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CNET
7 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
ChatGPT Built a Budget for Me ASAP, but It Has Several Limitations
ChatGPT can help you set budget categories, spending limits and savings goals. But it still leaves much to be desired. Getty Images/Zooey Liao/CNET Artificial intelligence can help you manage your money in lots of different ways. It can show you how to cut grocery costs, save for a vacation and even negotiate your bills. But just because it can doesn't necessarily mean it succeeds. And with something as important as your finances, it's essential to know where it falls short. Last year, I asked ChatGPT to help me create a budget, a task that can be tedious and overwhelming. It was useful in some ways, but not so great in others. I tried the experiment again this year, and while I noticed minor improvements -- mainly that icons and improved formatting made the answers more visually appealing -- the overall result was still mixed. Here's how it went. Read more: How to Create and Master Your 2025 Budget Building a budget with ChatGPT These are the steps I took to test ChatGPT's budget-making abilities. 1. State your monthly income, expenses and savings goals To get started, you'll need to give ChatGPT your monthly financial numbers: take-home income, expenses and savings goals. I already have a budget I made using Rocket Money, so to see how ChatGPT builds a budget from scratch, I had it create one for a hypothetical person. My prompt: "My monthly income after taxes is $3,500. Each month, I spend $1,000 on rent, $15 on renters insurance, $100 on utilities, $300 on my car payment, $150 on car insurance, $100 on gas, $200 on my student loans, $40 on my phone bill, $300 on groceries, $100 on personal items and $100 on dining out. I'd also like to put some money toward savings." The result: Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET ChatGPT ran the numbers and told me I'd have $1,095 left each month. I'd intentionally left my savings goals vague to see what ChatGPT would recommend. It suggested ways to allocate this amount toward savings, including building an emergency fund, contributing to retirement savings, paying down debt and making extra student loan payments. It also showed me how I could split my $1,095 between these savings buckets. 2. Clarify and adjust I'd also intentionally left some spending categories out of my initial prompt -- something someone creating a budget for the first time might easily do -- to see if ChatGPT would catch them. It didn't. So I asked it to help me. My prompt: "Have I missed any other common budget categories?" The result: Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET ChatGPT generated a list of potential additions and asked if I wanted it to create a revised budget with placeholders for these categories. The revised budget, including estimates for savings goals and budget categories ChatGPT recommended adding, left me with $5 remaining. That's not a ton of wiggle room, but I could always ask the AI to tweak things to give me a bigger cushion. Pro tip To avoid forgetting expenses, review your bank and credit card statements from the past 12 months to spot your regular monthly, seasonal and annual expenses. 3. Import the data into a spreadsheet There are several ways to track your spending and monitor how well you're sticking to your budget, including budgeting apps and the old paper-and-pencil method. One easy -- and free -- method is to create a spreadsheet, which ChatGPT can also help you with. My prompt: "Create a Google spreadsheet for my budget." The result: ChatGPT created some code I could copy and paste into Google Sheets. Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET It also provided instructions on how to format it. Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET I followed these instructions, but all the data showed up in column A of the spreadsheet, and I couldn't figure out what to do next. I had to ask ChatGPT how to fix this. Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET It was more work than I was hoping to do, and I still had to make some formatting changes to the spreadsheet so it was easier to read. But in the end, I did have a working budget I could adjust as needed. Pros and cons of creating a budget with ChatGPT Using ChatGPT to create a budget was fairly simple. It required some fine-tuning on my part, but overall, the AI's recommendations made sense and were easy to understand. That said, it's not for everyone, and it has its pitfalls. Here's what you should keep in mind. Pros It's free. ChatGPT doesn't cost anything, and neither does Google Sheets if you choose to move your budget numbers there. ChatGPT doesn't cost anything, and neither does Google Sheets if you choose to move your budget numbers there. You can keep it simple. ChatGPT's initial budget suggestions are basic, which can make budgeting more approachable if you're a beginner. You're free to dive deeper into any answer, but you can also use it to create a basic budget to get started. ChatGPT's initial budget suggestions are basic, which can make budgeting more