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...
Wed, April 09, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. We’ve been talking a lot about a buyer’s market in property, which has led to my DMs filling up with hopeful first home buyers, saying, is it our time? So this week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and she’s going to help us answer exactly that - if you want to buy now, can you make the most of the current situation? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, April 06, 2025
There’s investing, and then there’s "Capital I Investing", the one that comes with big risk, and if it works, big reward. Today’s guest Rowan Simpson is someone who’s flown under the radar in that scene for a while, first working at some of our iconic tech startups, and then investing in them. Rowan Simpson started out by saving up $10,000 to create his own tech company, Flathunt.co.nz. He’s since gone on a journey that involves TradeMe, Xero, Vend, and Timely, iconic companies, and he’s got millions more than that first $10,000. Now, he’s a private and early-stage venture investor, keeping an eye out for that next great business that can take the world by storm So how did he get from $10,000 to tens of millions… and what does he want the rest of us to know, before we try to copy him? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, April 02, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Xero, which has kindly leant us their expert Mere Teinaki, from Northland Chartered Accountants, and we’re talking about how everyone says you need to know your numbers... but how do you actually do that? Then, how you use that to make a plan? Basically, it's how to use the past to predict the future. If you want to bag a bargain, Making Cents listeners can get a whopper of a discount on Xero. Go to this link xero.com/francescoo k to help supercharge your small business. The information in this podcast is general information only and you should seek appropriate tax, financial and legal advice as may be appropriate for your personal or business needs. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, April 01, 2025
A highlight clip from the February 17h episode, “How to negotiate your career like a CEO”, with Rhiannon McKinnon, former CEO of Kiwi Wealth, current CEO and founder of CEO101. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, March 30, 2025
Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson explains some of the biggest money mistakes she sees, and how we can all do something to fix them. Money can be frustrating, and all of us have had at least once or twice when we’ve wondered, why isn’t someone trying to make this a bit easier for me? Why does it have to feel like such an uphill battle? Well, there are actually some people whose job it is to work away behind the scenes, badgering the government on everything from changing our education system, to retirement savings, to housing… it’s just that, well, there’s a lot to fix and sometimes resistance to fixing it. One of those people here in New Zealand is the Retirement Commissioner. And actually, her job starts well before you or I turn 65. One of her big projects at the moment, is actually helping us stamp out money problems while we’re still at school. So what are most of us getting wrong with our money, and are there easy wins, whether it’s from us, or bigger government changes? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, March 26, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, who has kindly leant us their expert fraud specialist Alyssa Charles-Green, and we’re talking about the fraudsters and scammers who want to get you, and how you can beat them at their own game. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, March 25, 2025
A highlight clip from the November 11h episode, “Your questions, answered: Why I quit, best investing strategy?”. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, March 23, 2025
If you've ever wondered, what is FU money, and could you ever have enough to quit your job? In this episode Frances breaks down what FU money is, and the four levels that make it easier to achieve, from basic survival funds to true financial independence. Then it's into an Ask Me Anything, for your burning questions including how investment funds work, and the benefits of rentvesting as an alternative to buying a home. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, March 19, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert Aaron Klee, General Manager, Investment Management. We’re talking how it feels like the world is falling apart at the moment, and how to invest through volatility, uncertainty, and a rollercoaster ride of a stock market. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, March 18, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 9th episode, “The secret to making money doing what you love”, with Pepper Raccoon, artist and merch designer. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, March 16, 2025
Beth Vickers, vocal coach, singer, doula, gardening influencer, shares how motherhood led to changing everything about her career. It can be really hard to make life and work fit together, and that’s particularly the case when kids come along. Time becomes scarcer than ever, but you also very much need to keep paying the bills. Now you might not think that that’s the ideal time to launch your own business… but that’s what one mum did. She took the leap into the self-employed life, and found that with a bit of planning she was actually working less, earning more, and enjoying life a lot more. Here’s the unusual way she made it work. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, March 12, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about what you need to know before you sell your house, so that you can be the smartest seller out there. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, click here https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, March 11, 2025
