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. 4 DAYS AGO

    “I can’t buy a house, is commercial property a better investment?” Mailbag episode

    What if the smartest way to get into property investing isn’t a house at all? That’s the question in this week’s Making Cents mailbag, from a listener who wants to invest but feels locked out of the residential market. With house prices still sky-high in many areas, this listener asks if commercial property could be the secret path to becoming an investor, or if it’s just a riskier bet in disguise. Frances Cook talks to Vanessa Williams from http://Realestate.co.nz about what first-time investors need to know before diving into commercial property. They break down how the commercial property market compares to residential, what really drives returns and risk, and why things like tenant quality, lease length, and economic trends matter far more than location or school zones. This episode shows you how commercial property investing works in New Zealand, what it costs to get started, and whether it could actually be your next move. If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, 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.

    17 min
  2. 29 OCT

    “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

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

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