approachable if you're a beginner. You're free to dive deeper into any answer, but you can also use it to create a basic budget to get started. It can help you customize your budget. ChatGPT can suggest everything from how to save on utilities to how much to put toward retirement at various ages. But you need to ask it to do so. It probably won't offer these tips unprompted. Cons Its answers are only as good as your prompts. If you don't word your prompts correctly or you provide incomplete or inaccurate information, ChatGPT's answers won't be as helpful as they could be. For instance, when I omitted some common budget categories, it identified them only when I asked it to. It didn't automatically alert me that I may have left something out. Many budgeting apps offer preset categories you can use as guidance. If you don't word your prompts correctly or you provide incomplete or inaccurate information, ChatGPT's answers won't be as helpful as they could be. For instance, when I omitted some common budget categories, it identified them only when I asked it to. It didn't automatically alert me that I may have left something out. Many budgeting apps offer preset categories you can use as guidance. It's more work on your part. Budgeting apps can import your bank account transactions, sort them into common categories and suggest monthly spending limits based on your past spending. With ChatGPT, you must enter your numbers yourself. And if you move your budget to a spreadsheet, you'll need to manually track each transaction and sort it into the right category, which can be tedious. Budgeting apps can import your bank account transactions, sort them into common categories and suggest monthly spending limits based on your past spending. With ChatGPT, you must enter your numbers yourself. And if you move your budget to a spreadsheet, you'll need to manually track each transaction and sort it into the right category, which can be tedious. It's not suitable for ongoing budget maintenance. ChatGPT can generate your budget, but it won't track your transactions. And if you want to adjust your budget categories, you'll need to do it manually on your spreadsheet or ask the bot to generate a new budget. (Thankfully, ChatGPT saves your previous chats if you're logged in, so you can ask it to tweak the information in your initial chat rather than having to enter everything all over again.) If you want ongoing help managing and maintaining your budget, you're better off with a budgeting app. ChatGPT can generate your budget, but it won't track your transactions. And if you want to adjust your budget categories, you'll need to do it manually on your spreadsheet or ask the bot to generate a new budget. (Thankfully, ChatGPT saves your previous chats if you're logged in, so you can ask it to tweak the information in your initial chat rather than having to enter everything all over again.) If you want ongoing help managing and maintaining your budget, you're better off with a budgeting app. Its answers may vary. I created a couple of budgets in ChatGPT to see how consistent its suggestions were, and its answers differed from chat to chat. If the initial answer ChatGPT gives you is confusing, seems incomplete or doesn't feel right to you, ask it to restate it. I created a couple of budgets in ChatGPT to see how consistent its suggestions were, and its answers differed from chat to chat. If the initial answer ChatGPT gives you is confusing, seems incomplete or doesn't feel right to you, ask it to restate it. Your information is not confidential. Anything you tell ChatGPT could be used to train the AI model, which means it could become publicly available. In addition, ChatGPT is susceptible to hackers and information leaks and doesn't have the security measures you'll find with reputable budgeting apps. You can disable chat history to prevent your info from being used to train the bot, but OpenAI still saves it for up to 30 days. Pro tip Don't give ChatGPT any sensitive financial details, such as your Social Security number or bank account number. If you wouldn't want to see certain personal information published online, don't enter it into your prompts. Tips for using ChatGPT to build a budget AI is powerful, but you need to know how to use it for the best results. Here are some best practices for creating a budget with ChatGPT. Double-check everything. Make sure your prompts have the correct information and that ChatGPT's answers make sense. Do the numbers add up? Do the recommendations seem reasonable? A quick Google search of your question can help you compare ChatGPT's advice against reputable sources. Make sure your prompts have the correct information and that ChatGPT's answers make sense. Do the numbers add up? Do the recommendations seem reasonable? A quick Google search of your question can help you compare ChatGPT's advice against reputable sources. Be specific. The more information the chatbot has, the more fitting its answers will be for your financial situation. Including details like your age, where you live and the hobbies you prioritize spending on can help it customize its recommendations. The more information the chatbot