A highlight clip from the November 4th episode, “The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt”, with Glen James, author of The Quick-Start Guide to Investing and host of the Money Money Money podcast. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, click here https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, March 09, 2025
Muhammad Lambat, content creator and founder of @musliminvesting, shares how halal investing works, and some of the barriers for Muslim people becoming confident with their money. There are lots of issues that can hold people back from learning about their money, and one of them is just feeling like it could all be a bit complicated and hard. So add in a layer of religion, and what works and doesn’t work for your faith, and you have a recipe for people getting confused, and giving up. Enter Muhammad Lambat from Muslim Investing. He’s dedicated himself to figuring out halal investing, and what that means, from whether you can get a mortgage, to when crypto is ok, or not. There are also lots of grey areas, where even people in the know disagree. So let’s jump in to figure it out. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, click here https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, March 05, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with Xero, who has kindly lent us their expert, chartered accountant Paul Churchman, and we’re talking about the myths that pop up at the end of the financial year. If you want to bag a bargain, Making Cents listeners can get a whopper of a discount on Xero! Go to this link xero.com/francescoo k to help supercharge your small business. The information in this podcast is general information only and you should seek appropriate tax, financial and legal advice as may be appropriate for your personal or business needs. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, go to https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, March 04, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 23rd episode, “Why this family switched 'early retirement' for 'mini retirement' in a van”, with Kellie Dawson. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, click here https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, March 02, 2025
Angela McLachlan, professional organiser and founder of Sort My House, shares how to organise your life to reduce stress and save money. When you’re trying to live your best life for less, there’s an underrated trick… just getting organised. Knowing what you have, and where it is, can mean not buying as much overall. Not to mention, your time has value, and being organised can save a heap of that. But where do you start, and do you need to buy a bunch of stuff to get organised too? Let’s bring in the pros. Links If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, click here https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, February 26, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, which has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking parenthood and how that changes your finances. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, February 25, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 16th episode, “The hidden psychology that helps you build wealth - and why meditating hurts your money”, with Dr Brad Klontz, co-author of the new book Start Thinking Rich: 21 Harsh Truths to Take You from Broke to Financial Freedom. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, February 23, 2025
Frances Cook breaks down the problem with plastic surgery loans now targeting you on social media, then answers your questions in a quick-fire Ask Me Anything session. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, February 19, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AdviceFirst, which has kindly leant us their expert Willie Moala, national insurance lead. We're talking everything you've always wanted to know about insurance, including what you need, and what you don't. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, February 18, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 23rd episode, “Why this family switched 'early retirement' for 'mini retirement' in a van”, with Kellie Dawson, financial freedom seeker and mum. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, February 16, 2025
Rhiannon McKinnon, former CEO of Kiwi Wealth, current CEO and founder of CEO101, talks climbing to the top of the finance industry, how analysts make investing decisions, and how to take your career to the next level. Your career is a huge investment in your financial future, but only if you take control of it. If you want to earn more, and get the bigger opportunities, you have to get strategic, and learn how to negotiate. So how pushy can you get? Well let’s talk to someone who’s been at the top of the financial industry, so they can tell us not only how to negotiate like a CEO… but also how to invest like one. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, February 12, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about what actually happens with house values, the myths, and the truth of it. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, February 11, 2025
A highlight clip from the Novemer 11th episode, “Your questions, answered: Why I quit, best investing strategy?”. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, February 09, 2025
