Making Cents

With election day almost here, I join the TVNZ Breakfast team to look at what the financial promises actually tell us, why the KiwiSaver focus is welcome but incomplete, and what it means that property has barely come up this campaign. 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 Follow me everywhere! Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

How far you get in your career isn't always down to how hard you work. Sometimes, what you really need is someone in your corner. Sarah Wood left school at 17. Today, she is the CEO of http://realestate.co.nz - New Zealand’s longest-standing property site - and heads a business named our number one small workplace two years running. Sarah Wood joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to share the real-world career moves that get you noticed and promoted. From learning how to make or save a business money to building a personal board of directors and navigating leadership with a family, Sarah shares practical steps to help you back your ambition and step into senior roles. In this episode: The best early career rule: learning how to make a company money or save it money Why understanding commercial numbers matters more than job titles How to build a "personal board of directors" to guide your next career step How to ask someone for coffee without feeling awkward Vetting workplace culture and team fit during the interview process The reality of managing a big leadership role alongside three teenagers Why career mistakes are really just continuous learning Whether you want to move up the ladder, pivot industries, or build the confidence to back your own voice, this episode breaks down practical steps to help you build your career on your own terms. 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

The money world feels like it’s falling apart, but underneath the doom and gloom, is New Zealand’s economy actually on the brink of its best 30 years? Between high petrol prices, food bills, and a housing downturn, everyday life feels tough. Yet for the first time in modern history, house prices have dropped 30% in Auckland without dragging the wider economy into a deep recession. We are moving from a country that borrows to an economy that saves and invests - and that changes the game. Sam Stubbs, founder of Simplicity, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to challenge the story we've been telling ourselves about our money. Sam shares why New Zealand is at a major turning point, how KiwiSaver is quietly transforming our wealth, and the simple shifts we need to make to stop copying a poverty mindset. In this episode: Why Auckland house prices dropped 30% without crashing the economy Borrowing vs investing: why saving our way to prosperity beats debt The Australia comparison: how a $1 trillion KiwiSaver pool could wipe out our infrastructure deficit Why KiwiSaver must become compulsory with rising contributions The side-pocketing rule: unlocking billions of KiwiSaver funds for local startups and high-growth businesses Why the best investment you can ever make during tough times is in yourself Whether you are feeling squeezed by the cost of living or wondering where the New Zealand economy is really heading, this episode breaks down what you need to know to take control of your financial future on your own terms.

Election day is almost here, and money is top of mind for a lot of us. In this special live edition of Making Cents, I’m joined by: Claire Matthews from Massey University Michael Gorin from EnableMe Dean Anderson, Founder and CEO of Kernel Georgia Grange, Head of NZ at Revolut We dig into the financial issues on the table, what the parties are promising, and whether those fixes could actually work. KiwiSaver: is the political focus deserved, and what should change as it nears its 20th birthday? The cost of living squeeze: record fuel prices, rising unemployment and inflation, and what you can do now Investing through uncertainty: are there opportunities amid the chaos? Competition in banking and supermarkets: will the proposed policies move the needle? The property market: Auckland’s average price dips under $1m for the first time since 2020, and what a two-speed economy means for building wealth What the politicians are getting right, and the missed opportunities. 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 Follow me everywhere! Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz #MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

Do you really need $1 million to retire? Scary headlines say so, and that falling short means facing cold, miserable years ahead. But for most people, that massive benchmark is unhelpful, daunting, and causes people to give up before they even start. Katie Wesney, Head Strategic Coach at EnableMe, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to dismantle the $1 million retirement myth and help you find your actual number. In this episode: The $1 million retirement myth: why one-size-fits-all numbers cause people to freeze Finding your baseline: how to audit three months of bank statements and strip out temporary costs The cost of kids and mortgages in retirement: why paying down debt early unlocks your plan Cash flow leaks: how cutting $10,000 of yearly waste saves you $250,000 across retirement Savings vs investing: why KiwiSaver and growth assets are essential to bridge the gap Why 65 isn't a financial cliff: using investment buckets to keep your money growing 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