has, the more fitting its answers will be for your financial situation. Including details like your age, where you live and the hobbies you prioritize spending on can help it customize its recommendations. Clarify. Don't hesitate to ask ChatGPT to clarify or reword its answers. It doesn't always state information in a way that's easy to understand. Don't hesitate to ask ChatGPT to clarify or reword its answers. It doesn't always state information in a way that's easy to understand. Drill down. ChatGPT can not only help you create a budget; it can also help you stick to it. For instance, you can ask it how to reduce your phone bill, boost your income or free up more money for savings. ChatGPT can not only help you create a budget; it can also help you stick to it. For instance, you can ask it how to reduce your phone bill, boost your income or free up more money for savings. Adjust. Revisit your budget regularly to make sure it's still serving you well. If anything changes -- for example, you get a side hustle that brings in more income -- update your budget to reflect that. Verdict: Should you use ChatGPT to build a budget? While ChatGPT can help you create a budget, it has plenty of limitations, and there are easier and more effective ways to do it. If you're new to budgeting, simply Googling "basic budget" will give you lots of template ideas and tips. If you'd like more guidance, budgeting apps are designed to do a lot of the work for you and help you stick to your budget on an ongoing basis. That said, ChatGPT can help you with some of the basics you need as you tweak your budget, such as suggesting ways to trim common expenses and how much you should save each month for a particular savings goal. However, you should double-check any advice it gives you on more complex financial topics, such as how much you should put toward retirement for your personal situation. Rocket Money See at Rocket Money Perfect your 2024 budget with CNET's Editors' Choice budgeting app pick
CNET
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
Rocket Money Haggled With Spectrum for Me. Now I Pay Less and Browse Faster
Rocket took a percentage of my savings for its troubles, but for me, it was still worth it. WongBudget surprises are rarely welcome. Which is why I was delighted to find an email in my inbox from my budgeting app, Rocket Money, telling me it had reduced my Spectrum bill and increased my internet speed. Better yet, I didn't even know it was negotiating this deal for me. It had saved me on my Spectrum bill last year when I asked it to, but I hadn't asked it to renegotiate this year. The app just did it and informed me of its success. Here's what happened. Read more: Drowning in Subscriptions? I Saved $400 in 15 Minutes With Rocket Money. Here's How You Can, Too Why did Rocket do this for me? Last year, I asked Rocket's bill negotiation service to lower my Spectrum bill. It succeeded, cutting my cost by $300, or $25 a month for 12 months. As is often the case with expenses like subscriptions, which many of us lose track of, I mentally noted the 12-month deadline and then promptly forgot about it. Fortunately, Rocket did not. When the savings expired this month, Rocket automatically renegotiated my Spectrum bill for the next 12 months, this time netting me $13 off per month for a total of $156 for the year. Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET All told, the budgeting app saved me $456 over two years. Not too shabby, especially considering I didn't even need to do anything this time around. Plus, Rocket upgraded my plan, boosting my internet speed from 600Mbps to 1,000Mbps -- a 66% increase. I received a box from Spectrum with a new modem and instructions to replace my old one. Screenshot by Kelly Ernst/CNET I was already a fan of Rocket Money, which won CNET's 2024 Editors' Choice award for best budgeting app. Getting faster internet at a lower cost is icing on the cake. It wasn't free, but it was still worth it for me Rocket didn't renegotiate my internet bill out of generosity. If its bill negotiation service is successful, it takes a 30% to 60% cut of the amount it saves you. It charged me 30% for both of its Spectrum negotiations. So, it took $90 of last year's $300 savings and $46.80 of this year's $156 savings. I could have contacted Spectrum myself to try to get some savings, but there's no guarantee I would have gotten the same amount. And, more importantly, I simply wouldn't have remembered to do it. So any savings Rocket netted me are a bonus in my mind. Rocket also saved me $400 with its subscription cancellation service last year. To have Rocket cancel your subscriptions for you, you'll need to pay for the premium version of the app, which costs $6 per month. With the free version, you can see a list of your subscriptions and cancel them on your own. One day, when I'm ready to spare a little elbow grease, I might go that route.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
3 Smart Money Moves To Build Wealth During Uncertain Times
