Making Cents

What matters more to you, money or time?

Nearly half of us would accept getting paid less just to get more time back in our lives. Not more stuff, not a bigger house - just time.

Yet in reality, we are getting squeezed on both fronts with less money and less time. New research from Revolut and YouGov shows 44% of Kiwis would take a pay cut for a four-day work week, while six in ten are working overtime - and nearly a third get nothing extra for it. To make matters worse, budgeting and managing money has become the single biggest drain on our free time.

Georgia Grange, Chief Operating Officer at Revolut New Zealand, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to break down how to take back control of our hours.

From the generational divide between Gen Z and management to practical automations that kill off the "Sunday scaries," Georgia shares how to simplify your money so you can get your life back.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Revolut, the card and app for everyday spending in NZ, and smarter money on your travels. Use this link https://get.revolut.com/e9Jc/makingcents7 to try them out, spend, and Revolut will give you $40 to get started.*

In this episode:

- The four-day work week reality: why 44% of Kiwis would trade pay for time

- The generational divide: why 65% of young workers want shorter weeks while older bosses hold back

- Why overtime and "always-on" digital tools are driving burnout and unpaid work

- How budgeting became the #1 free-time drain for 32% of New Zealanders

- The Sunday scaries test: why spending hours on spreadsheets is a red flag

- How to automate your income, bills, and wealth building so money management takes 10 minutes a week

- Using disposable virtual cards and spend limits to kill unwanted subscriptions and overspending

- Moving from presenteeism to output: what workplaces need to change

Whether you're feeling burnt out by the daily grind or spending way too much of your weekend stuck in spreadsheets, this episode breaks down real, practical steps to help you take control of your time and your money on your own terms.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

Building a comfortable money life for yourself is one thing - building wealth that outlives you is a completely different game.

The problem is that when people get this wrong, it is not just the money that disappears; families often fall apart trying to figure it out. From mismatched expectations to the old saying that wealth is lost in three generations, passing down money without a clear plan can create entitlement rather than long-term security.

Andrew Clements, private wealth and succession lawyer at Grayson Clements, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to pull back the curtain on how to make family wealth last. Drawing on his career advising some of the wealthiest families in the country, Andrew explains why generational planning isn't just for billionaires, and why the most powerful thing parents can do is equip the next generation for responsibility.

In this episode:

• The 5 capitals of wealth: why true wealth comes from wellness, not just money
• Why 70% of family wealth is lost by the second generation, and 90% by the third
• The entitlement trap: why handing kids a soft landing can backfire
• The tradie family blueprint: how a modest-income family set their daughters up to own property together
• How to create a "family sandbox" and family advisory board to practice money decisions safely
• Why every family upset is actually a broken rule, and how to define your family rules early
• The two-year transition model: moving from a "family business" to a "business family"
• How to teach kids to fail safely so they build resilience and protect their reputation

Whether you are starting from modest means or building a legacy to pass on, this episode breaks down practical steps to help you lead your family and build lasting wealth on your own terms.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

I join Jim Mora on RNZ Sunday Mornings to work through the latest money news, from new data on unpaid overtime and the cost of living crunch, to Auckland house prices dropping below a million for the first time in six years, and whether Meta’s AI shopping agent is actually a good idea.

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For years, buyers have complained the property market wasn’t on their side - but that has just changed in a way New Zealand hasn’t seen in six years.

Auckland’s average asking price has dropped under $1 million for the first time since 2020, and with 34,000 houses on the market across the country, buyers have serious choice and negotiating power.

But while listings pile up and prices stay flat, why is a full-blown property crash still off the cards?

Vanessa Williams from http://realestate.co.nz joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to break down the latest property data and reveal what is actually happening beneath the headlines. From the South Island regions hitting record highs to what gets a home sold right now, Vanessa shares what buyers and sellers need to know.

In this episode:

• Auckland house prices dip below $1 million: what the six-year milestone means for buyers and sellers
• Why the South Island is booming while the North Island cools
• Selling in a buyer’s market: the 3 non-negotiables to get your property sold without slashing your price
• The "roast me" test: why brutal feedback on presentation can save you thousands
• Why waiting for the election or summer could cost buyers their negotiating edge

Whether you're looking to buy your first home, make a move, or work out what the shifting market means for your equity, this episode breaks down the numbers to help you make your move on your own terms.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

Ever wanted to turn to your boss and say, "I could run this place better, and you should let me"?

In reality, you probably want to phrase it a little more diplomatically than that. But it is possible - because Sarah Murray did exactly that.

Sarah Murray, owner and editor of FQ, shares the raw reality of stepping from employee to business owner.

From valuing a legacy media brand and writing a winning bank business plan with no prior corporate finance background, Sarah pulls back the curtain on taking the ultimate career swing.

