Burlington residents plan holiday budgets with AI tools

Holiday spending covers more than gifts and food, and the extra costs pile up across November and December. Cherry Dale, vice president of financial education at Virginia Credit Union, said the first move is a written list, made before anyone opens an AI tool like ChatGPT or Claude.

Dale said the list should cover travel, decorations, gifts and hosting costs planned for November and December. AI can organize that budget, but she said not to enter a name, banking details or other personal information. Generic details still work: she gave an example of asking for a traditional Thanksgiving meal budget for eight people, six adults and two children, and the tool returns an approximate cost per person.

Dale said AI can also suggest a menu and grocery list, or find gift ideas that fit a set amount. She suggested asking for a gift under $10 for a child interested in piano, theater or sports, and the tool returns specific suggestions that stay inside the budget. For people who want to spend less, Dale said a gift of time or a shared experience can carry more meaning than a purchased item.

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