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 investing for financial independence, or starting a new business, these are the ordinary people making the extraordinary possible.On...
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What's going on with markets? Shares, gold, crypto, and the wild ride ahead with RNZ's Jim Mora
<p >From the real risks behind AI hype and whether we're heading for a crash, to the surprising weakness hiding inside Big Tech's profits, and why digital advertising might be the canary in the coal mine that nobody's watching… it’s time to make sense of the chaos.</p><p >Fast Money with Jim Mora on RNZ’s Sunday Mornings, it’s time for the money update you need.</p><p ></p><p >Follow me everywhere!</p><p >Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ</p><p >Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz</p><p >TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz</p><p ><...
NZ Mortgage Myths That Cost You Years On Your Mortgage: With Aaron Cattell (The Mortgage Man)
<p >There is a lot of mortgage advice out there that is confidently wrong.</p><p ></p><p >And the cost of following it isn’t just money, it’s time. Sometimes years of your life spent under pressure you didn’t actually need.</p><p ></p><p >In this episode of Making Cents, we’re cutting through the biggest mortgage myths that trip people up both before they buy a home and long after they’ve signed the papers.</p><p ></p><p >From “cleaning up” bank statements and chasing the lowest interest rate, to misunderstood rules around deposits, credit scores...
How to fix your finances in February before you fall off the wagon
<p >If you're feeling the February slump and wondering how to get back on track without starting from scratch, this one's for you!</p><p >A replay of Frances Cook's column for 1 News, read here with permission, on 7 science-backed ways to get your money back under control.</p><p >Follow me everywhere!</p><p >Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ</p><p >Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz</p><p >TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz</p><p >Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe o...
7 mental traps to avoid when you’re investing
<p >This episode was originally part of the Market Memo newsletter, where you learn about sharemarket investing every week. You can subscribe to that, here https://marketmemoweekly.substack.com/</p><p ></p><p >It’s never been easier to start investing. And that’s both brilliant, and part of the problem.</p><p >Between constant headlines, market swings, hot takes on social media, and apps that let you trade with a swipe, investing has turned into a psychological minefield.</p><p >Now, for most people, the biggest risk to their money isn’t the market. It’s their own brain.</p><p ><...
How to build wealth like the 1% (on a normal income)
<p >If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually going on behind the scenes of the 1%, beyond the headlines, Instagram posts, and glossy business profiles, this episode pulls back the curtain.</p><p ></p><p >Because beneath the public image of wealth is usually a highly deliberate money strategy. And it doesn’t have to be exclusive to the ultra-rich.</p><p ></p><p >In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook speaks with Andrew Clements, a private wealth and succession lawyer who works with some of New Zealand’s wealthiest families. Andrew spends his days helping high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients...
How to invest in the sharemarket in 2026 - WEBINAR REPLAY
<p >Everyone says you should start investing in the stock market, but how do you actually do that? </p><p >Time for a quick roadmap to get you started. Whether you’re starting from scratch, or you’ve been investing for a while but you’re not sure you’re nailing it, this is the live session to help you feel like the confident investor you should be. </p><p >With top industry experts </p><p >-Kernel chief executive Dean Anderson</p><p >-Stuff money editor Damian Venuto</p><p >-Massey University Professor Claire Matthews</p><p >As we answer question...
"Is renovating my home an investment, or am I fooling myself?" Mailbag episode
<p >Are home renovations actually an investment, or just an expensive way to make your house nicer to live in?</p><p >In this Ask the Experts mailbag episode, it’s time to answer the question many are scared of: have I overcapitalised my home?</p><p >Which renovations genuinely add value, and which ones don’t?<br>Is your own home an investment, or a lifestyle choice?<br>And if you’ve already spent the money, should you even consider an investment property?</p><p >To break it all down, I’m joined by Vanessa Williams from http://realestate.co.nz wh...
A quick new year money reset
<p >Quick-fire tips and tricks for feeling more in control of your money in 2026.</p><p >Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about it, replayed here with permission.</p><p ></p><p >Follow me everywhere!</p><p >Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ</p><p >Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz</p><p >TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz</p><p ></p><p >Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe <br><br>Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the...
How to invest in silver and gold without getting wrecked, with financial adviser Darcy Ungaro
<p >Gold and silver prices are booming, and it’s being driven by something deeper: how people are feeling about their money.</p><p ></p><p >When trust starts to break down, investors don’t just talk about it, they move their money.</p><p ></p><p >Darcy Ungaro, a financial adviser and host of the NZ Everyday Investor, is seeing more New Zealanders actively asking about gold, silver, Bitcoin, and other alternatives. It’s not out of greed, but out of caution.</p><p ></p><p >In this episode we talk about:</p><p >Why gold and silver prices are ri...
"I’m a saver, he’s a spender, how do we get on the same page?" Mailbag episode
<p >Opposites attract, until it comes to money.</p><p >This week’s listener says she’s a saver, her partner is a spender, and every attempt to “get serious” about their finances ends the same way: frustration, guilt, splurging out of spite, and a plan that falls apart by March.</p><p >Instead of moving forward, they’re cancelling each other out, and it’s starting to wear them both down.</p><p >In this Ask the Experts episode, EnableMe head strategic coach Katie Wesney breaks down why saver–spender dynamics are so common, and why money fights are usually about...
