Making Cents

Why does it feel like you’re always spending more than you meant to?

No, you’re not imagining it. Modern consumer life is full of supermarket tricks, subscription traps, hidden fees, dark patterns, and pricing tactics designed to get more money out of you.

Luckily Consumer senior investigative journalist Chris Schulz knows all the psychological tricks companies use to drive overspending, and the practical ways you can fight back.

From supermarket layouts and loyalty pricing, to hard-to-cancel subscriptions, hidden online fees, insurance costs, and power bills, this episode breaks down why saving money now can feel like a full-time job, and where you can actually make real gains.

We’re talking:

1. what “dark patterns” are, and how online shopping traps you into spending more
2. how subscription traps and hard-to-cancel services cost you money
3. the best ways to compare supermarket prices and cut your grocery bill
4. how to review your insurance and avoid overpaying
5. why almost everyone could save money on their power bill

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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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Just as we were hoping for a break in the cost of living, fuel and food prices are heading up again. So how can you protect your cash, and find savings everywhere from insurance, to KiwiSaver, to your subscriptions?

A replay of the conversation with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ’s Afternoons.

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KiwiSaver is changing, and you need to know what that means for your money.

The Government has changed the rules, and they’re coming in to force now.

Your own contribution rates, government contribution rules, and employer payments are all shifting. And depending on your income, age, or how your salary package works, the impact on your take-home pay could be very different.

In this episode of Ask the Experts, Kristin Sutherland, strategic coach at EnableMe, helps us figure out what these changes mean in reality.

We’re talking:

1. The key KiwiSaver rule changes you need to know
2. How higher contribution rates could affect your take-home pay
3. Whether the employer contribution changes are actually a boost or just a reshuffle
4. Why higher earners lose the government contribution
5. The biggest KiwiSaver mistakes people make during rule changes
6. How to review your fund, fees, and settings so your KiwiSaver works harder for you

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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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

What would it take to quit your job, take your kids out of school, and spend a year travelling Australia in a caravan?

For Kellie Dawson, it took years of careful planning, property investing, budgeting, and building enough financial freedom to press pause on normal life and ask a bigger question: what do we actually want?

In this episode, Kellie shares:

- how they planned a year of family travel around Australia

- what financial freedom means to them in real life

- how they used property investing helped build financial freedom

- why they came home rethinking money, careers, and what matters most

If you’ve ever dreamed of quitting the grind, creating passive income, travelling with your family, or building financial independence in a way that supports your real life, this episode is for you.

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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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

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about why "playing dead" is the best response when your money is hit by a global crisis.

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Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Some of the most praised money advice is also some of the worst - depending on your stage of life.

Buy a house as soon as possible. Never sell an investment. Stop wasting money on coffee, drinks, and fun. Always chase the biggest return. Always chase the next pay rise.

Sounds responsible, right?

Except real life is messier than that. And if you follow these rules too blindly, you can end up making your life smaller, more stressful, and sometimes even worse financially.

In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook breaks down 7 “bad” money decisions that can actually be smart, depending on your goals, your lifestyle, and the season of life you’re in.

From renting instead of buying, to paying for childcare, outsourcing chores, switching careers, selling investments that are ruining your sleep, and keeping cash on hand instead of forcing every dollar into growth, this is a myth-busting episode about building wealth without losing the plot.

Because being good with money is not about hoarding cash and never enjoying your life.

It’s about using money to build a life you actually want.

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Investing can transform your financial future, but many avoid starting because it’s too intimidating.

Markets go up and down, there’s endless advice online, and the fear of making a costly mistake keeps many stuck on the sidelines for years.

So what actually goes wrong when people start investing? And more importantly, how do you avoid those traps?

Author, and host of the Money Money Money podcast Glen James is on the podcast to break down the biggest investing mistakes beginners make, and the simple systems that help you build wealth over time.

Glen calls himself a “reformed spender” who had to learn money the hard way. From losing money on risky penny stocks as a teenager to building a disciplined investing strategy using index funds and automation, he shares the real lessons that helped him become a smarter investor.

In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The biggest investing mistakes beginners make
2. Why waiting for the “perfect time” can cost you thousands
3. How to start investing even if you’re nervous
4. The power of diversification and index funds
5. Why systems and automation make investing easier

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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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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Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the ways to save money on daily life, and maybe even earn some extra cash, to get through the cost of living crunch.

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Losing a partner is devastating. Then on top of the grief, there’s paperwork, big life changes, and financial decisions that feel urgent and overwhelming.

In this episode of Ask the Experts, we’re answering a listener question from a woman in her early 50s who recently lost her husband. They had just finished putting their kids through school and were about to ramp up retirement savings. Instead, she’s now navigating life solo, with a $500,000 lump sum from a payout and the sale of the family home.

Will White from Heartland Bank is in the Expert hot seat, ready to talk through:

1. Where to start when you’re grieving and facing big financial decisions
2. KiwiSaver vs managed funds – the pros, cons, and access rules
3. How to think about timeframes when retirement is 10–15 years away
4. Building a safety buffer before you invest
5. Risk tolerance, and how grief and life changes can affect how much volatility you can handle

If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to [email protected] (mailto:[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

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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

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #Investing #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

1. 00:00:00 Introduction
2. 00:00:56 The letter: navigating grief and sudden financial responsibility
3. 00:01:50 Don't rush: give yourself time to grieve and think clearly
4. 00:02:28 Diversification matters: don't put all your eggs in one basket
5. 00:05:30 Short, medium, and long-term priorities: working backwards from retirement
6. 00:07:41 Investing in your 50s: you can't afford too many market shocks
7. 00:08:36 Get a financial advisor: half a million dollars deserves professional advice
8. 00:09:24 Emotional safeguards: when are you ready to make big decisions?
9. 00:12:09 Invest in your mental well-being too: grief counseling is just as important
10. 00:13:39 Wrapping up: take your time and lean on support

When you’re working hard, ticking the boxes, doing everything “right”, yet still not getting the promotion or pay rise? It’s easy to feel stuck.

You’re not imagining it.

New Zealand’s job market has cooled. Job listings are down. Businesses are cautious. Pay rises are harder to secure. Career progression can feel slower.

But when things get tight, that’s when strategy matters the most.

Enter Jarrod Haar, Professor of Management and Māori Business at Massey University, to tell us what actually works when you want to earn more, get promoted, or completely reinvent your career.

If you’ve been wondering:

• “How do I get a pay rise in this economy?”

• “Is it time to change jobs?”

• “Do I need more qualifications to earn more money?”

• “How can I reinvent my career without starting over?”

This episode is for you.

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

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:02:35 Meet Jarrod: Professor of Management on the state of burnout
• 00:06:13 The post-COVID hangover: why the job market feels so tough right now
• 00:07:44 Start with what you can control: upskilling and staying relevant
• 00:09:40 Social capital: why being a nice person actually pays off
• 00:19:17 Should you stay or should you go? Voting with your feet
• 00:21:51 The power of saying yes: building skills through work experience
• 00:24:35 The skills that matter across industries: human connection over credentials
• 00:29:22 Future-proofing your career: keep your finger on the pulse
• 00:34:07 Wrapping up: hustle smarter, not just harder