Gestão das finanças pessoais: um estudo com alunos dos Cursos de Ciências Econômicas e Finanças do Campus da UFC em Sobral -Ce

Abstract

This study explores personal finance management, an important topic due to its benefits for individuals, families, and the broader economy. However, financial education within the formal education system remains insufficient, creating fertile ground for financial mismanagement, especially in a consumer-driven society. This study aims to analyze the financial behavior of economics and finance students at the Federal University of Ceará, Sobral Campus, enrolled in the 2023.1 semester. To this end, an empirical, exploratory, and descriptive approach was adopted, combining bibliographic research and data collection. A representative sample of 186 respondents was drawn from a population of 356 students. The findings reveal that 49.46% of respondents are male and 50.54% are female. Additionally, 76.88% are between 18 and 22 years old, 94.09% are single, 53.22% are exclusively students, and 96.24% have no dependents. Regarding financial behavior, 48.92% actively seek financial information, and while 63.44% report having limited knowledge of personal finance, 82.80% engage in financial planning, 72.58% track their expenses, and only 12.90% consider themselves in debt. Among those in debt, 58.33% attribute their financial difficulties to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, which prevented them from adhering to their financial plans. Overall, the results suggest that students actively plan and monitor their finances, contributing to relatively low levels of indebtedness