Professor Pinto Shares Budgeting Insights in Expert Panel

In a recent WalletHub feature exploring how individuals can better organize their finances using budget categories, Joann Pinto, Professor of the Accounting and Finance department, provided expert guidance on the foundational elements of building and maintaining a strong personal budget. Her insights focused on prioritization, preparation, and planning for the unexpected, reinforcing practical financial habits that support long-term stability.

Professor Pinto identified housing, food, insurance, and commuting expenses as the most essential categories to include in any budget. These core costs typically represent the largest and most consistent financial obligations, making them the foundation of responsible financial planning. By ensuring these needs are clearly defined and accounted for, individuals can make more informed decisions about how to allocate remaining income.

To help people better organize their finances, Professor Pinto emphasized the importance of tracking spending before creating a budget. She recommends monitoring expenses for three to six months to gain a realistic understanding of where money is actually going. This process often reveals patterns and hidden costs that people may not initially recognize, making it easier to build a budget that reflects real spending behavior rather than estimates.

She also highlighted a common oversight in personal financial planning: failing to account for contingencies. Unexpected expenses, such as major home repairs or sudden car maintenance, can quickly disrupt even well-planned budgets. Professor Pinto advised setting aside approximately 10% of income to prepare for these situations, helping individuals stay financially resilient when unplanned costs arise.