Building wealth can be a challenging task, especially in challenging economic times. Recent economic uncertainties —including concerns about job security, rising tariffs, ant the significant increase in the cost of everyday food items like eggs, meat and fish —highlight the urgency of reassessing our financial habits. The current economic climate demands that we become more intentional about how we plan and manage our money to secure a better future and build wealth. While most people would love to have solid finances and secure their long- term financial future, the reality is very different at the moment with 57% of Americans living to paycheck according to a recent MarketWatch report. And, according to a recent Gallop survey, 53% of Americans are now concerned about their financial future, - the highest level recorded since Gallop began tracking this data in 2001. Here are three things that you can implement if you're looking to get a stronger hold on your finances and build wealth despite these challenging times. Young family with cute little baby boy going over finances at home Tracking your spending over the next 30 days can improve your financial health. It can also allow you to pinpoint areas where expenses can be reduced. Common budget drains include unused subscriptions, avoidable fees and charges such credit card interest, overpaying on utilities, cable, phone plans. Apps like Rocket Money and Trim can help you identify and manage unused subscriptions and negotiate bills. Additionally, apps like Empower, You Need a Budget (YNAB), and Monarch can help you take a close look at your expenses and identify where you can reduce your expenses and redirect those savings towards your wealth building goals. You can even take it a step further and budget every dollar to minimize unintentional spending and increase savings. While aggressively paying off debt can contribute to your peace of mind, there are times when a dual approach— paying off debt while also investing in your future— makes better financial sense. If your debt carries an interest rate below 7%, it may be wiser to make regular required payments towards your debt while investing the difference. Historically, the stock market has returned between 7 and 10 % annually and provides a way to build significant wealth over the long-term rather than simply being debt-free or having a zero net worth. Also, prioritizing having an emergency fund of at least six months of living expenses can provide a financial cushion that is crucial in these challenging times. And passing up opportunities such as an employer 401K match or investment opportunities during market downturns to solely focus on getting out of debt can be detrimental to your financial future. Additionally, it's important to start investing by using tax-advantages accounts like 401Ks, 403bs, IRAs to ensure that you are minimizing your tax burden, which will in turn give you more money to invest and provide a bigger opportunity to build wealth. In many cases, investing the difference between your required low interest debt payments and any remaining funds can make a huge difference in your long-term wealth. A couple of young businessmen are astounded by the profits coming in. The S&P 500 dropped by 4.84% on April 3rd, 2025, and by another 5.97% on April 4th, 2025, This year, we witnessed the sharpest declines in the S&P 500 and NASDQ since the COVID-19 crash. Yet by mid-May 2025, the market had rebounded and had regained all its April losses. This pattern shows why it is important to continue to invest even during market downturns, when the market can provide opportunities to buy quality investments at lower prices. This year, we are likely to see more volatility in the market, but that doesn't mean you should step back. It's extremely difficult to time the market. That's why it's wise to dollar cost average into good companies, it will pay off in the long run. Asset allocation dividing an investment portfolio among different asset categories. Diversifying your investments is important in any economic environment, but it's even more important during periods of high market volatility like what we've experienced so far in 2025. For instance, if all your money was invested in Nvidia prior to March 31st, your portfolio would have experienced a drop of 14.7% during those same two highly volatile days of April 2025. In contrast, if your money was spread across a total market ETF like VTI or a VOO, your portfolio would have temporarily declined — by 10.3 and 10.7%, a less severe drop. Diversifying your investments and including low-cost index funds as part of your investment strategy is always wise. If a recession were to hit, no one could predict which stock will thrive 15 years from now —but 100 year of history shows that the broader market tends to recover and grow over time by 7 to 10 % every year on average. By spreading your investments across the market, and into alternative assets like real estate, you can reduce risk, manage volatility, and build a solid path to long-term wealth. Regardless of your current situation is, it's beneficial to closely examine your spending to reduce waste, implement a debt repayment strategy that also optimizes wealth building, and review your investment approach to put enough emphasis on diversification.