Dan Bell, financial adviser and co-founder of Colab Mortgages, shares how his tips for property investment, mastering the mortgage, and understanding international money markets. If you’ve been lucky enough to get a first home, or even an investment property, there’s two things that happen quite quickly. First, the excitement of making a big money move for your future. Second, the mild panic of seeing several hundred thousand dollars of mortgage debt turn up in your account. And there are all sorts of ‘gurus’ who take advantage of that to get your attention with mortgage hacks that may or may not work. So what’s good, and what’s not, from someone who both works in the financial industry and is a property investor themselves? Let’s find out. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, February 05, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with Xero, who has kindly lent us their expert Bridget Snelling, Country Manager NZ and we’re talking about how to stop any extra money leaking out of your small business or side hustle, and especially what magic an accountant can and can’t work, in order to help you with that. If you want to bag a bargain, Making Cents listeners can get a whopper of a discount on Xero! Go to this link xero.com/francescook to help supercharge your small business. The information in this podcast is general information only and you should seek appropriate tax, financial and legal advice as may be appropriate for your personal or business needs. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, February 04, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 9th episode, “The secret to making money doing what you love”, with Pepper Raccoon, artist and merch designer. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, February 02, 2025
Frances Cook answers the questions that you sent in, in a solo episode covering the best investing strategies, revolving mortgages, and what's up with her weird accent? Questions in this episode: I want to know more about your accent! There is more than one in there, right? I love it, I’m just curious. Is sharesies ok for a short term savings account or too risky? EG $10k for a holiday in 6 months? What to do with a big windfall ($1 mill). Save, invest, or property? What’s your view on revolving credit? If buying in the next five years, what kiwisaver fund should I be using? Why can’t I include my house equity in my retirement savings maths? What should you use your emergency fund for – I find it hard to let go of! I have a job that pays terribly, ($30k pa) but I love it. Should I change to a higher paying job? What are your qualifications? How to increase savings long term? Why is it so much easier to dip into savings after you do it the first time? And how to stop! I have $18,000 in credit card debt, and $15,000 in shares, do I cash it in and pay off the credit card debt? Early 30s, mortgage free, what to do next? Invest? Where do we start? Are we better to open our toddler a bank account and put money in it, kiwisaver or a sharesies account? Best ethical investments? Copy trading? Too high risk? Is the extra cost of being a home owner worth it? Can you do a solar power podcast? How it works in your home to save money. Is investing in a financial adviser worth it? Good income, young family, I’m overwhelmed but aim to progress. What’s the best looking bank note? How do you feel about buying into shares for a company you work for? I would love to know your opinion on paying down your mortgage versus investing? What’s the best thing you’ve ever SPENT money on? Aka not investing or a house. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, January 29, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with EnableMe, which has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach. We're talking debt and how to control it, so that it doesn't control you. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, January 28, 2025
A highlight clip from the November 4th episode, “The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt”, with Glen James, author of The Quick-Start Guide to Investing and host of the Money Money Money podcast. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, January 26, 2025
Nick Gentle, buyers agent, property coach, and a self-described “frugality geek”, shares how he managed to become financially independent by 30. Picture this: it’s 2.30 on a Wednesday afternoon, and you’re not in the office. Instead, you’re coaching your son’s latest sports team. This time it’s soccer, other days, it’s chess. This is the reality for one dad, who quit corporate life at just 30. How? A mix of living a very frugal life, and property investing. Here’s how he did it. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, January 22, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with KiwiBank, which has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking savings, and how to actually want to do it. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, January 21, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 16th episode, “The hidden psychology that helps you build wealth”, with Dr Brad Klontz. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, January 19, 2025
