10 OpenClaw Automations That Save 20+ Hours Per Week
A Reddit user described their first week with OpenClaw: "Getting it set up was harder than anyone on social media is admitting. But once it works, it's like having a second brain with hands."
The problem with most OpenClaw coverage? It's either hype or handwaving. "It can do everything!" doesn't help you figure out what to actually automate first.
This is a list of 10 real automations people are running right now - with the actual API costs and how to eliminate them with free credits from AI Perks.
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
1. Inbox Zero on Autopilot
What it does: OpenClaw monitors your Gmail continuously. It categorizes every incoming email by urgency, unsubscribes from dormant newsletters, archives spam, and drafts replies for anything flagged as important.
Real result: One user reported OpenClaw clearing 6,000 emails on day one. Multiple users save 2-3 hours daily on email management alone.
How to set it up: Connect the Gmail skill during onboarding and tell OpenClaw:
Monitor my inbox. Archive newsletters I haven't opened in 3 months. Flag emails from clients or containing "urgent" and summarize them for me. Draft replies for flagged emails and send them for my approval.
Monthly API cost: $50-$100 → $0 with free credits from AI Perks
Time saved: 10-15 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
2. Morning Briefing Delivered to WhatsApp
What it does: Every morning at your chosen time, OpenClaw sends a summary of your day - calendar events, pending tasks, urgent emails, weather, and relevant news - directly to WhatsApp or Telegram.
Real result: Users report starting their day with a clear plan instead of spending 30 minutes scanning apps and inboxes.
How to set it up:
Every morning at 7am, send me a briefing: today's calendar events, any emails received overnight that need attention, weather forecast for my location, and top 3 news headlines in my industry.
Monthly API cost: $15-$30 → $0 with free credits
Time saved: 2-3 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
3. Social Media Scheduling and Posting
What it does: OpenClaw drafts posts based on your content calendar or topics you specify, schedules them, and posts to Twitter/X and Bluesky. It can also monitor engagement and suggest follow-up content.
Real result: Content creators and small businesses report automating their entire social media workflow - from ideation to posting - through a Telegram chat.
How to set it up:
Every Monday, draft 5 tweets for the week about [your topic]. Show me the drafts for approval. Once approved, schedule them for Tuesday through Saturday at 10am.
Monthly API cost: $30-$80 → $0 with free credits from AI Perks
Time saved: 3-5 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
4. Automated Travel Research and Booking
What it does: OpenClaw searches flights, compares prices, checks you in for flights automatically, and manages your travel schedule. It uses browser automation to navigate airline websites and booking platforms.
Real result: One documented case showed OpenClaw automatically checking a user in for flights without any prompting - it knew the travel schedule from calendar integration and acted proactively.
How to set it up:
When I tell you I need to travel somewhere, search for the cheapest direct flights on the dates I specify. Present top 3 options with prices and times. Also, whenever I have an upcoming flight on my calendar, check me in 24 hours before departure.
Monthly API cost: $20-$50 → $0 with free credits
Time saved: 1-2 hours/week (more during heavy travel periods)
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
5. DevOps and GitHub Automation
What it does: OpenClaw monitors your GitHub repositories, reviews pull requests, runs automated checks, manages CI/CD pipelines, and handles routine DevOps tasks - all triggered by webhooks or scheduled cron jobs.
Real result: Developer teams using OpenClaw for DevOps report it running overnight builds, flagging failed tests, and preparing morning summaries of repository activity.
How to set it up:
Monitor my GitHub repository [repo-name]. When a new pull request is opened, review the code changes and post a summary comment. If CI fails, analyze the error log and suggest a fix. Every morning, send me a report of yesterday's commits, open PRs, and any failing tests.
Monthly API cost: $100-$300 → $0 with free credits from AI Perks
Time saved: 5-8 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
6. Web Research and Competitive Intelligence
What it does: OpenClaw uses browser automation to visit competitor websites, track pricing changes, monitor industry news, and compile research reports - all delivered to your messaging app.
Real result: E-commerce operators use this to monitor competitor pricing daily without hiring a research assistant. One user automated their entire product research workflow.
How to set it up:
Every day at 9am, check [competitor-url-1] and [competitor-url-2] for any pricing changes on [product category]. Compare with our current prices. If any competitor is more than 10% cheaper, alert me immediately with the details.
Monthly API cost: $50-$150 → $0 with free credits
Time saved: 3-5 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
7. File Organization and Backup Monitoring
What it does: OpenClaw scans your file system on a schedule, organizes files by type, cleans up old downloads, and verifies that cloud backups are in sync.
Real result: One user reported OpenClaw scanning local drives against cloud backups, identifying missing files, and handling the transfers automatically.
How to set it up:
Every evening at 6pm: move images from Downloads to Pictures, PDFs to Documents, and code files to Projects. Delete anything in Downloads older than 30 days. Also, check if my Documents folder is fully synced with my cloud backup and report any discrepancies.
Monthly API cost: $10-$25 → $0 with free credits from AI Perks
Time saved: 1-2 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
8. Meeting Prep and Follow-Up
What it does: Before each meeting on your calendar, OpenClaw pulls relevant emails, past meeting notes, and background information on attendees. After the meeting, it can send follow-up emails based on your summary.
Real result: Consultants and salespeople use this to walk into every meeting fully prepared without spending 30 minutes on manual research per meeting.
How to set it up:
30 minutes before every meeting on my calendar, send me a briefing: who I'm meeting with, any recent emails from them, relevant notes from Notion, and their LinkedIn summary if available. After the meeting, when I send you a summary, draft and send follow-up emails to attendees.
