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PODCAST

Making Cents

The podcast for people who want financial freedom, without giving up their coffee.That means it"s time to make the money world make cents. Join Frances Cook, best-selling author and award-winning journalist, to talk about the proven ways to invest your way to financial independence, buy your first home, or just get your spending under control.Every Monday we have the week"s feature interview, with someone who"s done something interesting with their money. From paying off a mountain of debt, or

business investing

All Episodes

36:26

How nine years in a tiny home bought freedom

Making Cents ·

2025/12/07

If you’ve ever wondered whether living in a tiny home can genuinely change your life, this is a story worth hearing.After nearly nine years in her tiny house, Kasia Morrison has rebuilt her entire life from the ground up - financially, personally, and professionally.Downsizing didn’t just cut her cost of living. It gave her the freedom to start over when everything else collapsed: her marriage, her business, and the future she thought she was building.But tiny-home living comes with financial fish

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17:39

“How to find an affordable first home in an expensive...

Making Cents ·

2025/12/03

If property prices are doing your head in and you’re starting to wonder whether buying a first home is even possible anymore, it’s time to figure out what’s actually happening.A listener from Wellington writes in to say they love their city, they want stability for their kids, but every time they look at the market, it feels completely out of reach.In this Ask the Experts episode, Vanessa Williams from realestate.co.nz helps me dig into what’s actually happening in the New Zealand property market

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39:27

Angry at credit card debt? Here’s how to fight back,...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/30

Plenty of us get angry about the money world being unfair. But few people get angry enough to actually change something.Sasha Lockley did.Sasha started Money Sweetspot because, in her own words, she was furious. Furious that so many ordinary New Zealanders were working hard, making tough decisions, and still drowning in debt.In this episode of Making Cents, we dig into the emotional and practical realities of debt in New Zealand.We talk about why people get trapped, what actually works to pay down

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8:32

How to take the first steps into investing

Making Cents ·

2025/11/27

Become an investor with less stress, and no finance degree.Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about how to get out of your own way if you've been wanting to dip a toe into the sharemarket.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week, or become a confident sharemarket investor by joining the Market Memo newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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19:55

“Single mum at 46, how do I avoid poverty at 70?”...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/26

If you’ve pushed money aside for years, only to wake up in your mid-40s with a toddler, a tiny KiwiSaver balance, and a creeping fear about what life looks like at 70… where do you even begin?That’s the heart of today’s Ask the Experts letter.A single mum at 46 is saving just a few dollars a week, working part-time, and terrified that she’s already run out of time to build any kind of financial safety.So what are the options when you’re starting late, starting small, or starting over?How much is

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19:58

I cut 8 years off my mortgage with $20 - here's how

Making Cents ·

2025/11/23

A simple $20 tweak can dramatically cut down the life of your mortgage, so now it’s time to talk about the strategy I used to shave eight years off mine.With just a small repayment, years disappeared. So here’s how, and why, it works.I’ve used my experience as a financial journalist to change my money, so get an inside look at my finances, then why extra repayments are so powerful in the early years of a home loan, how interest is actually structured, and the practical ways you can use that to get

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56:06

Smart, simple, sharemarket investing, get your money...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/20

Cash funds, bonds, index funds, shares… what’s the difference, and how do you figure out which mix is right for you?If you want to invest but have felt confused by the options, this is the live session for you.In this live edition of the Making Cents podcast, Frances Cook is joined by some of New Zealand’s top investing experts to break down simple, smart sharemarket strategies to help you get your money ready for 2026.We cover:The real differences between cash funds, bonds, and sharesHow to figure

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16:42

"My kids want me to get a reverse mortgage, will it...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/19

You’ve worked your whole life to pay off the mortgage. The house is finally yours. But somehow, the money worries haven’t gone away.In this Making Cents mailbag episode, a listener in their 70s writes in after becoming mortgage-free, yet still feeling anxious every time they spend a dollar.Living on the pension with little savings, they want to enjoy retirement but are scared of running out of money.Their children think a reverse mortgage could be the answer, but will unlocking home equity today

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43:59

Chef Alice Taylor on budget recipes that actually...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/16

Supermarket total making your stomach drop? You’re not imagining it, food prices have become one of the biggest pain points of the cost-of-living crisis.In this episode of Making Cents, financial journalist Frances Cook sits down with chef Alice Taylor, creator of the Cheap and Realistic Eats Cookbook (available at https://www.alicetayloreats.com) to talk about how to eat well without overspending.From $1.50 loaves of bread and 20 cent noodles, to clever ingredient swaps that make baking cheaper and

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6:36

Boost your savings without living a boring life

Making Cents ·

2025/11/13

Create a savings buffer without that nagging feeling of deprivation. Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the savings tips that help you build a better money life, without cutting everything fun. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week, or become a confident sharemarket investor by joining the Market Memo newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

