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 investing for financial independence, or starting a new business, these are the ordinary people making the extraordinary possible.On Thursday we have Ask the Experts, where industry insiders answer your questions on the money...
Why is insurance getting more expensive?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week we’ve partnered up with AdviceFirst, which has kindly leant us their expert Willie Moala, national insurance lead. We're talking everything you've always wanted to know about insurance, including what you need, and what you don't.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Ins
Quick Hit: How to combine family life, and financial freedom
A highlight clip from the December 23rd episode, “Why this family switched 'early retirement' for 'mini retirement' in a van”, with Kellie Dawson, financial freedom seeker and mum.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to negotiate your career like a CEO
Rhiannon McKinnon, former CEO of Kiwi Wealth, current CEO and founder of CEO101, talks climbing to the top of the finance industry, how analysts make investing decisions, and how to take your career to the next level.Your career is a huge investment in your financial future, but only if you take control of it. If you want to earn more, and get the bigger opportunities, you have to get strategic, and learn how to negotiate. So how pushy can you get? Well let’s talk to someone who’s been at the to
Myth or truth: Do property values really double every ten years?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about what actually happens with house values, the myths, and the truth of it.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money M
Quick Hit: Be careful of making "bad with money" your personality
A highlight clip from the Novemer 11th episode, “Your questions, answered: Why I quit, best investing strategy?”.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Viral mortgage hacks debunked: Separating clickbait from real advice
Dan Bell, financial adviser and co-founder of Colab Mortgages, shares how his tips for property investment, mastering the mortgage, and understanding international money markets. If you’ve been lucky enough to get a first home, or even an investment property, there’s two things that happen quite quickly. First, the excitement of making a big money move for your future. Second, the mild panic of seeing several hundred thousand dollars of mortgage debt turn up in your account. And t
Small business hacks: accountant edition
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with Xero, who has kindly lent us their expert Bridget Snelling, Country Manager NZ and we’re talking about how to stop any extra money leaking out of your small business or side hustle, and especially what magic an accountant can and can’t work, in or
Quick Hit: The neurodivergent guide on how to run a small business
A highlight clip from the December 9th episode, “The secret to making money doing what you love”, with Pepper Raccoon, artist and merch designer.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From how I invest, to getting rid of the mortgage fast: A chaotic Ask Me Anything episode
Frances Cook answers the questions that you sent in, in a solo episode covering the best investing strategies, revolving mortgages, and what's up with her weird accent?Questions in this episode: I want to know more about your accent! There is more than one in there, right? I love it, I’m just curious. Is sharesies ok for a short term savings account or too risky? EG $10k for a holiday in 6 months?What to do with a big windfall ($1 mill). Save, invest, or property?What’s your view on revolving cr
How to master debt, and pay it off faster
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week we’ve partnered up with EnableMe, which has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach. We're talking debt and how to control it, so that it doesn't control you.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo news
Quick Hit: How to take control of your money behaviour
A highlight clip from the November 4th episode, “The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt”, with Glen James, author of The Quick-Start Guide to Investing and host of the Money Money Money podcast.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Financially free at 30: How this dad quit the corporate world
Nick Gentle, buyers agent, property coach, and a self-described “frugality geek”, shares how he managed to become financially independent by 30. Picture this: it’s 2.30 on a Wednesday afternoon, and you’re not in the office. Instead, you’re coaching your son’s latest sports team. This time it’s soccer, other days, it’s chess. This is the reality for one dad, who quit corporate life at just 30. How? A mix of living a very frugal life, and property investing. Here’s how he
Saving made simple: How to stay motivated for long-term goals
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with KiwiBank, which has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking savings, and how to actually want to do it.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money
Quick Hit: How to create money goals you can stick to
A highlight clip from the December 16th episode, “The hidden psychology that helps you build wealth”, with Dr Brad Klontz.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to ‘turbocharge’ your way to financial independence
Shang Saavedra, now a work-optional financial coach, shares how she 'turbocharged' her finances in order to create time freedom. When it comes to building towards a good financial future, you’ll need some spare cash in order to hit your goals, whether that’s paying off debt, investing, or whatever else. In order to get there, there’s basically two options. You need to earn more, or spend less, in order to have the funds that let you do the interesting things. But what if you did a bit of both? C
Your cheat sheet for knowing what the property market will do next
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about how you can learn to read the tea leaves of the property market, and make a smart prediction on what’s coming next.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook
Quick Hit: The lightbulb moment of discovering Financial Independence
A highlight clip from the December 2nd episode, “I regret paying off my mortgage early”, with financial analyst Nick Carr.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The bargain hunter’s playbook: Mastering savings in your town
Shell Shields, who runs the page Christchurch Deals, shares how she finds a good bargain, which community is the secret weapon, and what she'd never cut back on. I will die on this hill - one of the best ways to manage your money is to be around people with similar values to you, who are part of your team, and cheering you on. This is particularly the case when it comes to trying to cut back and save. If friends and family are on the same page as you, you can all work together to make sure that
