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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. HACE 1 DÍA

    Overcoming a $100k fear of failure, with Ecoya CEO Claire Barnes

    When Ecoya CEO Claire Barnes was 23, she lost $100,000 of her dad’s life insurance money on a failed business. The experience left her with a fear of failure so strong it followed her for nearly two decades, even as she rose to lead one of New Zealand’s most successful lifestyle brands. In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook talks to Claire about what it takes to rebuild after financial loss, how to turn failure into a learning curve, and why she now believes fear is proof you’re on the right path. Claire shares the hard-won lessons behind her career; from driving boxes of candles around the country, to running Ecoya, and now launching Bowie, an at-home microneedling and skincare startup she funded after selling her family home. This conversation covers: Overcoming the fear of failure in business and lifeRebuilding confidence after losing moneyInvesting in yourself and starting againEntrepreneurship and leadership in New ZealandTurning anxiety into action and using fear as motivation Even after a $100k setback, you can still build back stronger. 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. This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne  Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  2. HACE 5 DÍAS

    “We’re paying for private school, two dream homes, and we’re out of cash.” Mailbag episode

    On paper, today’s listener has it made. Two multimillion-dollar homes, no mortgage, and investments on the side. But with private-school fees, high living costs, and no full-time second income, the numbers don’t add up. Their savings are shrinking fast, and the stress is rising even faster. In this week’s Ask the Experts, Frances Cook and EnableMe’s head strategic coach Katie Wesney unpack what really causes wealth to feel fragile, even when you’re technically “doing well.” They dig into why cash flow, not just net worth, determines your financial stability, and how to fix a lifestyle that’s quietly burning through your safety net. From whether to sell shares or take out a mortgage again, to tough calls around private school fees and property priorities, this episode gets real about trade-offs, structure, and sustainability. If you’ve ever wondered how people with big assets still end up broke on paper, or you’re feeling the pinch of a high-cost lifestyle yourself, this one’s essential listening. 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! 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. This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne  Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    19 min
  3. 23 OCT

    Jobs, interest rates, and real strategies for surviving New Zealand's ‘grumpy’ economy WEBINAR REPLAY

    If you feel like you’re doing it tough, you’re far from alone. The New Zealand economy has been struggling, and regular New Zealanders are feeling the pinch. Business confidence is down, unemployment is up, and core cost-of-living measures such as food and power prices don’t look good. Interest rates are now falling, but house prices are staying flat. So is there hope for an economic comeback, or is there the possibility of a deeper crash? Time to bring in the experts, with: Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel EaqubInterest.co.nz economics and politics reporter Dan BrunskillANZ senior economist Miles Workman. They’re ready to break down what’s actually going on, and what you need to know to protect your money, and ride out the storm. We’ll debate: The Reserve Bank’s "shock therapy" OCR cut, and whether more is comingWhether NZ’s housing market is bouncing back or still heading down.The truth about job security and the real state of the labour market.The smartest money moves right now, for mortgages, savings, and KiwiSaver. Links Follow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week, or become a confident sharemarket investor by joining the Market Memo newsletter. This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne  Audio engineering by Tash Chittock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min

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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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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