Shang Saavedra, now a work-optional financial coach, shares how she 'turbocharged' her finances in order to create time freedom. When it comes to building towards a good financial future, you’ll need some spare cash in order to hit your goals, whether that’s paying off debt, investing, or whatever else. In order to get there, there’s basically two options. You need to earn more, or spend less, in order to have the funds that let you do the interesting things. But what if you did a bit of both? Cutting back on spending at the same time as looking for opportunities to earn more, so you can truly turbocharge your finances towards your goals? One person who’s been there, done that, and achieved financial independence is Shang Saavedra, who used that method to become ‘work optional’, with a flexible, financially secure lifestyle that let’s her prioritise family. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, January 15, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about how you can learn to read the tea leaves of the property market, and make a smart prediction on what’s coming next. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, January 14, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 2nd episode, “I regret paying off my mortgage early”, with financial analyst Nick Carr. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, January 12, 2025
Shell Shields, who runs the page Christchurch Deals, shares how she finds a good bargain, which community is the secret weapon, and what she'd never cut back on. I will die on this hill - one of the best ways to manage your money is to be around people with similar values to you, who are part of your team, and cheering you on. This is particularly the case when it comes to trying to cut back and save. If friends and family are on the same page as you, you can all work together to make sure that social occasions don’t break the bank, and share any secret deals you each find. Taking this idea of a deal-hunting community to the next level is the woman behind Christchurch Deals. Her Instagram page details plenty of bargains happening throughout Christchurch, and while she finds plenty of them herself, they’re also sent to her by followers, friends, and family. It’s one happy community of bargain-hunters. So here’s how she finds the deals, and the tactics you can use to find some in your own city. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, January 08, 2025
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with EnableMe, which has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach. We’re talking the different types of mortgage you can get, and how they help you make the most of your cash. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, January 07, 2025
A highlight clip from the October 28th episode, "How financial freedom can lead to a career change", with Natasha Etschmann, also known as Tash Invests . 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, January 05, 2025
Clarissa Hirst, professional coach and marketing consultant, shares how a panic attack and burnout led to quitting the corporate world and launching her own business. It’s something we’re often encouraged to do when we’re establishing our careers – work hard, take on extra projects, join networking groups and do extra with them too. The problem is, there’s only so much of us to go around, and sometimes this can lead to you hitting the wall, and realising you can’t do it anymore. That’s what happened to today’s guest, when she had a panic attack at one of the very events she’d been most looking forward to. On doctor’s orders, she had to quit her job. But as she decided on what to do next, she hatched a plan – to start a business. Not exactly a recipe for a calm work life, you might think, as the self-employed life isn’t exactly known for being stress free. But she had an idea for how to make it work. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, January 01, 2025
A highlight clip from the December 2nd episode, “I regret paying off my mortgage early”, with financial analyst Nick Carr. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, December 29, 2024
A highlight clip from the November 4th episode, "The no BS strategy for budgeting, investment, and ditching debt", with Glen James from the Money Money Money podcast. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, December 25, 2024
A highlight clip from the September 30th episode, "How house sitting with alpacas turned into a digital nomad dream", with Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, December 22, 2024
Kellie Dawson, financial freedom seeker and mum, shares how her family were able to quit work and hit the road in Australia, for a year of nomad life in a van. There’s a tension when we talk about money. Often creating financial security for the future can mean giving things up now… but life is also for living, and you could get hit by a bus tomorrow. So how do you balance it? By setting goals, and a strategy, but being willing to change them along the way. That’s exactly what today’s guest did. They wanted to create financial freedom, setting the ambitious goal to not need to work by the time they hit forty. But then, as they had kids, and those kids started to grow up, they wanted to change those goals. Specifically, to be able to take a year off, travel around Australia, and spend quality time with the kids before the kids were too old to want to do it anymore. So that’s exactly what they’re going to do, with the plane tickets booked for later this year. Has it changed the strategy? A little bit. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, December 18, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, which has kindly leant us their expert MJ Vergara, senior economist, and we're talking the economy. Is it good, is it bad, and what does all of this mean for your wallet? Can you expect a pay rise in 2025, and what's going to happen with house prices? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, December 15, 2024