In this episode:

• The audacity of buying the company: how Sarah built up the courage to pitch her boss
• What it takes to value an established business and get bank approval with no formal business background
• The "part-time work" trap for working parents, and taking on your dream role with young kids
• Navigating the shift from coworker to editor-in-chief and business owner
• Balancing creative integrity vs the bottom line: why "bougie" brand details sometimes matter
• The modern media blueprint: turning a print magazine into a 360-degree ecosystem of events and memberships
• Practical advice for pitching your boss if you want to buy out or take over a company

Whether you're dreaming of turning your career into business ownership or navigating the high-stakes world of running a brand, this episode breaks down what it really takes to back yourself and build something on your own terms.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

With the election ramping up, promises to change KiwiSaver are flying thick and fast.

Time to break down what each party is suggesting, what the experts think is missing from the debate, and what it could all mean for your retirement savings.

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With petrol prices spiking to record highs, hitting $3.52 a litre, switching to an electric or hybrid car can look like the ultimate way to wipe out a massive daily living cost. But is it actually the right financial move for your lifestyle, or could hidden ownership costs end up costing you more?

Financial journalist Frances Cook breaks down the real numbers on petrol, hybrid, and fully electric cars.

From real-world running costs and road user charges to battery lifespan facts and a brutal warning on vehicle depreciation, Frances shares the exact maths you need to know before making a move.

In this episode:

• The real cost to charge an EV: running the numbers on off-peak power vs $3/litre petrol
• Factoring in NZ Road User Charges: what EV driving actually costs per 450km
• The hybrid trap
• EV insurance and servicing costs: the trade-off between higher premiums and lower maintenance
• Will the battery die and bankrupt you? Real-world data on EV battery degradation and warranties
• The depreciation rule: why buying a 2–3 year old EV saves you tens of thousands
• How green loans work: using 0% to 1% interest bank financing without touching high-interest car loans
• Frances’s golden rule: why the cheapest car is almost always the one already in your driveway

Whether you are feeling squeezed at the pump or weighing up your next vehicle purchase, this episode breaks down the practical numbers to help you make the right call on your own terms.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

Election season is here, and every political party is lining up to promise fixes for your wallet. But behind the political promises on KiwiSaver, grocery prices, and power bills, are any of their proposed solutions actually going to fix the real problems?

Independent financial journalist and founder of The Kaka, Bernard Hickey, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to pull back the curtain on the economic realities facing New Zealand. From the truth about making KiwiSaver compulsory to why a food-producing nation has a million people relying on food banks, Bernard breaks down the big structural flaws and the radical changes needed to actually move the dial.

In this episode:

• Why making KiwiSaver compulsory without tax breaks is effectively a tax on everyday workers
• The overseas investment problem: why 60% of KiwiSaver funds head offshore instead of building NZ infrastructure
• The first-home buyer dilemma: why using KiwiSaver as a deposit fund pumps up house prices
• How Australia built the world’s third-largest pension pool, and the sliding door moment New Zealand missed
• Supermarket duopolies: why splitting up Foodstuffs and Woolworths needs a telecom-style breakup to work
• Why New Zealand can feed 40 million people while grocery bills push families to the brink
• The real driver behind youth unemployment and why inflation targets are punishing the wrong people
• How New Zealand could become self-sufficient in food, energy, and housing during global disruption

Whether you're trying to figure out what election promises mean for your retirement fund or wondering why your weekly grocery shop keeps climbing, this episode breaks down what’s really going on with your money and our economy.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.

Follow me everywhere!

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Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

While global sharemarkets are booming, New Zealand is sitting quietly near the bottom of the table. I break down why our market is built differently, what that means for your returns, and how to think about whether you should be investing here or looking overseas.

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AI can build you a full financial plan in 30 seconds flat, but what happens when that plan meets the real world?

Chatbots sound confident, use big words, and can make you feel completely sorted with your money. But generic tools don't know what questions to ask, often affirm whatever you tell them, and can easily ignore massive blind spots like debt, emergency buffers, or market risk.

Katie Wesney from EnableMe joins Frances Cook on Ask the Experts to break down the reality of running your finances through AI. Together, they look at where AI tools are genuinely helpful, where they act as an overconfident trap, and how to stress test your money plan so it survives bad weather.

This episode covers:

• The danger of AI financial plans: why "garbage in, garbage out" leaves out debt and bad assumptions
• Why AI chatbots are designed to be agreeable, and why that makes them terrible financial advisers
• The real difference between feeling confident and actually being financially prepared
• The foundational numbers AI misses: net worth, monthly spending load, interest rates, and emergency buffers
• How people are successfully using AI for financial education, budgeting, and asking better questions
• How to stress test your goals—from buying a first home to paying off your mortgage faster or planning retirement

If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to [email protected] and you might feature on our next episode!

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals