Sidekick boss Matt Ford (Image: Sidekick)
A wealth management expert has created six ‘fixes’ for Express readers – that can give our finances a good spring clean. Just weeks into the so-called Awful April, when Britons feel the first pinch of new tax and household bill increases, the crisis in the Middle-East and Iran is sending prices soaring even higher.
Council tax, water, the TV licence, mobile and broadband bills have all been rising with fuel rocketing due to traffic crawling to a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz. But Matt Ford, CEO and co-founder of money management app Sidekick, said getting a financial plan in place now could help mitigate some knock-ons later on.
Read more: The 6 new tax year tips to ‘turbo boost’ your money in 2026
Read more: Martin Lewis warns of huge hidden risk – British couples should do 1 thing
Britons are worried about bills and their finances under Labour (Image: Getty)
Matt said: “People don’t lack cash, but they lack structure. The bottom line is that a financial reset isn’t about doing more. It’s about getting organised, putting the right structure in place, and focusing on the decisions that actually move your finances forward.
“The people who feel most in control of their money aren’t necessarily those earning the most. They’re the ones who’ve made their finances simple, visible and easy to manage.”
His six personal finance spring cleaning tips are:
1 – Fix the fragmentation first:
“Before doing anything else, pull everything together (current accounts, savings accounts, old ISAs, pensions, and workplace schemes).
“That could be a simple spreadsheet listing each account, balance and purpose, or using an app that aggregates your finances.
“Because there’s no single view, that’s usually where poor decisions creep in.”
Good to know: Cash protection limits have changed — FSCS now protects up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, and that limit applies across accounts held with the same banking licence.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has yet to fix the UK’s economy (Image: Getty)
2 – Focus on the decisions that actually move the needle:
“Cancelling a £10 subscription or cutting back on takeaway coffees are just small savings, and while that’s fine, it’s not where the biggest gains are.
“The real opportunity cost sits in large amounts of cash sitting idle after bonuses or pay rises.
“Research from Sidekick shows that nearly half of people (44%) who received a large bonus are prompted to seriously consider investing for the first time, so don’t let them sit doing nothing for you.”
Matt suggested a couple of simple rules that could help with your savings.
Keep your emergency fund in cash; Keep any short-term spending needs in cash; Anything beyond that should have a clear job
Good to know: If you have expensive borrowing such as credit card debt, an unauthorised overdraft or payday lending, it can be cheaper in the long run to clear that before building up larger cash savings.
3 – Don’t neglect your retirement plan:
Matt says: “It’s easy to focus on short-term goals, but pensions are the least engaged-with part of many people’s finances. They sit in the background, often spread across multiple providers from previous jobs, and aren’t reviewed regularly.”
Matt said that “a simple reset can go a long way” and that you should start by asking:
Do I know roughly what I have in my pension(s)? Am I contributing enough, especially if my employer offers matching?
Is my pension invested in a way that aligns with my time horizon?
Matt said: “If you’re still some way off retirement, the focus should be on growth. If you’re closer, it may be about gradually reducing risk and thinking about how you’ll draw an income.
“Clarity is key. A pension you don’t understand is much harder to make good decisions about.”
Good to know: You can check your State Pension forecast online or through the HMRC app to see how much you could get and when.
Bills have been increasing and budgets tightening (Image: Getty)
4 – Build systems, not willpower:
Relying on willpower each month, deciding what to save, what to invest, and what to spend, creates friction. Instead, set up a system that runs automatically.
That might look like: A fixed amount moving into savings on payday; Regular monthly investments into a stocks and shares ISA; Separate accounts for bills, spending and saving.
“I would suggest people split their money into three buckets: Essentials (bills, rent, mortgage); Lifestyle spending and
Good to know: The ISA allowance is still £20,000 this tax year, and it can be split across multiple ISA accounts rather than used in just one place. (https://www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts/how-isas-work)
5 – Don’t ignore the tax traps:
“One of the least understood parts of the UK system is how inefficient income becomes between £100,000 and £125,000. At that level, marginal tax rates can become extremely high, yet many people don’t adjust their behaviour accordingly.
“Even outside of that bracket, there are simple things that often get overlooked: Making full use of your ISA allowance each year; Checking pension contributions and employer matching and Avoiding unnecessary tax on savings interest.”
Matt added: “Small decisions, like where you hold your investments or how you structure contributions, can make a meaningful difference over time.”
Good to know: The standard Personal Allowance remains £12,570, but it is reduced by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000, disappearing completely at £125,140.
6 – Keep your investment approach deliberately simple:
“As incomes grow, there’s often a temptation to make things more complex. A core portfolio built around diversified global stocks, often through a low-cost tracker fund, is a strong starting point.
“The key is consistency. Investing regularly, staying invested during downturns, and avoiding the urge to constantly tweak things.”
Good to know: You do not pay tax on interest, income or capital gains generated inside an ISA, and ISA income does not need to be declared on a tax return.
