PodcastsBusinessMaking Cents

Making Cents

Frances Cook
Making Cents
Latest episode

260 episodes

  • Making Cents

    The SpaceX IPO Needs a Bright Red Hype Warning

    11/06/2026 | 10 mins.
    As SpaceX hits the share market in one of the biggest IPOs ever, Frances Cook breaks down how IPOs actually work, why retail investors are getting an unusually large slice this time and whether that is as generous as it sounds.
    Follow me everywhere!
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  • Making Cents

    Can I Actually Count on NZ Super Being There For Me?

    10/06/2026 | 15 mins.
    Retirement planning is stressful enough without governments constantly threatening to move the goalposts.

    Means testing, wealth taxes, a rising retirement age; how much of it is real, and how much can you actually count on NZ Super?

    Katie Wesney, National Coaching Lead at EnableMe, joins us in the hot seat to cut through the noise.

    We get into whether the pension is a plan or just a foundation, what the actual numbers look like week to week in retirement, how KiwiSaver, property, and investments fit together, and why worrying about a wealth tax might be the most expensive mistake you make.

    Plus: the one mindset shift that separates people who reach financial freedom from people who are still waiting for a politician to sort it out.

    If retirement feels far away, close, or just confusing, this one's for you.

    In this episode:
    How much can you actually rely on NZ Super?
    What does retirement actually cost week to week?
    How KiwiSaver, property, and investments work together
    Should you worry about means testing or a wealth tax?
    How to build a retirement plan that doesn't depend on government settings staying the same

    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
  • Making Cents

    The Investing Trap That Even the Experts Fall Into (And How to Avoid It)

    07/06/2026 | 42 mins.
    Most investing mistakes don't look like mistakes when you're making them.

    Chris Walsh from MoneyHub joins us to break down the most common investing traps New Zealanders fall into, and the simple strategies that actually work long term.

    We get into why dollar cost averaging beats trying to time the market, what "invest in what you know" actually means (and how it gets misused), why borrowing to invest is riskier than most people realise, and what financial foundations you need in place before you start investing at all.

    Plus: why 86% of active fund managers underperform the index, and what that means for the rest of us trying to grow our money.

    If you've ever wondered whether you're investing smart or just getting lucky, this one's for you.

    In this episode:
    Why dollar cost averaging works, and how to do it
    The problem with picking single stocks
    What "invest in what you know" gets wrong
    Should you borrow to invest? The risks explained
    Time in the market vs timing the market
    What financial foundations to have before you start investing
    KiwiSaver: are you leaving free money on the table?
    How to course correct if you've made investing mistakes

    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
  • Making Cents

    HOLY SH*T WE WON

    04/06/2026 | 1 mins.
    Best Business Podcast - NZ Radio & Podcast Awards 2026
  • Making Cents

    You're On Your Own, Kid. Here's What That Means For Your Money

    04/06/2026 | 6 mins.
    With the latest Budget signalling little relief for struggling Kiwis, Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about what you can actually do to protect yourself financially when the recovery keeps getting pushed further down the road.
    Follow me everywhere!
    Facebook / Frances Cook - Journalist
    Instagram / Frances | Money | Investing (@francescooknz) • Instagram profile
    TikTok / Frances Cook on TikTok
    Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week Newsletter sign up
    Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest
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About Making Cents
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 journalist, to talk about the proven ways to invest your way to financial independence, buy your first home, or just get your spending under control. Every Monday we have the week's feature interview, with someone who's done something interesting with their money. From paying off a mountain of debt, or investing for financial independence, or starting a new business, these are the ordinary people making the extraordinary possible. On Thursday we have Ask the Experts, where industry insiders answer your questions on the money world. From earning more in your career, to investing, or sticking to a budget, they'll help make money simple. Every now and then you'll get a bonus episode too, but the fun of those is that you never know when they're coming!
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