Using Computer AI Programs to Save Time and Money
I have become a big fan of using AI in many different ways. Two of the programs I have used a lot recently are ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. I find it amazing that these AI programs can go out and "read" thousands of sources and give you a best educated answer. That is some real power and what wonderful tools.
I have been using ChatGPT to help me program a spreadsheet in Google Sheets. I just tell ChatGPT what I want to accomplish, and it writes the code for me. I test out that code and make changes as needed, but it has saved me countless hours in writing code myself.
The other day, we were having some questions about whether or not our oven was working correctly. It appeared to be taking a lot longer than normal to cook some of our food. For example, we bought a ready to bake pizza at
WalMart, and it took 25 minutes to cook instead of the 15 minutes on the box instructions. From the start, I told Dear Wife that I thought 15 minutes was not going to be long enough because she bought a thick stuffed crust pizza, and I suspect the instructions on the box were for a thin crust pizza.
I asked Microsoft Copilot if there was an easy way to check the oven temperature setting for accuracy. Not only did it outline a procedure to test the oven heat, but it told me that my oven has an option to adjust the heat calibration if it is slightly off. I did not know that. So, I got a link to the owner's manual .pdf file of my model and read up on how to make any adjustments to the thermostat settings, if needed.
Fortunately, the initial test showed that our oven was spot on the heat setting, so I did not have to make any adjustments. Point is, we thought our oven was failing but Microsoft Copilot was able to walk me though a simple testing and informed me that I could make adjustments to the oven setting if needed.
I also used a combination of ChatGPT and YouTube videos to troubleshoot our hot water heater a few months ago. I fixed the problem with a few replacement parts that had failed and everything is still working today. I saved money on that repair because I learned how to test the elements and thermostats before replacing everything. One thermostat had failed, but I ended up replacing both as a set which was recommended in the instructions. Much, much less expensive than having to call in a plumber for a service call.

If you have not tried out these new powerful AI tools, you might want to give them a try. In my case, it has helped me save both time and money on home repairs and other interests.