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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

29:56

I Spent $89,000 on Solar And Electric Car In NZ… Was...

Making Cents ·

2026/04/01

I spent $89,000 on solar power and an electric car… and it has a better return on investment than the sharemarket.With electricity prices rising fast, more Kiwis are asking whether solar panels, home batteries, and electric vehicles are worth it.So in this episode of the Making Cents podcast, I break down exactly what happened when I overhauled my home energy setup, including the real costs, the savings, and whether solar power in New Zealand actually stacks up financially.In this episode, we

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53:56

Iran, Oil, and Your Money: Why Everything Is More...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/31

A conflict in the Middle East is already showing up in Kiwi bank accounts, after sending shockwaves through the global economy. From food to petrol, daily essentials are becoming more expensive. Interest rates and mortgages could be going up. The sharemarket, and therefore your KiwiSaver, is looking wobbly. So what’s actually going on, and what should you do about it? In this live Making Cents webinar, Frances Cook is joined by Infometrics economist Brad Olsen, Stuff Money editor Damien Venuto, and

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39:58

From $30,000 Debt to Financially Free and Travelling...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/29

Emma Healey knows about financial transformation - she went from debt and financial stress to building passive income, investing, and designing a life that includes long-term family travel and early retirement goals.Now known for her practical money advice at mumsmoney.co.nz, Emma didn’t get there through deprivation. Instead, she used behavioural finance strategies, including gamifying her debt payoff, to stay consistent and motivated.In this conversation, she explains how she:Paid off $30,000 of

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06:07

Fast Fixes for Rising Costs: Fuel, Food, and Finances

Making Cents ·

2026/03/26

As the Iran conflict keeps pushing up the costs of daily essentials, Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about how you can save money on food, fuel, and even your KiwiSaver.Follow me everywhere!Facebook / Frances Cook - JournalistInstagram / Frances | Money | Investing (@francescooknz) • Instagram profileTikTok / Frances Cook on TikTokJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week Newsletter sign upBecome a confident sharemarket investor by signing

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17:40

Is politics about to ruin my first home buying plans?

Making Cents ·

2026/03/25

Is politics about to derail your house buying plans?With an election looming, talk of capital gains taxes, housing policy changes, and the possibility of government interference is everywhere. And if you’re trying to buy your first home, it’s enough to make you wonder… should you rush in, or wait it out?In this episode of Ask the Experts, Frances Cook is joined by Vanessa Williams from http://realestate.co.nz to cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.We’re talking:what election

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39:59

Supermarket Tricks, Insurance Hacks & Subscription...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/22

Why does it feel like you’re always spending more than you meant to?No, you’re not imagining it. Modern consumer life is full of supermarket tricks, subscription traps, hidden fees, dark patterns, and pricing tactics designed to get more money out of you.Luckily Consumer senior investigative journalist Chris Schulz knows all the psychological tricks companies use to drive overspending, and the practical ways you can fight back.From supermarket layouts and loyalty pricing, to hard-to-cancel

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10:46

How To Save Your Cash When The Price Of Everything Is...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/19

Just as we were hoping for a break in the cost of living, fuel and food prices are heading up again. So how can you protect your cash, and find savings everywhere from insurance, to KiwiSaver, to your subscriptions? A replay of the conversation with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ’s Afternoons.Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly

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18:26

The KiwiSaver Change that could save you $21,500

Making Cents ·

2026/03/18

KiwiSaver is changing, and you need to know what that means for your money.The Government has changed the rules, and they’re coming in to force now.Your own contribution rates, government contribution rules, and employer payments are all shifting. And depending on your income, age, or how your salary package works, the impact on your take-home pay could be very different.In this episode of Ask the Experts, Kristin Sutherland, strategic coach at EnableMe, helps us figure out what these changes mean

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47:33

After Financial Freedom: A Year Off & A Career Reboot

Making Cents ·

2026/03/15

What would it take to quit your job, take your kids out of school, and spend a year travelling Australia in a caravan?For Kellie Dawson, it took years of careful planning, property investing, budgeting, and building enough financial freedom to press pause on normal life and ask a bigger question: what do we actually want?In this episode, Kellie shares:- how they planned a year of family travel around Australia- what financial freedom means to them in real life- how they used property investing

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05:51

The Anxiety Premium: How to Stay Calm with KiwiSaver...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/12

Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about why "playing dead" is the best response when your money is hit by a global crisis. Follow me everywhere!Facebook / Frances Cook - JournalistInstagram / Frances | Money | Investing (@francescooknz) • Instagram profileTikTok / Frances Cook on TikTokJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week Newsletter sign upBecome a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter Newsletter sign