CNET
27-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
PocketGuard Review for 2025
If you're looking for a budgeting app, there's a good chance you've come across PocketGuard in your search. It's been around since 2015, and it's gained plenty of fans over the years, with high praise from Android and iPhone users alike. Like Rocket Money, PocketGuard is a great fit for the average budgeter, with a range of features, ease of use and an affordable price. Where it stands out the most is with its debt planning feature, which can help you create a strategy to pay off your outstanding balances. Is PocketGuard the right budgeting tool for you? We took it for a test drive to help you decide. 8.8 PocketGuard Buy at PocketGuard Like Debt payoff planning Debt payoff planning Added security layer Added security layer Bill negotiation Bill negotiation Personal finance education Don't like Limited trial period Limited trial period No subscription cancellation No subscription cancellation Unclear data privacy and marketing policies How does PocketGuard work? David McMillin/CNET PocketGuard works like most budgeting apps: You can link your checking, savings, investment and credit card accounts using Plaid and Finicity to import your data in just a few seconds, without sharing your account numbers or sensitive information. PocketGuard automatically sorts some of your transactions into spending categories, but I had to sort many of mine manually. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Taking extra time to think about where your cash is going can help you manage your money better. You can also label your recurring charges, set up savings goals and do all the usual budgeting actions that come with most other budgeting apps. The most valuable feature of PocketGuard is its debt payoff tool, which can help you create a payment plan, calculate how much interest you'll pay and track your progress. I was disappointed that the app didn't encourage me to see if I could set aside even more to pay down my credit card balance. If you want an app that can challenge you to be a better budgeter -- and hold you accountable to your goals -- you might consider Cleo. What we like David McMillin/CNET Debt payoff planning: Debt can be overwhelming, and PocketGuard can help you create a strategy to tackle yours. Many budgeting apps don't offer this feature. Debt can be overwhelming, and PocketGuard can help you create a strategy to tackle yours. Many budgeting apps don't offer this feature. Extra security layer: PocketGuard requires a unique PIN to access your account, and it also offers facial and fingerprint recognition to sign in. This can give you peace of mind that your financial information won't slip into the wrong hands -- even if you lose your phone. PocketGuard requires a unique PIN to access your account, and it also offers facial and fingerprint recognition to sign in. This can give you peace of mind that your financial information won't slip into the wrong hands -- even if you lose your phone. Bill negotiation services: PocketGuard will automatically try to score some savings on recurring bills such as your cable, home security and mobile phone. If the company successfully lowers your bill, it'll take 40% of the savings. (Rocket Money also offers this service and charges 30% to 60% of your first year's savings.) PocketGuard will automatically try to score some savings on recurring bills such as your cable, home security and mobile phone. If the company successfully lowers your bill, it'll take 40% of the savings. (Rocket Money also offers this service and charges 30% to 60% of your first year's savings.) Personal finance education: The app includes a free, 20-minute, self-guided tutorial that covers different approaches to budgeting, debt management, goal setting and more. While the information is pretty basic, it's helpful for anyone in the early stages of creating a money plan. What we didn't like Limited trial period: PocketGuard's free trial period is only seven days, which isn't a ton time to see if the app fits your needs. I recommend opting for the monthly billing option initially if you decide to pay for the app. While it's more expensive at $12.99 per month, you don't want to lock yourself into the $74.99 annual cost without being confident you'll actually use the app. PocketGuard has a free version, but it's pretty barebones. PocketGuard's free trial period is only seven days, which isn't a ton time to see if the app fits your needs. I recommend opting for the monthly billing option initially if you decide to pay for the app. While it's more expensive at $12.99 per month, you don't want to lock yourself into the $74.99 annual cost without being confident you'll actually use the app. PocketGuard has a free version, but it's pretty barebones. No subscription cancellation service: The app can show you your recurring subscriptions and provide instructions to cancel them, but you'll need to do the legwork. Rocket Money, on the other hand, can identify and cancel your subscriptions for you. The app can show you your recurring subscriptions and provide instructions to cancel them, but you'll need to do the legwork. Rocket Money, on the other hand, can identify and cancel your subscriptions for you. Unclear data privacy and marketing policies: PocketGuard states, 'We don't sell your data, we don't show ads and we earn our money exclusively by selling subscriptions and better service.' However, the company's privacy policy includes disclaimers about using your financial information to generate offers for products and services from its marketing partners. When I started using the app, I had to ask it not to track my activity across other websites. Is PocketGuard safe? PocketGuard checks all the boxes when it comes to keeping your data safe. The company uses 256-bit SSL encryption, and it goes a step beyond many other budgeting apps by asking you to create a unique PIN for account access. You can also enable facial and fingerprint recognition for an added layer of protection. Who is PocketGuard best suited for? PocketGuard is a solid pick if you're juggling multiple credit card balances and want an easy way to create a payment plan and monitor your progress. Alternatives to the PocketGuard budgeting app If you're considering PocketGuard, make sure you also check out Rocket Money, which was CNET Editors' Choice pick for the best overall budgeting app in 2024. Rocket Money is equally easy to use, has a lower price point and provides all the basic budgeting features you need. It offers a free subscription cancellation service and credit score monitoring, but it lacks PocketGuard's debt payoff tool. Check out our best budgeting apps roundup for other options worth exploring. FAQ How much does PocketGuard cost? PocketGuard has two pricing tiers, one for $12.99 per month or another for $74.99 per year. Is PocketGuard worth paying for? If you want help creating a plan to get out of debt, PocketGuard can be well worth the cost. According to the company's statistics, it's helped users pay off more than $90 million in debt. And if you have a maze of bills and subscriptions, the app can help you negotiate some of those costs or show you how to cancel the service altogether. Is PocketGuard or Rocket Money better? It depends on what you need from a budgeting app. Both apps have similar features and pricing models, although Rocket Money is a bit cheaper. However, PocketGuard has the edge for users who want help paying off debt.