The different mortgage types that get you debt-free, faster
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with EnableMe, which has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach. We’re talking the different types of mortgage you can get, and how they help you make the most of your cash. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagr
Quick Hit: What to know before you make a career change
A highlight clip from the October 28th episode, "How financial freedom can lead to a career change", with Natasha Etschmann, also known as Tash Invests .LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From burnout to business launch
Clarissa Hirst, professional coach and marketing consultant, shares how a panic attack and burnout led to quitting the corporate world and launching her own business. It’s something we’re often encouraged to do when we’re establishing our careers – work hard, take on extra projects, join networking groups and do extra with them too.The problem is, there’s only so much of us to go around, and sometimes this can lead to you hitting the wall, and realising you can’t do it anymore.That’s what happen
Quick Hit: Balancing money goals, and living life
A highlight clip from the December 2nd episode, “I regret paying off my mortgage early”, with financial analyst Nick Carr.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Quick Hit: How to create a business that works for your lifestyle
A highlight clip from the November 4th episode, "The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt", with Glen James from the Money Money Money podcast.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Quick Hit: How to start house sitting and travel for free
A highlight clip from the September 30th episode, "How house sitting with alpacas turned into a digital nomad dream", with Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why this family switched 'early retirement' for 'mini retirement' in a van
Kellie Dawson, financial freedom seeker and mum, shares how her family were able to quit work and hit the road in Australia, for a year of nomad life in a van. There’s a tension when we talk about money. Often creating financial security for the future can mean giving things up now… but life is also for living, and you could get hit by a bus tomorrow. So how do you balance it? By setting goals, and a strategy, but being willing to change them along the way. That’s exactly wha
Temperature check: what’s up with the economy?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, which has kindly leant us their expert MJ Vergara, senior economist, and we're talking the economy. Is it good, is it bad, and what does all of this mean for your wallet? Can you expect a pay rise in 2025, and what's going to happe
The hidden psychology that helps you build wealth - and why meditating hurts your money
Dr Brad Klontz, co-author of the new book Start Thinking Rich: 21 Harsh Truths to Take You from Broke to Financial Freedom, shares how money beliefs can hold you back. Most of us have been there - you know what you should be doing with money, but you’re not doing it. Why? Well there’s a whole bunch of wiring deep in our brains that can trip us up and sabotage us. That doesn’t mean it’s all a lost cause … it means that you need to take control of your mind, before you truly take co
Will a house or apartment make you more money?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about house versus apartment. There are some key differences between these property types, and it can seriously impact your money.LinksFollow Frances Cook on
The secret to making money doing what you love
Pepper Raccoon, artist and merch designer, shares her tactics for creating a proper living out of being an artist. There’s a common belief that when you’re making career choices, you have to choose between doing what you love, or making money.While that’s sometimes true, it’s doesn’t have to be true.Even creatives, the ones most famous for becoming starving artists, can find systems to make a living without selling out to the man.It does, however, take a strategy. After all, if it was easy, ever
Christmas cash: How listeners are being money smart in the festive season
Frances Cook shares listener tips for being money smart over Christmas, for everything from presents, to food, and bringing in extra cash to fund it all. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“I regret paying off my mortgage early” - financial analyst Nick Carr
Nick Carr, financial analyst from Your Money Blueprint, shares why he regrets paying off his mortgage early, and the numbers behind why he would have invested into shares instead. Paying off the mortgage early is a good thing… right? Well, one New Zealander worked hard to do that, and then decided, he’d actually shot himself in the foot. When a big accident happened, the money he’d sunk into the mortgage wasn’t available, when he could have done with some cash savings to get through a
When is it a bad idea to put more into KiwiSaver?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert, client adviser Devon Walen, and we’re talking about if there are times when putting more into your KiwiSaver can actually be a bad idea.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or jo
BONUS: How do you talk to your kids about money?
Frances Cook talks kids and money with Chris Chang, on TVNZ's Breakfast.Last week I was on TVNZ’s Breakfast, talking to Chris Chang about some strategies to talk to your kids about money. Particularly with Christmas coming up, can it be a present? What’s the best way to go about it? I get these questions in my inbox all the time, and the Breakfast team were nice enough to say I could put the audio up here as well, for you to listen to. Enjoy.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram a
How this SAHM manages skyrocketing grocery costs for their family of four
Rachel Leutele, also known as the Savvy Saver, shares her tips for staying on a budget as a family, and changing your money to prioritise life.Becoming a stay at home mum is something that many people would like to do, but don’t necessarily have the funds for.It’s easy to think it’s only possible if one of the parents has a six figure income.But this mum, fresh out of getting her law degree, decided she wanted to make the stay at home mum life work even if it meant being on a string bean budget.
How to make your bank account work harder for you
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, which has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking about the different bank accounts that can make the most of your money. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagr
BONUS: Is crypto about to boom?
