Promptly save a fortune: Tips and tricks that will help propel you ahead

Doesn’t it seem like a different lifetime when we didn’t have to worry about maxing out our LLM tokens? After hitting my limit repeatedly, I decided to figure out some hacks. And they are surprisingly simple.

On a long road trip, you don’t leave the engine running while you stop for coffee. You don’t take detours without reason. LLM tokens work similarly. You have a tank. Every word in and every word out draws it down.

So, here are six habits that changed how I drive.


Tokens are the new fuel. Here are your LLM mileage hacks

Store your context, don’t repeat it: Many users re-explain their role, company and tone every single session. Create a reusable context note once and paste it at the start. Stop refuelling from zero every morning.

Order the answer, not essay: AI defaults to thoroughness the way a consultant defaults to a 40-slide deck. Add “3 sentences max” or “decision points” to prompt. You’re paying per kilometre—don’t take the scenic route.

Paste smart, not everything: Before dumping a 30-page report into the chat, ask what you actually need from it. Paste the relevant section. If the full document must go in once, ask AI to compress it into a working brief—then use that brief.

Edit surgically, don’t restart: When a response is 70% right, don’t hit regenerate and hope. Be precise: “Keep the structure, rewrite only a paragraph or two, make it sharper.”

Match the engine to the road: Taking your most powerful model to draft a meeting invite is like driving a truck to pick up groceries. Lighter models handle summaries, formatting and simple drafts just fine. Save the heavy engine for strategy, synthesis, and complex reasoning.

Plan the journey before you leave: Every casual follow-up question is an unplanned detour. Before opening a chat, spend 60 seconds deciding what you need at the destination recommendation, options, risks, or a draft. Good drivers don’t think about fuel constantly.

Parminder Singh is the CEO of Reliance Enterprise Intelligence (REIL) and cofounder of two AI ventures—ClayboxAI and WeKamp. For feedback, please email to eteyeonai@timesofindia.com