Making Cents

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.

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

Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest

Follow me everywhere!

Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ

Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz

TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz

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

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.

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

Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest

Follow me everywhere!

Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ

Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz

TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz

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

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.

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

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.

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

Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest

Follow me everywhere!

Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ

Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz

TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz

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

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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

There’s a new person setting the rules for our retirement savings, so are we going to see changes for KiwiSaver?

David Boyle has just stepped in as New Zealand’s Retirement Commissioner, bringing decades of experience helping people navigate wealth, funds management, and financial education.

He joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to break down what’s really working, what’s broken, and where our retirement policy needs to go next. From the hidden trap of hiking contribution rates to why simple consistency beats chasing the "perfect" fund, David shares the practical tools and honest insights everyday Kiwis need to build a nest egg they can genuinely rely on.

In this episode:

• Why KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals have tripled in five years
• The launch of the Buffer Builder
• Why increasing contribution rates could actually hurt lower-income earners
• Where KiwiSaver fails: contractors, sole traders, and bridging the gender retirement gap
• Can we actually rely on NZ Super in the future?
• Regularity vs perfection: the #1 habit that matters more than fees or fund performance

Whether you are trying to stay ahead of day-to-day bills, build an emergency buffer, or plan decades ahead for retirement, this episode breaks down what the new rules mean for your money and how to make the system work 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

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

Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to bust the mortgage myths that are putting people off buying a home, from the 20% deposit rule to whether your Uber Eats habit will tank your application.

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