Frances Cook talks cryptocurrency with Jim Mora, on RNZ's Sunday Morning.You might have noticed that there was a fairly significant election recently, with Donald Trump once again about to be President of the US. Well this has impacted all sorts of things, including the financial world, and one of those big impacts has been on crypto. In true Trump style, he’s done a 180, going from calling it a scam in 2021, to now starting his own cryptocurrency, and saying that the US government is going to b
From women’s refuge to financial freedom at 33
Angela Strang, property investor and business owner, shares her tips for reaching financial independence. Sometimes a difficult experience early in life will shape you, for better or worse.For Angela, it was an early experience of finding herself as a child with her family in women’s refuge, that made her determined she would create financial stability for herself, and any future family that she had.So as a young adult she looked for highly paid jobs, and funneled that into property investments.
Brodie Kane on the pros and cons of buying a house with a friend
TV presenter Brodie Kane shares her co-ownership journey, and what she learned from hosting the new TV series On The Ladder with Kiwibank. Buying a house is far from easy, because let’s be honest, they’re expensiveBuilding up a deposit, getting approval from the bank, then keeping paying it off, it’s all a bit of a mountain to climbNot to mention, if something goes wrong with the house, you’re now in charge and have to figure repairs, maintenance, and all the other very adult stuff. Well so
Your questions, answered: Why I quit, best investing strategy?
Frances Cook answers the questions that you sent in, in a solo episode covering the best investing strategies, and why she launched her own business.This week, it’s something a little different. Things have changed around here recently, and I know that’s left people with a few questions. So I opened things up through social media to say, what are the questions on your mind? Everytjing from investing strategies, to why I quit my old job, came through. So… let’s whip through an
Decoding the housing market's alphabet soup
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking all of those acronyms that turn into alphabet soup when you’re just trying to figure out what’s going on in the property world.So today... we're jargon busti
The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt
Glen James, author of The Quick-Start Guide to Investing and host of the Money Money Money podcast, talks money pitfalls and how to invest successfully.Learning how to invest has to be one of the top questions I get in my inbox each week. And I love investing - it’s one of the fun parts of taking control of your money, to see it grow as well. But of course there are pitfalls, and you need to have your financial house in order before you give it a whirl. So how do you avoid the bea
How to avoid being tricked about what's in your investments
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert Kate Brownsey, a sustainable investment analyst, and we’re talking about greenwashing and how to avoid being tricked by it... because nobody likes that.LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram an
How financial freedom can lead to a career change
Natasha Etschmann, as known as Tash Invests, shares how investing into stocks and the sharemarket created the opportunity to move from working in health, to running her own business.When you think about starting your own business, the usual advice is to take what you already do for work, and turn it into something you can do on your own.So what if an opportunity comes along that’s totally different to what you’ve been doing until now?That’s what happened to Tash Invests, otherwise known as Nata
Quick Hit: Instagram versus reality, for digital nomad life
A highlight clip from the September 30th episode, "How house sitting with alpacas turned into a digital nomad dream", with Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From professional poker, to a podcast empire: the realities of starting a business in the internet age
Steve Holloway and Seamus Marten from Between Two Beers share what it takes to make a business work in the internet age. In some ways, it’s never been easier to start a business. But it’s one thing to start a business, and another to keep it running and making money. Many entrepreneurs start out in an area that they’re passionate about, but soon realise they have to wear a lot of other hats too that they’re not so passionate about, in order to get the business off the ground. People mi
Is the forever home no more?
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, which has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about how long people actually hold on to their homes. Spoiler alert, it’s not as long as you might think!LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram
The key to reaching financial independence while raising a family
Ana Kresina, financial educator and author, shares her tactics for career and investments, to get to financial independence faster. Having enough in investments that you don’t need to work anymore sounds, frankly, hard enough for the average person. But what about if you’re trying to raise children as well, a notoriously expensive activity?As always, I’m a believer that it’s possible, as long as you’ve got a strategy. Today’s guest has that same belief. She heard about the financial in
The underrated way to pay off the mortgage early
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Enable.Me, who has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach, and we’re talking paying off the mortgage early. LinksFollow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free w
Getting BDE vibes for your budget
Cameron Wislang, founder of Big Dollar Energy budgets, shares the tricks for confidence with your money, and budgeting without missing out on life. Budget is often a dirty word, immediately making you think of cutting back and missing out. But what if you used it as a way to create happiness and calm instead? That’s what the founder of Big Dollar Energy Budgets is all about, pushing for an approach that reduces stress and stops you from having to think about money all day every day.&nb
The traveller’s guide to staying money smart
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, who has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking travel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How house sitting with alpacas turned into a digital nomad dream
Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project shares the highs and lows of digital nomad life, and how she uses house sitting to make the dream a reality.The idea of taking off to see the world, but still getting to have a career, is an enticing one, and that’s the obvious appeal behind the idea of becoming a digital nomad. If so many people can work from home, then why can’t you also work from anywhere but home? Travel is made easier with money to fund it, and if you’re able to keep working rem
Trailer
Welcome to Making Cents, where we do exactly what it says on the tin - make the money world make sense. I'm Frances Cook, a best-selling author and award-winning journalist, who's been helping people figure out the money world for a few years now. So whether you want to invest your way to financial independence, buy your first home, or just get your spending under control, let's talk about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.