Making Cents

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 ask@francescook.co.nz 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

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 ask@francescook.co.nz 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