Business Insider
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The very first thing to do if you want to spend less, according to financial planners
Even if you know you need to spend less, it can be hard to know where to start. Learning how to budget can be overwhelming without guidance, and not going in with a strong plan can lead to frustration and difficulty sticking to your goals. Business Insider asked CFP® professionals what their first response would be if their clients asked them how to spend less. Their responses fell into three major groups, all focused on understanding how you can make your budget work for your savings goals. Understand your motivation to spend less When asked the first thing they'd say if a client wanted to know how to cut spending, multiple financial planners said they would first want to dive into the client's motivations. Understanding your motivations will not only keep you dedicated to spending less, but it will also help you determine what cost-cutting steps you should take going forward. "I think understanding the why is really important, right?" says Christopher Stroup, CFP® professional, founder and financial advisor at Silicon Beach Financial. Stroup says the cause could be credit card debt, a dwindling bank balance, or just wanting to be more proactive about saving. "Ask what's behind their reason for that, so we can better understand what to do next." Once you have a firm grasp of why you want to save, you can start diving into your current spending habits. See if your current spending matches your priorities Before you can start cutting down on expenses, you need to know what expenses there are to cut. "The first thing I tell them is to understand what they're spending now; to really get clear on, OK, what are you currently doing? Let's make a list," says Angela Moore, CFP® professional, financial guide at Fruitful. She says that doing this can help you spot easy places you can save, whether by cutting subscriptions you aren't using or negotiating bills down. Valerie Rivera, CFP® professional, founder of First Gen Wealth, says it's important to review your spending and make sure it's aligned with your priorities. "So I ask them, do you feel like, now that you've reviewed your spending, that your money is going to where you prioritize? And a lot of times, what I hear is, 'Oh my goodness, no, I had no idea that I was spending this much on takeout.'" If you're struggling to know where to start on sorting your spending, a budgeting app can help. Apps like Rocket Money, Monarch Money, or the YNAB App can auto-sort your expenses and categorize them for you. You'll probably have to go through and manually sort your expenses afterward, but budgeting apps give you a place to start if you're overwhelmed. Apps like Rocket Money even offer concierge services, which will do things like cancel subscriptions or negotiate bills for you. These services come with fees, so you'll have to decide whether those fees are worth the money you'll save. You'll also want to consider whether you're willing to pay money for a budgeting app, or if you'll want to use a free one. Free budgeting apps are hard to find, but many apps, including the YNAB App and Monarch Money, offer free trials. If you just need help getting started, you could start a free trial with one of these apps and copy the information into a Microsoft Excel sheet before the trial is done. Choose one or two areas to focus on cutting spending in your budget Once you know what you're spending on, you'll need to actually start cutting spending. Adrianna Adams, CFP® professional, head of financial planning at Domain Money, says that once you know what you're spending on, it's time to choose one or two places to cut spending. "The very first thing is you have to do a deep dive of where your money is going, because you need to pick one or two things to focus on," says Adams. "When clients just try to pare back everything, it's very hard to really make any habitual changes," she adds. Choosing budgeting areas to concentrate your energy on also lets you keep discretionary expenses that are meaningful to you while cutting spending in areas that aren't as important.