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23:34

NZ Money Advice That Sounds Smart But Ruins Your Life

Making Cents ·

2026/03/11

Some of the most praised money advice is also some of the worst - depending on your stage of life.Buy a house as soon as possible. Never sell an investment. Stop wasting money on coffee, drinks, and fun. Always chase the biggest return. Always chase the next pay rise.Sounds responsible, right?Except real life is messier than that. And if you follow these rules too blindly, you can end up making your life smaller, more stressful, and sometimes even worse financially.In this episode of Making Cents,

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38:05

These Investing Mistakes Cost Kiwis Millions, with...

Making Cents ·

2026/03/08

Investing can transform your financial future, but many avoid starting because it’s too intimidating.Markets go up and down, there’s endless advice online, and the fear of making a costly mistake keeps many stuck on the sidelines for years.So what actually goes wrong when people start investing? And more importantly, how do you avoid those traps?Author, and host of the Money Money Money podcast Glen James is on the podcast to break down the biggest investing mistakes beginners make, and the simple

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8:01

Cost of Living Hacks You Haven't Heard 300 Times Before

Making Cents ·

2026/03/05

Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the ways to save money on daily life, and maybe even earn some extra cash, to get through the cost of living crunch.Follow me everywhere! Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe Become a confident

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14:11

Widowed in my 50s: how do I invest what we have left?

Making Cents ·

2026/03/04

Losing a partner is devastating. Then on top of the grief, there’s paperwork, big life changes, and financial decisions that feel urgent and overwhelming.In this episode of Ask the Experts, we’re answering a listener question from a woman in her early 50s who recently lost her husband. They had just finished putting their kids through school and were about to ramp up retirement savings. Instead, she’s now navigating life solo, with a $500,000 lump sum from a payout and the sale of the family

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34:35

How Kiwis Can Earn More In A Bad Economy w Jarrod Haar

Making Cents ·

2026/03/01

When you’re working hard, ticking the boxes, doing everything “right”, yet still not getting the promotion or pay rise? It’s easy to feel stuck.You’re not imagining it. New Zealand’s job market has cooled. Job listings are down. Businesses are cautious. Pay rises are harder to secure. Career progression can feel slower. But when things get tight, that’s when strategy matters the most. Enter Jarrod Haar, Professor of Management and Māori Business at Massey University, to tell us what

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8:53

The Mortgage Hacks That Actually Work in New Zealand

Making Cents ·

2026/02/26

A small change to a payment strategy can save hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of repayment time from your mortgage, cutting one of the biggest expenses most people will face.A replay of Frances Cook's column for Stuff.co.nz, read here with permission. Follow me everywhere! Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip

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16:08

Sell Your Home At A $250k Loss Or Stay Miserable?

Making Cents ·

2026/02/25

What do you do when you’re stuck between two bad options?Sell a home you bought near the peak of the market, even though it’s now worth hundreds of thousands less, or stay put in a house that no longer fits your life? That’s the dilemma facing this week’s listener. They bought in late 2020, welcomed kids, watched their house value fall by around $250,000, and now feel trapped: too much mortgage pressure, not enough flexibility, and no clear “right” move. Vanessa Williams from

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32:30

Is the age of property investment over?

Making Cents ·

2026/02/22

For decades in New Zealand, property wasn’t just an investment, it was THE investment. The safest bet. The biggest capital gains. Often tax-advantaged. And for many households, the clearest path to building long-term wealth. But that narrative is starting to shift. House prices remain high. Debt is expensive. And a growing number of New Zealanders are questioning whether residential property is still the best way to build wealth. In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook speaks with

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8:49

How your subscriptions and KiwiSaver can change the...

Making Cents ·

2026/02/19

In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the growing "resist and unsubscribe" movement, how everyday New Zealanders can use their wallets to make a statement, and why your KiwiSaver might be one of the biggest votes you'll ever cast. Follow me everywhere! Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free

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24:20

How To Get Ahead In NZ Without Earning More

Making Cents ·

2026/02/18

What if you genuinely can’t earn more? Are you stuck financially?In this Ask the Experts mailbag episode of Making Cents, we tackle a question that so many teachers, nurses, and public sector workers quietly wrestle with: what do you do when your income is capped? Today’s letter writer is a teacher. She’s hearing the usual advice, to “earn more”, “start a side hustle”, “increase your income”, but her reality is strict salary bands, long hours, and family commitments. So if climbing the

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228 results

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