Financial planner CA Nitin Kaushik suggests incorporating a 10% buffer into monthly budgets to safeguard financial goals from unexpected expenses. He argues that many financial plans fail not due to poor calculation, but unrealistic assumptions about life's unpredictability. This buffer, Kaushik explains, helps absorb shocks like medical bills or car repairs, preventing panic and keeping long-term objectives on track by acknowledging real-life disruptions rather than assuming perfection.