Making Cents

What if renting your dream home and building long-term wealth weren’t opposites? Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, a financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. Today we’re diving into “rentvesting”, the strategy where you rent in the lifestyle location you love,...

Should kids get pocket money, and what’s the best way to teach them to use it? 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. Pocket money seems simple, but it can actually be one of the most powerful tools to shape a child’s l...

Fast Money with Jim Mora on Sunday Morning with RNZ. Chatting everything from why your groceries are so expensive, how to save money on insurance, why house prices are down, and how to get the best mortgage rate. Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are no longer just for tech bros and Reddit threads. As crypto edges closer to the mainstream, new ways to invest are opening up, includ...

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. Buying a house is one of the biggest financial commitments most people ever make, and unless you’re one of the lucky few born into millions, chances are you’ll need a mortgage to d...

A replay of a conversation with the 1News Breakfast team, on the best tips to save money from your food budget. Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank. Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Grocery prices have gone off the rails. Butter costs more than brunch, olive oil feels like a luxury item, and meat? Don’t even ask. It’s enough to derail your entire budget, and for many Kiwis, it already has. In this episode of Making Cents, I’m joined by Chef Alice Taylor, the force behind @AliceTaylorEats, whose cheap, delicious, and realistic recipes have built a devoted following online. She...

Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to industry insiders to get the inside word on what’s happening in the market, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. Here’s a wild stat to kick things off: almost one in three New Zealanders have accidentally bought a house. Not just wealthy investors, we're talking first-home buyers too. So how o...

A highlight clip from the February 3rd episode, “From how I invest, to getting rid of the mortgage fast: A chaotic Ask Me Anything episode”, with Frances Cook Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. Has the world gone mad, and is that why gold prices are hitting record highs? With inflation, war, and market instability making headlines, more people are asking the same...

In a live episode of Making Cents, it's time to decode the tension still simmering in the US-Iran-Israel conflict, and the reaction from the money world. Oil prices, KiwiSaver balances, inflation pressure, and economic growth could all be impacted. What does this mean for your money? Host Frances Cook is joined by top financial minds to unpack what’s happening and what you can do about it: Jarrod...

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. I’m sure you’ve heard this one before: that you need to do everything possible to buy a house, right now, as soon as possible, because rent is dead money and you are falling behind...

A replay of a conversation with the 1News Breakfast team, on how being too polite could actually cost you thousands of dollars. Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank. Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. If your hair really bothered you, to the point where you thought about it all the time, would you spend $20,000 on a permanent fix? Today’s guest did exactly that. And not...

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. Here’s a scary stat for you: there’s research that shows your money personality is already set, done, dusted, by the time you’re seven. Seven! That’s well before most parents start...

Fast Money with Jim Mora on Sunday Morning with RNZ. Chatting everything from what's happening with the economy, will house prices go back up, and should you be investing in gold at a time like this? Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. You’ll definitely recognise the name of today’s guest - Jay-Jay Feeney, who was on the airwaves across New Zealand for 33 years.  A radio career that many would kill...

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. Here’s a horrifying stat: economist Shamubeel Eaqub crunched the numbers and found that single people spend 14% more than couples. In some categories, it’s even worse. Housing? 53%...

A replay of a conversation with the 1News Breakfast team, on red flags to watch out for if you're investing in the sharemarket. Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank. Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok , or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. This episode is for anyone torn between living life and staying smart with money. Because you don’t have to choose just one. When Mireia Muller-Pallares decided to leave h...

Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening in the market right now, and what that means for the strategies you should use to make the most of your money. If you’re a first home buyer or property investor, you already know the stakes: house prices are high, and competition is fierce. We’ve recently covered how to get mort...

A special live edition where we look at what is happening with NZ property right now, and what that means for hopeful first home buyers. Whether you're just starting to save or already scrolling property listings, this live expert panel has the insider tips you need to get in the door faster. Mortgage advisor Claire Williamson (My Mortgage) and Vanessa Williams (realestate.co.nz) join Frances Cook...

Welcome to Making Cents, the podcast for people who want financial freedom without giving up their coffee. I’m Frances Cook, an independent financial journalist and fellow financial freedom seeker who makes money simple for you. When it comes to investing, one question tops my inbox: how do you actually figure out if a company is worth your money? In this episode, we dive deep into how financial j...

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. The money world has been all over the place recently. While it does often like to keep us on our toes, recently, it's been even more than usual. Interest rates are heading down (ya...