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20 Useful AI Prompts for Everyday Life (Copy and Paste)

6 min read · Updated 13 November 2026

Ready-to-use prompts for ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Claude to help with emails, money admin, cooking, job hunting, learning and more.

If you've tried an AI chatbot and weren't sure what to ask, these prompts are a good starting point. Copy one, fill in the parts in [square brackets], and adjust the answer with follow-up messages. They work with any of the main chatbots. New to AI? Read our beginner's guide first, and remember not to paste in personal details like bank numbers or passwords.

Emails and letters

  1. "Write a polite but firm email to [company] about [problem]. I first contacted them on [date]. I'd like [outcome] by [date]. Keep it under 200 words."
  2. "Rewrite this message so it sounds friendlier and more professional: [paste text]"
  3. "I've received this letter. Explain in plain English what it means and what I need to do: [paste text, with personal details removed]"
  4. "Write a short, warm thank-you message to [person] for [reason]."

Money and household admin

  1. "Help me build a simple monthly budget. My income is about £[amount] and my regular costs are [list]. Suggest categories and where I might save."
  2. "What questions should I ask before switching [energy / broadband / mobile] provider?"
  3. "Create a checklist for moving house in the UK, ordered by weeks before the move."

AI can help you organise your thinking about money, but it isn't a financial adviser. Check anything important with an official source.

Food and cooking

  1. "I have [list ingredients]. Suggest three dinners I can make in under 30 minutes."
  2. "Plan five cheap, healthy family dinners for this week and give me one combined shopping list."
  3. "Turn this recipe for 4 people into a recipe for 2: [paste recipe]"

Jobs and careers

  1. "Here is a job advert and my CV. List the skills the employer wants and how my CV could show them better: [paste both, with your contact details removed]"
  2. "Ask me 10 likely interview questions for a [job title] role, one at a time, and give feedback on my answers."
  3. "Write a short LinkedIn summary for someone with experience in [field] who wants to move into [new field]."

Learning something new

  1. "Explain [topic] as if I'm a complete beginner, then give me a five-question quiz to check I understood."
  2. "Create a 4-week study plan for [exam or skill], 30 minutes a day."
  3. "What are the most common mistakes beginners make when learning [skill]?"

Planning and ideas

  1. "Suggest 10 gift ideas under £[amount] for a [age]-year-old who likes [interests]."
  2. "Plan a relaxed day out in [UK town or city] for a family with two young children, with a rainy-day backup."
  3. "I keep putting off [task]. Break it into small steps I can do in 15 minutes each."
  4. "Here's my plan: [describe]. What problems or risks might I have missed?"

Make any prompt better

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