Teach yourself a few new tricks, five at a time
Welcome to New Tricks Tuesday! Every Tuesday, you get five practical things an AI chatbot can do for you, with step-by-step directions and a prompt you can copy and paste. Everything here works on the free versions. No credit card, no jargon. And yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
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Issue #1: this week's five tricks
- Bedtime Stories Starring Your Grandkids
Tell the AI your grandkids' names, what they're into (dinosaurs, ballet, monster trucks), and the name of the family dog. Thirty seconds later you have a brand-new bedtime story where they're the heroes. Read it on a video call, or record yourself reading it so they can hear Grandma or Grandpa any night of the week.
- Plan the Trip Around Your Knees, Not Just the Map
A Michigan fall-color weekend, a long-promised trip to see the grandkids, or the big bucket-list one. Tell the AI your budget, how far you like to walk, and that you'd like a nap at 2 p.m., thank you very much. It'll draft a relaxed, realistic day-by-day plan.
- The Second Opinion for Sketchy Emails
Got a message saying your account is “suspended” or a package is “on hold”? Paste it into a free AI and ask it to play fraud investigator. It'll point out the red flags and tell you how to check safely, without clicking a single link.
- Snap a Photo, Get a Plain-English Translation
That Medicare Summary Notice, insurance explanation, or bill full of codes? Take a picture of it and ask the AI what it actually says, whether you owe anything, and what (if anything) you need to do. It's like having a patient friend who reads fine print for fun.
- What's for Dinner? Ask the Fridge.
Half a bag of spinach, three eggs, some leftover rice, and no ideas? List what you've got (or just say it out loud) and the AI will suggest three simple dinners, adjusted for low-salt, diabetic-friendly, or easy-to-chew if you ask. Fewer wasted groceries, fewer “cereal for dinner” nights.
Just for fun: this week's silly prompt
No lesson here, just a good way to see what these things can do. Copy it into any free AI and enjoy.
Write a dramatic, heartbroken breakup letter from me to my TV remote, which keeps hiding in the couch cushions. Write it in the style of an old-fashioned soap opera. Keep it under 150 words, and end with a P.S. where I take it all back.
More guides
- Walk Into the Doctor's Office With a Game Plan
Appointments go fast, and the best questions always show up in the parking lot afterward. Tell the AI what's going on, and it'll help you make a short, prioritized list of questions to bring along, so you leave with answers instead of regrets.
- Find the Right Words When It Matters
A toast at a grandchild's wedding, a few words at a retirement party, or a eulogy for an old friend. Give the AI your true stories and it'll help shape them into something that sounds like you on your best day. The memories are yours; it just helps with the arranging.
The four free AI helpers
You only need one. ChatGPT and Gemini work right away, no account needed (signing in just saves your history and unlocks a few extras). Claude and Copilot ask you to sign in with a free account before you can chat. Here's what each free plan really offers (checked October 13, 2026):
| AI helper | Type this into your browser | Free plan, honestly |
|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini | gemini.google.com | Free, and works without signing in. Signing in with a Google (Gmail) account is optional; it saves your chat history. Lets you attach photos, up to 10 per message. Google doesn't publish exact free limits; they refresh every few hours. |
| ChatGPT | chatgpt.com | Free, and works without signing in. A free account is optional; it saves your chats and unlocks extras like the read-aloud button. Unlimited everyday text chat, but only 3 file or photo uploads per day, and voice chat is limited (OpenAI doesn't say how many minutes). |
| Claude | claude.ai | Free, but you must sign in with a free account before you can chat. Photos and voice work on the free plan, but there's an overall usage cap that resets every 5 hours. |
| Microsoft Copilot | copilot.com | Free, but you must sign in with a free Microsoft, Google, or Apple account before you can chat. Microsoft has been redesigning the app, so screens may look different. |
Three privacy rules to live by
- Never type or photograph your Social Security number, Medicare number, bank or credit card numbers, or passwords into an AI chat. Cover them up first.
- Double-check health and money advice with a real professional: your doctor, pharmacist, plan, bank, or accountant. AI is a helpful starting point, not the final word.
- AI can sound confident and still be wrong. If something seems off, ask it “Are you sure? How do you know?” and check another source.