Dr Brad Klontz, co-author of the new book Start Thinking Rich: 21 Harsh Truths to Take You from Broke to Financial Freedom, shares how money beliefs can hold you back. Most of us have been there - you know what you should be doing with money, but you’re not doing it. Why? Well there’s a whole bunch of wiring deep in our brains that can trip us up and sabotage us. That doesn’t mean it’s all a lost cause … it means that you need to take control of your mind, before you truly take control of your money. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, December 11, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about house versus apartment. There are some key differences between these property types, and it can seriously impact your money. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, December 08, 2024
Pepper Raccoon, artist and merch designer, shares her tactics for creating a proper living out of being an artist. There’s a common belief that when you’re making career choices, you have to choose between doing what you love, or making money. While that’s sometimes true, it’s doesn’t have to be true. Even creatives, the ones most famous for becoming starving artists, can find systems to make a living without selling out to the man. It does, however, take a strategy. After all, if it was easy, everyone would do it. Well one such creative was nice enough to take time out of her day to walk me through exactly how she makes a good living as an artist. Wellingtonian Pepper Raccoon has been going for seven years now, working as a fine artist who makes pins, t-shirts, and other merchandise. It’s going so well that she’s even had to upgrade from being a sole trader, to a registered company, a big milestone. Here’s how she makes it work. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, December 04, 2024
Frances Cook shares listener tips for being money smart over Christmas, for everything from presents, to food, and bringing in extra cash to fund it all. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, December 01, 2024
Nick Carr, financial analyst from Your Money Blueprint, shares why he regrets paying off his mortgage early, and the numbers behind why he would have invested into shares instead. Paying off the mortgage early is a good thing… right? Well, one New Zealander worked hard to do that, and then decided, he’d actually shot himself in the foot. When a big accident happened, the money he’d sunk into the mortgage wasn’t available, when he could have done with some cash savings to get through a tough time. Meanwhile, he later discovered investing into shares, and on looking back wished he’d put more money into those investments instead. So when is paying off the mortgage early a good idea, when is it not, and how do you balance it all? Here’s how he would handle it now if he had his time over again. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, November 27, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert, client adviser Devon Walen, and we’re talking about if there are times when putting more into your KiwiSaver can actually be a bad idea. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mon, November 25, 2024
Frances Cook talks kids and money with Chris Chang, on TVNZ's Breakfast. Last week I was on TVNZ’s Breakfast, talking to Chris Chang about some strategies to talk to your kids about money. Particularly with Christmas coming up, can it be a present? What’s the best way to go about it? I get these questions in my inbox all the time, and the Breakfast team were nice enough to say I could put the audio up here as well, for you to listen to. Enjoy. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, November 24, 2024
Rachel Leutele, also known as the Savvy Saver, shares her tips for staying on a budget as a family, and changing your money to prioritise life. Becoming a stay at home mum is something that many people would like to do, but don’t necessarily have the funds for. It’s easy to think it’s only possible if one of the parents has a six figure income. But this mum, fresh out of getting her law degree, decided she wanted to make the stay at home mum life work even if it meant being on a string bean budget. She’s become really focused on ways to cut back and manage expenses, and shares that journey on her Instagram account as @the_savvy_saver . Here’s how she finds ways to cut back, but also, throw just a few treats in there too. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, November 20, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, which has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking about the different bank accounts that can make the most of your money. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mon, November 18, 2024
Frances Cook talks cryptocurrency with Jim Mora, on RNZ's Sunday Morning. You might have noticed that there was a fairly significant election recently, with Donald Trump once again about to be President of the US. Well this has impacted all sorts of things, including the financial world, and one of those big impacts has been on crypto. In true Trump style, he’s done a 180, going from calling it a scam in 2021, to now starting his own cryptocurrency, and saying that the US government is going to boost bitcoin. As you can imagine, that’s increasing the hype and sending prices, to the moon. Well, the lovely Jim Mora from RNZ Sunday Mornings asked me to come on the radio and detangle this for him. He’s one of my favourite people to be interviewed by, so of course that was a yes. He also agreed that I could re-run the audio on this podcast, which was very kind of him. So here’s a special bonus episode of myself and Jim talking all things crypto. Enjoy. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, November 17, 2024
