Making Cents

If you have ever felt like the world is designed to drain your bank account, you are not imagining it. Online shopping and digital services are full of sneaky money traps - known as dark patterns - built to make spending effortless and canceling nearly impossible.

This week on Ask the Experts, Jan Verberne, Senior Legal Counsel at Revolut, pulls back the curtain on how these manipulative online checkout tactics work and the exact tools you can use to outsmart them.

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.*

This episode covers:

• What dark patterns are and how online retailers use them to manipulate your spending
• How to escape subscription traps, cancel free trials, and avoid forced cancellation phone calls
• The hidden cost of drip pricing and checkout fee sneakiness
• How foreign transaction fees and bad exchange rates make international online shopping more expensive
• How open banking, AI fraud detection, and fintech security tools protect your personal data
• How to build a security buffer between your primary bank account and online merchants

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!

*T&Cs apply. Spend min $1 to receive reward. Exchange rates will vary. Comparison to major bank rates based on exchanging NZD $1K Mon-Fri, within your plan’s fair usage limits. More info: https://www.revolut.com/en-NZ/nz-fx-substantiation. Revolut Payments New Zealand Pty Ltd.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

When the job market feels completely stuck, what if you could create your own job by owning a business? And instead of starting from scratch and hoping it works, what if you bought an established business with a proven track record?

Buying a business isn't just buying yourself a job - run properly, it’s an asset you can grow, earn from, and eventually sell.

Jess Shaw, Director of Vesta Finance joins Frances Cook on Making Sense to break down how everyday people can buy a business like an asset class. From borrowing options that don’t require a million dollars in cash to red flags in business and knowing what to look for under the hood, Jess shares the practical tools you need to take the leap.

In this episode:

• Buying a business vs starting from scratch
• How to view a business as an asset class rather than just an income
• How to fund a business purchase
• Why you don’t need $1 million in cash to buy a $1 million business
• The "build your own boardroom" rule: the four key experts you need on your side
• The hidden trap of debt servicing
• Building liquidity and rainy day funds to ride out economic downturns
• How to know when you're in "build mode" vs "cut mode" with your money

Whether you are looking to step out of the 9-to-5, build a new income stream, or grow your long-term wealth, this episode breaks down the real steps to buying and running a business 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

Frances Cook and Lighthouse Financial wealth director James Blair dig into values based spending, and how to create a financial plan that isn't about hoarding cash but about making sure your money is working toward the life you actually want, now and in the future.

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Time for a raw, unfiltered Ask Me Anything episode of Making Cents! Financial journalist Frances Cook sits down to tackle your biggest money questions.

From practical strategies to break out of feeling stuck in a cost-of-living squeeze, to whether you should pay off your mortgage or invest in shares, Frances breaks down the plain-English rules of the money game.

In this episode:

• Why trying to prioritise every money goal at once leads to burnout, and how to pick one achievable target
• The reality of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early)
• Moving from "average" to actually getting ahead: the two levers that make or break your money
• What to do when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, and can't see a clear way forward financially
• Should you invest in your employer’s share scheme? The risks of having all your eggs in one basket
• How to get a reluctant partner on board with money goals without fighting
• Mortgage vs Shares
• The shifting risks around Airbnb investments vs traditional long-term rentals
• Why index funds remain the core foundation of her own long-term investing strategy

Whether you're struggling to find breathing room in your budget or working towards full financial freedom, this episode breaks down real, practical steps to help you take control of 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

When headlines scream about the worst property downturn in 30 years, is it time to panic - or is it the buying opportunity you’ve been waiting for?

Prices are down, listings are flooding the market, and buyers have more choice than they’ve seen in years. But picking up a bargain isn’t as simple as buying any cheap property and hoping the market does the heavy lifting.

Ilse Wolfe, property investor and founder of Wolfe Property Coaching, joins Frances Cook on Making Cents to explain why market freezes are when seasoned investors make their move. From dodging identical new build traps to adding instant equity through smart cosmetic renovations, Ilse shares how to create your own safety buffer in a tricky economic climate.

