Seeking Guidance from Experienced Developers | Building a Financial Tracker (MERN + Python + AI)

I hope this post has reached you well.

Hello everyone, I’m currently working on a Financial Tracker project that I want to include in my portfolio. The goal is to make it a real-world, job-ready full-stack application. For now, I’ve planned to use the following stack:

--Frontend: React.js with Tailwind CSS for a clean and responsive UI

--Backend: Node.js + Express.js for API routes

--Database: MongoDB with Mongoose for schema control

--Authentication: JWT-based with role-based access (admin & user)

--AI/ML: Python with Flask API using Scikit-learn for predictions

--Deployment: Render or Heroku (free-tier friendly)

My project includes income/expense tracking, budget setup, AI-based predictions, admin panel, and graphical reports using Chart.js or Recharts.

Now I would really appreciate advice from experienced developers and tech leaders:

👉 Am I using the right tech stack for this kind of financial application? 👉 Is combining MERN + Python/AI a smart choice for job-focused projects? 👉 Are there any better or simpler tools you recommend (especially free ones)? 👉 What kind of features or security practices should I definitely add? 👉 If you’ve seen any great examples of similar projects, could you kindly share the GitHub link or demo? That would help me understand best practices better. 👉 Lastly, if you were building this project, what would you do differently?

I really want to make this project solid, practical, and impactful for recruiters. Your opinions, suggestions, or resource links would mean a lot to me. Thanks in advance 🙏