Angela Strang, property investor and business owner, shares her tips for reaching financial independence. Sometimes a difficult experience early in life will shape you, for better or worse. For Angela, it was an early experience of finding herself as a child with her family in women’s refuge, that made her determined she would create financial stability for herself, and any future family that she had. So as a young adult she looked for highly paid jobs, and funneled that into property investments. But after hitting financial independence at 33, she didn’t want to stop. Now she’s on the cusp of buying a business, too. Why not stop and kick back a bit? Well, because she wants to help other kids who might be in a similar situation to what she once was. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, November 13, 2024
TV presenter Brodie Kane shares her co-ownership journey, and what she learned from hosting the new TV series On The Ladder with Kiwibank. Buying a house is far from easy, because let’s be honest, they’re expensive Building up a deposit, getting approval from the bank, then keeping paying it off, it’s all a bit of a mountain to climb Not to mention, if something goes wrong with the house, you’re now in charge and have to figure repairs, maintenance, and all the other very adult stuff. Well some people are teaming up to make these problems less scary. Rather than buying with a romantic partner, you could buy in with family, or friends. Big commitment there, but for some, the only way to get into property. So what can go right and wrong with this, and how do you do it smartly? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, November 10, 2024
Frances Cook answers the questions that you sent in, in a solo episode covering the best investing strategies, and why she launched her own business. This week, it’s something a little different. Things have changed around here recently, and I know that’s left people with a few questions. So I opened things up through social media to say, what are the questions on your mind? Everytjing from investing strategies, to why I quit my old job, came through. So… let’s whip through and give you some answers. Questions in this episode: Is there any hope for people just starting out to achieve Financial Independence? Advice for 26yo you? Is there a way to get your kiwisaver out without buying a house? Other investment schemes are better. What small things can I do to kick off investing when I don’t have a lot of money at all? Financial book recommendations? Are you scared to start your own business in a recession? What was your full time job before? What happened to Cooking the Books? I loved it! Do you miss writing about non-financial topics? How do you personally manage the currency risk of your investments? Do you buy hedged products? How is your hair so shiny? What’s your favourite luxury product you’ll never scrimp on? Mine’s fancy toilet roll. Just listened to the episode about how to pay off your home loan faster and it was fantastic and made so much sense. But what about for people who maybe can only save couple of thousand a year? Not really enough to warrant floating, or is it? Or what if you’re just a terrible saver (asking for a friend) or live almost week to week? How much difference does using a mortgage offset actually make? How many ETFs is good. And if you can’t buy a house, what’s the next best thing to do please. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, November 06, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, who has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking all of those acronyms that turn into alphabet soup when you’re just trying to figure out what’s going on in the property world. So today... we're jargon busting. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, November 03, 2024
Glen James, author of The Quick-Start Guide to Investing and host of the Money Money Money podcast, talks money pitfalls and how to invest successfully. Learning how to invest has to be one of the top questions I get in my inbox each week. And I love investing - it’s one of the fun parts of taking control of your money, to see it grow as well. But of course there are pitfalls, and you need to have your financial house in order before you give it a whirl. So how do you avoid the bear traps? Let’s talk to someone who’s ready to drop… more than a few truth bombs. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, October 30, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert Kate Brownsey, a sustainable investment analyst, and we’re talking about greenwashing and how to avoid being tricked by it... because nobody likes that. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, October 27, 2024
Natasha Etschmann, as known as Tash Invests, shares how investing into stocks and the sharemarket created the opportunity to move from working in health, to running her own business. When you think about starting your own business, the usual advice is to take what you already do for work, and turn it into something you can do on your own. So what if an opportunity comes along that’s totally different to what you’ve been doing until now? That’s what happened to Tash Invests, otherwise known as Natasha Etschmann. One minute she was working as a support worker, finishing her studies to become a full-time occupational therapy worker, and the next her videos about her savings and investments were blowing up online. Making the leap from health, to finance and content creation, is a fairly big one. But she eventually decided, it was time to at least try. Here’s how she made it work. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, October 23, 2024
