Student builds personal finance app to help young people take control of their money

A Southampton Solent University Computer Science student has turned his passion for financial literacy into a fully functional app, building a tool designed to help young people manage their money more confidently.

Corey Maltby, a final-year BA (Hons) Computer Science student, has developed a personal finance management tool as his Final Major Project. The app goes beyond simple expense tracking to actively educate users about financial concepts and help them build better money habits.

"Money is a big problem for everybody," says Corey. "I wanted to make something that didn't just track your finances but actually engaged the user and helped them understand the concepts behind it."

Built using Next.js, JavaScript, Node and the database tool Supabase, the app is aimed primarily at people who may not yet have much experience managing their finances.

Corey had users like himself firmly in mind throughout the build, people who are financially independent for the first time and would benefit from a tool that meets them where they are.

From the beginning, the project was approached using industry-standard development practices. Corey began with a user survey to identify what features people wanted and what they found lacking in existing budgeting tools, then used that feedback to shape the product.

At the end of the project, he conducted usability testing based on the industry-standard System Usability Scale, scoring in the mid-80s and placing the app in the top tier of the scale.

"Getting all the user requirements at the start and meeting their needs, that's what prepared me for working with a client," he says.

One of the biggest technical challenges came from working with the database. Functions that interacted with it could break unexpectedly, sending Corey back through his code to diagnose and fix the issue.

Keeping to deadlines across a large, complex solo project is something Corey counts among his greatest achievements. "It was a lot of work," he says. "But the feeling of finishing it, without having to drop any features, was really good."

Solent's smaller campus and the chance to build real relationships with lecturers appealed to Corey from the start. Since arriving, he has found a strong sense of community, including becoming part of the university's Darts Society, which won their league this year.

Now graduating, Corey is actively looking for roles in the tech industry, eager to put the skills and experience he has built at Solent to work as soon as possible.

Computer Science at Solent is designed to equip students with hands-on technical skills, industry-standard practices and the confidence to take on real-world challenges from day one. Find out more on our website.