In an inspiring example of how artificial intelligence can assist in everyday life, a woman from the United States has successfully cleared nearly Rs 20 lakh worth of credit card debt — with the help of ChatGPT.
The Woman Behind the Story
Jennifer Allan, a 35-year-old realtor and digital content creator from Delaware, revealed that despite earning well, she had always struggled with money management. “Not because I don’t make enough, but because I was never taught financial literacy,” she told Newsweek.
Her financial troubles worsened after the birth of her daughter. Medical emergencies and parenting expenses forced her to rely on credit cards just to make ends meet. “We weren’t living lavishly. We were just surviving. But the debt piled up while I wasn’t looking,” Allan said.
Turning to ChatGPT for Help
Seeking a way out, Allan decided to run a 30-day personal finance challenge — guided entirely by ChatGPT. Every day, she asked the AI for one simple, actionable step to reduce her debt.
The AI helped her brainstorm side-income ideas, cancel unused subscriptions, identify hidden funds, and reduce daily expenses.
Small Steps, Big Results
One day, ChatGPT prompted her to check all her finance apps and bank accounts. To her surprise, she found over $10,000 (Rs 8.5 lakh) in unclaimed money, including a dormant brokerage account.
On another day, she switched to a pantry-only meal plan, saving nearly Rs 50,000 on her monthly grocery bills.
By the end of the challenge, she had paid off $12,078 (roughly Rs 10.3 lakh) — nearly half of her total debt.
‘I Stopped Being Afraid of My Numbers’
Allan says the challenge wasn’t some dramatic financial hack — it was about discipline, tracking her progress, and staying consistent. “It was the act of facing it every day, of tracking it, talking about it, looking at it. I stopped being afraid of my numbers,” she said.
She now plans to launch another 30-day challenge to clear the remaining debt.
Rising Debt, Rising Awareness
Her story comes at a time when the US is facing a personal debt crisis — household debt hit a record $18.2 trillion (over Rs 1,500 lakh crore) in early 2025, as per the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
But Jennifer's journey offers hope. Her message to others:
“Don’t wait until you feel ready or smart enough to start. You don’t have to know all the answers, you just have to stop pretending it’s not happening.”