In this episode:

• Why a buyer's market creates an abundance of opportunity for prepared buyers
• The "Sunday hangover" effect: navigating negative cash flow and high borrowing costs
• Why identical new builds carry hidden risks for value and rent control
• The three big structural red flags to watch out for during property due diligence
• Why DIY "sweat equity" might cost you more than hiring a trusted trade team
• What happens to house prices around election time and why waiting on the sidelines can cost you

Whether you're looking for your first home or weighing up an investment, this episode breaks down the practical strategies you need to take control of your property decisions in any market.

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

Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the AI deepfake scam using her likeness to lure people into dodgy investment groups, and the red flags that can help you tell the difference between genuine financial advice and someone trying to take your money.

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What do you do when your home is worth less than what you paid for it, and the layout no longer works for your family? Can you actually renovate your way out of negative equity, or does pouring six figures into an extension just dig a deeper financial hole?

This week on Ask the Experts, Vanessa Williams from http://realestate.co.nz breaks down the real property data on what buyers are paying for, which renovations actually add resale value, and how to balance lifestyle needs against cold, hard financial decisions.

It’s a dilemma many Kiwi homeowners will recognise: should you renovate, cut your losses and sell, or reset your property goals entirely?

This episode covers:

- How the post-boom property correction is affecting Kiwi homeowners

- Why "renovating your way out of a loss" can be a dangerous financial trap

- The real property value change of adding bedrooms vs. adding bathrooms

- Why general home maintenance costs ($5k–$10k/year) shouldn't be counted as value-adding renovations

- The "devil you know vs. devil you don't" dilemma of selling an older home to buy another fixer-upper

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

Follow me everywhere!

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Filmed by Fanaticals

It seems everyone is using AI to make life quicker and easier - and apparently, fraudsters are too.

From doctored bank statements and inflated income to fake paperwork that used to take serious skill to forge, AI is making mortgage and insurance fraud easier to pull off in minutes. The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) is actively investigating, and honest borrowers are the ones left competing against fake applications.

Josh Daniell, co-founder of open banking platform Akahu, joins Frances Cook to break down how the finance industry is fighting back, how open banking protects your data, and what the rise of AI chatbots means for everyday money decisions.

In this episode:

• How AI is fueling mortgage and insurance fraud, and why the FMA is cracking down
• What open banking actually is, and how directly sharing bank data cuts out fake documents
• The truth about data privacy: why regulated open banking is safer than emailing PDF statements
• Using ChatGPT or AI chatbots for money questions: the benefits, privacy risks, and why AI is often too eager to agree with you
• Why human financial advisers and judgment still matter when the market takes a dive
• New smart tools that automate your emergency savings, track insurance, and scan for better interest rates
• What the next 12 months look like for open banking and fintech in New Zealand

Whether you're curious about using AI for your own money or wondering how open banking will change the way you borrow, save, and invest, this episode breaks down what you need to know to stay protected and get ahead.

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

Frances Cook breaks down low beta investing, the middle ground between hiding your money in a bank account and braving the full volatility of the share market, including the real cost of playing it safe and whether the gentler ride is actually worth it.

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

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Five minutes could be enough to add hundreds of thousands of dollars more to your KiwiSaver.

There are simple, low-hanging fruit changes that can mean serious money landing in your account - but simple changes cut both ways. There are costly traps to avoid, and easy tweaks to your settings that can make a massive difference to your balance over time.

This week on Ask the Experts, Katie Wesney from EnableMe joins Frances Cook to answer your KiwiSaver questions, from splitting funds to self-employed strategies and tax checks.

In this episode we’re talking:

• Why you don't have to be all-or-nothing: how splitting across multiple funds protects your money and matches your personal timeline
• Why getting caught up in scary economic news headlines hurts your long-term growth
• The three questions you must ask yourself before choosing or switching a KiwiSaver fund
• Why waiting for "perfect market timing" to switch providers is a trap
• Smart KiwiSaver and retirement strategies for self-employed people who don't get employer contributions
• The 3-letter tax setting (PIR) you need to check today so you don't accidentally overpay tax
• Big policy changes that could make KiwiSaver fairer for everyday New Zealanders

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