Monthly API cost: $40-$100 → $0 with free credits
Time saved: 3-5 hours/week
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
9. Smart Home and Daily Routine
What it does: OpenClaw integrates with smart home devices and productivity apps to automate your daily routine - lights, thermostat, music, reminders, and more.
Real result: Users combine OpenClaw with Apple HomeKit, Spotify, and Sonos to create morning routines that trigger automatically: lights on, coffee machine starts, morning playlist plays, daily briefing delivered.
How to set it up:
Every weekday at 6:30am: turn on the living room lights to 50%, start my morning playlist on Spotify, and send me today's briefing. At 10pm: turn off all lights, set thermostat to 65°F, and send me tomorrow's preview.
Monthly API cost: $15-$30 → $0 with free credits from AI Perks
Time saved: 1 hour/week (plus quality of life improvement)
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
10. Automated Negotiation and Shopping
What it does: This is the wildest real-world use case. OpenClaw uses browser automation to negotiate prices, find deals, handle comparison shopping, and even interact with customer service chatbots on your behalf.
Real result: An OpenClaw agent negotiated a $4,200 discount on a car purchase. The agent researched market prices, compared dealer offers, and communicated with multiple dealerships - though it couldn't complete the final payment (crypto rails aren't there yet).
Another user automated grocery ordering with weekly meal planning. OpenClaw plans meals, generates shopping lists, and places orders through delivery apps.
How to set it up:
I'm looking to buy [product/service]. Research the best deals online, compare at least 5 options, and present a summary with prices and ratings. If any vendor offers a chat or email negotiation option, try to get a better price.
Monthly API cost: $20-$80 → $0 with free credits
Time saved: 2-4 hours/week (plus direct savings from better deals)
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
Total Time and Cost Savings
| Automation | Weekly Hours Saved | Monthly API Cost | With AI Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbox Zero | 10-15 hrs | $50-$100 | $0 |
| Morning Briefing | 2-3 hrs | $15-$30 | $0 |
| Social Media | 3-5 hrs | $30-$80 | $0 |
| Travel Booking | 1-2 hrs | $20-$50 | $0 |
| DevOps/GitHub | 5-8 hrs | $100-$300 | $0 |
| Web Research | 3-5 hrs | $50-$150 | $0 |
| File Organization | 1-2 hrs | $10-$25 | $0 |
| Meeting Prep | 3-5 hrs | $40-$100 | $0 |
| Smart Home | 1 hr | $15-$30 | $0 |
| Shopping/Negotiation | 2-4 hrs | $20-$80 | $0 |
| Total | 31-49 hrs/week | $350-$945/month | $0 |
Running all 10 automations would cost $4,200-$11,340 per year in API fees. Or $0 with free credits from AI Perks.
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
How to Get Free Credits for All These Automations
AI Perks provides access to every major AI credit program:
| Credit Program | Available Credits |
|---|---|
| Anthropic Claude | $1,000 - $25,000 |
| OpenAI GPT-4 | $500 - $50,000 |
| AWS Activate | $1,000 - $100,000 |
| Google Cloud | $1,000 - $350,000 |
| Microsoft Founders Hub | $500 - $1,000 |
| Mistral AI | $500 - $2,000 |
Total potential: $5,000 - $175,000+ in free credits.
Even the most aggressive usage ($945/month for all 10 automations) would last 5+ months on the Starter Stack or 15+ years on the Max Stack.
Get your free credits at AI Perks →
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
Where to Start: The 3-Step Ramp
Don't try all 10 at once. Ramp up gradually:
Week 1: Foundation
- Inbox Zero + Morning Briefing
- These deliver the biggest time savings with minimal setup
Week 2-3: Productivity
- Social Media + Meeting Prep + File Organization
- Build on your foundation with more complex workflows
Month 2+: Full Automation
- DevOps + Web Research + Travel + Smart Home + Shopping
- By now you understand OpenClaw's patterns and trust its behavior
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can OpenClaw run all 10 automations simultaneously?
Yes. OpenClaw handles multiple concurrent workflows through its skill system and Heartbeat scheduler. Each automation runs independently. A basic VPS or Mac Mini handles this without issue.
Will 10 automations burn through credits fast?
At full intensity, expect $350-$945/month in API usage. The Starter Stack from AI Perks ($2,500+) covers 3-7 months. The Growth Stack ($10,000+) covers 1-2 years. Stack multiple programs for maximum runway.
What if an automation makes a mistake?
Start with low-stakes tasks. Set OpenClaw to draft emails rather than send them directly. Use approval workflows for anything involving money or external communication. Review its actions daily until you trust its patterns.
Which AI model works best for these automations?
Claude Sonnet for most tasks. Claude Haiku for simple ones (file organization, smart home). Use model routing to automatically assign the right model to each task - this cuts costs by 50-80%.
Do I need a separate computer?
Recommended but not required. A dedicated Mac Mini ($400) or VPS ($5/month) keeps OpenClaw running 24/7 without affecting your primary machine. Running on your laptop works but stops when you close it.
AI Perks tarjoaa pääsyn eksklusiivisiin alennuksiin, krediitteihin ja tarjouksiin AI-työkaluissa, pilvipalveluissa ja API-rajapinnoissa auttaakseen startup-yrityksiä ja kehittäjiä säästämään rahaa.
Automate 20+ Hours Per Week for $0
These aren't theoretical automations. They're workflows real people are running right now. The only barrier is API costs - and AI Perks removes that barrier entirely.
With AI Perks, you get:
- $5,000-$175,000+ in free AI API credits
- Step-by-step guides for every credit program
- Credits for Claude, OpenAI, Mistral, AWS, and more
- 200+ additional startup perks beyond AI credits
Stop spending 30+ hours a week on tasks an AI agent can handle. Start automating.
10 automations. 20+ hours saved. $0 in API costs. Get your free credits at getaiperks.com.
