Making Cents

Frances Cook

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 Thursday we have Ask the Experts, where industry insiders answer your questions on the money world. From earning more in your career, to investing, or sticking to a budget, they'll help make money simple. Every now and then you'll get a bonus episode too, but the fun of those is that you never know when they're coming!

  1. 2 days ago

    Why "Being Normal" Is The Most Expensive Thing You Can Choose

    Being weird with money is the smartest thing you can do, to get financial freedom. Most of us are following the same money playbook, and it’s not working. Around 30% of New Zealanders don't have $1,000 in savings, and over 60% couldn't cover a real emergency. Frances Cook, financial journalist and host of Making Cents, shares exactly how embracing "weird" money habits helped her build financial freedom, and how you can do the same. In this episode: Why the standard approach to money keeps so many of us stuck, and what to do insteadThe hedonic treadmill: the psychology trick that's draining your walletHow to figure out what actually makes you happy (it's probably cheaper than you think)The secondhand challenge that changed Frances's financesWhy a cheaper daily life and big one-off experiences beats an expensive lifestyle every timeHow to stop spending on what other people want, and start spending on what YOU want 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 sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom Production and video editing by Lana Byrne Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Filmed by Fanaticals

    28 min
  2. 5 days ago

    What Accountants Wish You Knew About the IRD

    Many New Zealanders are overpaying tax, missing refunds they're entitled to, and leaving money on the table, simply because the system is confusing and nobody explained the rules. In this episode of Making Cents, chartered certified accountant Baqir Hussain, founder Finex Accounting, breaks down exactly how to stop losing money to the tax system and start making it work in your favour. We talk: The single biggest mistake Kiwis make with the IRD, and how it turns small issues into massive tax debtHow New Zealand's progressive tax system actually works (and why you should always take that pay rise)Surprise tax bills: the most common causes and how to avoid themWhat salary earners can legitimately claim back, including income protection insurance, donations, and investment costsWorking for Families: who qualifies, how to backdate claims up to four years, and how one family recovered $15,000 they didn't know they were owedHome office deductions for self-employed workers and contractorsWhy tax threshold creep means most Kiwis are quietly paying more tax every year Whether you're a salary earner, raising a family, or running a small business, there are straightforward steps you can take right now to reduce your tax bill — legally, and simply. This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days. 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 sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom Production and video editing by Lana Byrne Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Filmed by Fanaticals

    34 min
  3. 14 Jun

    The Truth About NZ's Economy Right Now

    Something’s off, and that something is the economy. The latest drop of economic forecasting shows exactly what’s happening with the cost of living, your job, and your mortgage. It’s not looking great. But if we know what's coming, we can actually plan for it. To help us make sense of it all, Massey University’s Christoph Schumacher is in the hot seat. He’s Professor of Innovation and Economics, Director of the Knowledge Exchange Hub, and more importantly, he can explain all of this like a real human being. We cover: Why your money is feeling so tiring right nowHow much of this is the impact of the Iran war and fuel pricesWhat rising inflation means for your mortgage, your job, and your everyday costsThe NZ productivity problem, and which industries actually have a future hereWhat’s happening with AI, and how AI will change your jobWhen a real recovery might arrive, what it depends on, and what you can do to make life easier until then This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days. 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 sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom Production and video editing by Lana Byrne Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Filmed by Fanaticals

    46 min
  4. 10 Jun

    Can I Actually Count on NZ Super Being There For Me?

    Retirement planning is stressful enough without governments constantly threatening to move the goalposts. Means testing, wealth taxes, a rising retirement age; how much of it is real, and how much can you actually count on NZ Super? Katie Wesney, National Coaching Lead at EnableMe, joins us in the hot seat to cut through the noise. We get into whether the pension is a plan or just a foundation, what the actual numbers look like week to week in retirement, how KiwiSaver, property, and investments fit together, and why worrying about a wealth tax might be the most expensive mistake you make. Plus: the one mindset shift that separates people who reach financial freedom from people who are still waiting for a politician to sort it out. If retirement feels far away, close, or just confusing, this one's for you. In this episode: How much can you actually rely on NZ Super?What does retirement actually cost week to week?How KiwiSaver, property, and investments work togetherShould you worry about means testing or a wealth tax?How to build a retirement plan that doesn't depend on government settings staying the same If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz and you might feature on our next episode! 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 sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom Production and video editing by Lana Byrne Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Filmed by Fanaticals

    15 min
5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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 Thursday we have Ask the Experts, where industry insiders answer your questions on the money world. From earning more in your career, to investing, or sticking to a budget, they'll help make money simple. Every now and then you'll get a bonus episode too, but the fun of those is that you never know when they're coming!

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