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15:37

“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?”...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/12

A $100,000 gift should feel like freedom, so why does it come with so much pressure?In this Making Cents mailbag episode, a listener writes in after being gifted $100K from family.They’ve got a big mortgage, no savings, and a long wish-list that includes home repairs, maternity leave, and some breathing room in the budget.The question: how do you use a windfall like this without wasting it?Frances Cook talks to Katie Wesney, head strategic coach at EnableMe, about how to turn a one-off gift into

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1:01:17

KiwiSaver weapons investing is up 40% - how to invest...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/09

One of the biggest tools you’ve got for creating change is already in your pocket - your KiwiSaver.It quietly funds companies, industries, and ideas every single day. And like it or not, where that money goes can be more powerful than voting or any $5 consumer boycott.The problem? Most of us have no idea what we’re actually investing in.Weapons investing is up 40 per cent. Fossil fuels are on the rise. And some of the world’s biggest corporations are still getting a slice of your retirement

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17:16

Is the 0.01% rule the secret to guilt-free spending?

Making Cents ·

2025/11/06

Fast Money with Jim Mora on Sunday Morning with RNZ. Does the 0.01% rule help us spend in a smarter way? And if you really hate maths, does the 24-hour rule, the cost per use rule, or the fun budget work better?LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week, or become a confident sharemarket investor by joining the Market Memo newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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17:00

“I can’t buy a house, is commercial property a better...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/05

What if the smartest way to get into property investing isn’t a house at all?That’s the question in this week’s Making Cents mailbag, from a listener who wants to invest but feels locked out of the residential market.With house prices still sky-high in many areas, this listener asks if commercial property could be the secret path to becoming an investor, or if it’s just a riskier bet in disguise.Frances Cook talks to Vanessa Williams from http://Realestate.co.nz about what first-time investors need

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51:25

Overcoming a $100k fear of failure, with Ecoya CEO...

Making Cents ·

2025/11/02

When Ecoya CEO Claire Barnes was 23, she lost $100,000 of her dad’s life insurance money on a failed business. The experience left her with a fear of failure so strong it followed her for nearly two decades, even as she rose to lead one of New Zealand’s most successful lifestyle brands.In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook talks to Claire about what it takes to rebuild after financial loss, how to turn failure into a learning curve, and why she now believes fear is proof you’re on the right

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7:19

Smart side hustle strategies for when work isn't...

Making Cents ·

2025/10/30

If you're looking to earn more money on the side, here's the guide to doing it more successfully.Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to explain how to find a good side hustle, and do it without tanking your finances.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week, or become a confident sharemarket investor by joining the Market Memo newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

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18:47

“We’re paying for private school, two dream homes,...

Making Cents ·

2025/10/29

On paper, today’s listener has it made. Two multimillion-dollar homes, no mortgage, and investments on the side.But with private-school fees, high living costs, and no full-time second income, the numbers don’t add up.Their savings are shrinking fast, and the stress is rising even faster.In this week’s Ask the Experts, Frances Cook and EnableMe’s head strategic coach Katie Wesney unpack what really causes wealth to feel fragile, even when you’re technically “doing well.”They dig into why cash flow,

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37:37

My lazy investing strategy, account hacks, and what...

Making Cents ·

2025/10/26

You sent in a flood of money questions, and I’m ready to answer them all.In this Ask Me Anything episode, I’m going unfiltered to talk through the money decisions you’re most curious about, including:What my actual investment portfolio looks like (and why lazy wins)How to set up your bank accounts to kill money stressWhether to pay off debt, boost KiwiSaver, or start investing firstWhen to sell your shares, and when to hold your nerveHow to rebuild financially after hitting resetPlus, the truth

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54:50

Jobs, interest rates, and real strategies for...

Making Cents ·

2025/10/23

If you feel like you’re doing it tough, you’re far from alone. The New Zealand economy has been struggling, and regular New Zealanders are feeling the pinch. Business confidence is down, unemployment is up, and core cost-of-living measures such as food and power prices don’t look good. Interest rates are now falling, but house prices are staying flat. So is there hope for an economic comeback, or is there the possibility of a deeper crash? Time to bring in the experts, with: Simplicity chief

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17:20

Mailbag: “How much should I save, when my job is shaky?”

Making Cents ·

2025/10/22

How much should you actually have in savings to feel safe?In this week’s Ask the Experts, it’s a listener letter from someone worried about layoffs and wondering whether they’ve saved enough - or maybe even too much.Heartland Bank’s Will White joins the show to unpack what a real emergency fund looks like in 2025.How many months of expenses should you really have tucked away? What happens if you over-save and leave too much cash sitting idle instead of investing it? And where’s the best place to

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178 results

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