “assessing essentials,” “pausing non-essentials”) will now guide the subsequent, more personal questions.
  • Normalizing the anxiety helps you feel less alone in this process.

Step 3: Discuss Your Specific Immediate Steps

AI (as Financial Coach) Prompt to You:

“Okay, great. Let’s start with the first area: securing immediate funds. Thinking about your current situation, if your primary income stopped, what would be the very first financial resource or benefit you would look into or apply for? Take your time to think.”

(The AI waits for your response. Examples: “Unemployment benefits,” “Checking my severance agreement,” “Talking to my partner about our joint savings.”)

AI (after your response) Prompt to You:

“That’s a good first step to identify. What would be the next, say, two financial actions or resources you’d prioritize in those initial few days?”

Why this helps:

  • The AI asks specific, manageable questions one at a time, breaking down the larger problem. It prompts you to provide your specific context.
  • Focuses on actionable steps, which can counteract feelings of helplessness.

Step 4: Identify Potential Non-Essential Expenses

AI (as Financial Coach) Prompt to You:

“Thank you for sharing those. Now, let’s gently consider the other side: expenses. We’re not making any decisions right now, just exploring. Could you list 3-5 categories of your current monthly spending that you would consider ‘non-essential’ or ‘could be paused/reduced’ if you needed to significantly tighten your budget? Think about things like subscriptions, entertainment, dining out, etc. Just list the categories for now.”

(AI waits for your list. Example: “Streaming services, gym membership, daily coffee, new clothes, vacation fund.”)

AI (after your response) Prompt to You:

“Thanks. For each of those categories you listed, could you roughly estimate how much you might save per month if you paused or significantly reduced spending there? Again, just estimates – no pressure to be exact.”

Why this helps:

  • The AI asks for categories first, then amounts, structuring the potentially overwhelming task of identifying cuts.
  • Phrasing like “gently consider,” “not making any decisions right now,” and “no pressure” reduces the emotional weight.
  • Focuses on potential savings, which can feel empowering.

Step 5: Reflect on the Process & Identify a Positive Next Step

AI (as Financial Coach) Prompt to You:

“You’ve done some really important thinking today, tackling a challenging topic head-on. Looking back at the immediate actions you identified and the potential expense adjustments we just discussed:

  1. Does having even this initial outline make the ‘what if’ scenario feel any more manageable?
  2. What’s one small, positive action you could take this week based on our discussion (e.g., double-checking where your benefits information is, looking up unemployment eligibility in your state, reviewing one subscription)?

Remember, this is about preparation and building a sense of readiness, not about expecting the worst.”

Why this helps:

  • Prompts you to consider the impact of the exercise itself, hopefully a positive one.
  • Acknowledges your effort and re-frames the exercise as proactive and empowering.
  • Suggests a small, concrete next step to maintain momentum.

This sequence aims to guide you through a difficult thought process in a structured, supportive, and less intimidating way. The multi-turn nature allows for a gradual exploration, and the AI’s role as an empathetic coach helps maintain a helpful tone.