A highlight clip from the September 30th episode, "How house sitting with alpacas turned into a digital nomad dream", with Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, October 20, 2024
Steve Holloway and Seamus Marten from Between Two Beers share what it takes to make a business work in the internet age. In some ways, it’s never been easier to start a business. But it’s one thing to start a business, and another to keep it running and making money. Many entrepreneurs start out in an area that they’re passionate about, but soon realise they have to wear a lot of other hats too that they’re not so passionate about, in order to get the business off the ground. People might see your business selling one thing, but what they don’t see is the strategy behind the scenes, the marketing, the accounts, the taxes, ugh the taxes. So what does it take to be in business now, and does making use of the online world make it easier, or harder? Well, there’s a couple of New Zealanders smashing this right now, so I figured it was time to pick their brains. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, October 16, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week I’ve partnered up with realestate.co.nz, which has kindly leant us their expert Vanessa Williams, and we’re talking about how long people actually hold on to their homes. Spoiler alert, it’s not as long as you might think! 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, October 13, 2024
Ana Kresina, financial educator and author, shares her tactics for career and investments, to get to financial independence faster. Having enough in investments that you don’t need to work anymore sounds, frankly, hard enough for the average person. But what about if you’re trying to raise children as well, a notoriously expensive activity? As always, I’m a believer that it’s possible, as long as you’ve got a strategy. Today’s guest has that same belief. She heard about the financial independence movement and decided actually, she could go for that. So she made moves including changing her career to boost her earning power, and seriously schooling up on finances. The family is along for the ride, and safe to say, there are a few money conversations around the kitchen table. She’s become so good at walking the family and money tightrope that she’s now written two books on it, which have gone on to win awards, and smash sales records. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, October 09, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Enable.Me, who has kindly leant us their expert Katie Wesney, a head strategic coach, and we’re talking paying off the mortgage early. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, October 06, 2024
Cameron Wislang, founder of Big Dollar Energy budgets, shares the tricks for confidence with your money, and budgeting without missing out on life. Budget is often a dirty word, immediately making you think of cutting back and missing out. But what if you used it as a way to create happiness and calm instead? That’s what the founder of Big Dollar Energy Budgets is all about, pushing for an approach that reduces stress and stops you from having to think about money all day every day. And surely, that’s the dream - to feel like you have control over where your money is going, without stressing about every cent? So what’s possible, particularly if you’re not rolling in it? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wed, October 02, 2024
Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money. This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, who has kindly leant us their expert Hayley Tito, senior product manager for everyday banking, and we’re talking travel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, September 29, 2024
Sarah Kelsey from the OneUp Project shares the highs and lows of digital nomad life, and how she uses house sitting to make the dream a reality. The idea of taking off to see the world, but still getting to have a career, is an enticing one, and that’s the obvious appeal behind the idea of becoming a digital nomad. If so many people can work from home, then why can’t you also work from anywhere but home? Travel is made easier with money to fund it, and if you’re able to keep working remotely, that’s one big tick to help you out. Another smart tactic is to cut your costs, such as by finding free accommodation by house sitting. The digital nomad world is, however, often full of hype, with only whispers about how hard it can be in reality. That’s not what we do here though… Today, it’s a conversation with someone who’s making this dream a reality, but is also more than willing to share both the highs and the lows of the journey. Like being surrounded by friendly alpacas one minute, and the next, feeling horribly alone without friends and family. So how strategic do you need to get to pull off the digital nomad life, and how do you improve the odds of actually being successful? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trailer · Mon, August 26, 2024
Welcome to Making Cents, where we do exactly what it says on the tin - make the money world make sense. I'm Frances Cook, a best-selling author and award-winning journalist, who's been helping people figure out the money world for a few years now. So whether you want to invest your way to financial independence, buy your first home, or just get your spending under control, let's talk about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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