Making Cents

By 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 jo... more

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FAQs about Making Cents:

How many episodes does Making Cents have?

The podcast currently has 288 episodes available.

Making Cents episodes:

August 20, 2026 Take the 50k or Flip for a Million?
Frances Cook joins the Seven Sharp team to unpack a coin flip experiment that reveals how Kiwis think about risk and money, and why we will happily put it all on red but get nervous about the kinds of risk that actually build wealth.
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
...more
7min
August 19, 2026The Best Way To Add Property Value - And The Mistake To Avoid
Renovating to add value is the dream, but overcapitalising is the nightmare that can turn your dream reno into a costly mistake. So how do you tell the difference before you've spent a single dollar?
This week's Ask the Experts letter comes from a homeowner who badly needs more space and is weighing up an extension to their house.
Vanessa Williams from realestate.co.nz joins Frances to pull back the curtain on what actually pays off from a reno.
In this episode we’re talking:
How to choose between lifestyle and money factors when you renovate your home
Why bedrooms and bathrooms are the big winner on value, but have a hidden downside
The areas where people waste money on renovations, without realising it

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!
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
...more
17min
August 16, 2026The Mortgage Advice That Fails in NZ: With Aaron Cattell (The Mortgage Man)
Time to fact-check the mortgage advice taking over social media, and see what actually holds up.
Mortgage adviser Aaron Cattell (aka The Mortgage Man) is ready to go myth-by-myth through the mortgage advice doing the rounds online, and find out what actually survives contact with someone who does this for a living.
We cover:
The "pay a dollar a day" trick, the viral claim that resets your mortgage interest.
Weekly vs fortnightly vs monthly repayments; does paying more often actually shave years off your mortgage in New Zealand, or is that a US myth that doesn't translate?
The "buy two houses, one each" couple strategy
Credit scores, and how much they really matter for a NZ mortgage application
Rent vs buy, and how to figure out the numbers for the NZ context

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.
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
...more
57min
August 13, 2026 The Easiest Shortcuts To Save Money
Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to share her favourite apps and websites for cutting power bills, saving on groceries, eating out for less and upskilling for free, all with as little effort as possible.
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
...more
7min
August 12, 2026Get Ready For ‘Excuse-flation’ - That’s About To Drive Up Cost Of Living Even Further
"Excuseflation" is the secret reason your groceries, petrol and power keep going up.
Why did butter come down a third in global price... and only drop two cents on the shelf? Why does petrol rocket up in a day but crawl back down for months? There's a name for this: excuseflation, when real inflation gives businesses cover to hike prices for no real reason at all.
In this episode, financial journalist Frances Cook breaks down:
The real numbers behind headline inflation for NZ
The "rockets and feathers" effect: why petrol prices jump instantly but fall painfully slowly
The on-the-record quote from a US CEO who admitted he "prays for inflation" because it "expands margins"
Brand-new Reserve Bank of New Zealand research showing when businesses raise prices, and when they cut them
The 4-question "sniff test" to tell a genuine price rise from a cynical one
Practical ways to fight back against inflation, and excuseflation

If you've ever felt like prices only go one way, this episode explains why, and what you can actually do about it.
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
...more
33min
August 09, 2026Simple KiwiSaver Mistakes That Cost You Thousands (And How To Fix Them)
You sent in your KiwiSaver questions, time for us to answer them.
KiwiSaver is one of the biggest financial tools most New Zealanders have, but just a few changes can mean tens of thousands of dollars more for you.
Personal finance journalist Susan Edmunds, author of the new book Your KiwiSaver Questions, Answered, is on the Making Cents podcast and ready to sort it out.
In this episode:
The most common KiwiSaver mistakes people make, and how to avoid them
How to get more money from your KiwiSaver
What changes are coming for KiwiSaver in the future, and the politics that could change your money
What actually happens to your KiwiSaver when you die
Whether you can trust putting your money into KiwiSaver,
Ethical investing options
Whether the government could ever take your KiwiSaver

Whether you're just starting out or trying to optimise years of contributions, this episode breaks down exactly what you need to know about KiwiSaver.
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!
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
...more
35min
August 06, 2026 How to Build Financial Independence Without Living on Instant Noodles
Frances Cook joins Jim Mora on RNZ Sunday Mornings to talk through whether financial independence is actually achievable for ordinary people and how to make it work on your own terms, followed by a run through the latest money news including the AI bubble, rising rates and what is happening in the housing market.
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
...more
22min
August 05, 2026Have I Set My Kids Up, or Set Them Back?
Most parents want to give their kids a softer landing than they had.
But what if the soft landing is the problem?
This week's letter writer has done everything right, on paper. Bills covered. Kids never stressed about money. An investment account quietly building in the background, for a nice surprise one day.
But with the kids about to fly the nest, they're rethinking whether thiswas the right tactic. Because maybe protecting them from money stress means they've never actually learned to handle it.
Katie Wesney, national coaching lead from EnableMe has answers. Together with Frances Cook, they talk about:
How to talk to kids about money without making it a source of stress
Whether a secret investment account is a gift, or a missed lesson
The right age to start involving kids in money decisions
Should you give your kid an allowance at university, or let them work for it
What financial independence should actually look like for a teenager leaving home

If you've ever wondered whether doing everything for your kids is setting them up, or setting them back, this is the one to listen to.
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!
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
...more
19min
August 02, 2026 I Interviewed Dozens Of Money Experts - This Was The Best Advice
It’s time for the ultimate budget hacks to save money on food, petrol, and life.
Because a good budget should help you keep your cash for the fun stuff.
Today we’re pulling together the best tips and tricks from past Making Cents guests, so you get just their best moment on how to save money, from groceries, to apps, subscriptions, banking, food costs.
Chris Schulz breaks down the money-saving apps and budgeting apps that actually work, and the sneaky tactics shops use to take your cash. Full episode, 22 March: Supermarket Tricks, Insurance Hacks & Subscription Traps: How to Stop Overpaying.
Hannah Koumakis went viral for the budgeting system she built after nannying for billionaires on her OE — money habits that create financial security without the status symbols. Full episode, 11 Oct 2025: I Nannied for Billionaires, It Changed My Entire Money Outlook.
Jason Leong, CEO of Pocketsmith, reveals the hidden money leaks and subscription traps quietly draining your spending. Full episode, 20 Dec 2025: NZ Banking Just Changed All the Rules, Are You Ready?
Alice Taylor, chef, shares how to cut your grocery bill and food costs without cutting the flavour, with proof that good food doesn't have to cost the earth. She's been on twice: 15 Nov 2025 and 5 July 2025.
This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.
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
...more
37min
July 30, 2026 The Catch Behind a "Timeless" Investing Strategy
Frances Cook breaks down why the most popular index fund strategy in the world may not be spreading your risk the way you think, what history tells us about industries that have dominated the market before and what to do if the current AI concentration concerns you.
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
...more
10min

FAQs about Making Cents:

How many episodes does Making Cents have?

The podcast currently has 288 episodes available.