Making Cents

Apartments and townhouses are selling for less than people paid for them, and in record numbers.
Frances Cook joins RNZ Nights to break down why smaller properties are taking a bigger hit than the rest of the property market and what it means for first home buyers, investors, and owners in negative equity.

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Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

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If you've ever wondered why some people build real wealth on ordinary incomes, while others save for decades and still feel behind, this episode is the answer.
Financial journalist Frances Cook breaks down the relationship between money and time, and why getting this right changes everything about how you invest, where your money goes, and how hard it can work for you.
In this episode:
The rule of 100 - how to figure out how much to invest vs keep in cash
Now money, soon money, and later money - the simple framework for organising your finances
Why your emergency fund needs to stay in cash (even when it feels like a missed opportunity)
Compounding returns explained simply - and why $10k will eventually feel small
The rule of 72 - how to calculate how fast your money doubles

Whether you're just starting your investing journey or want to make sure your money is working as hard as possible, this episode gives you a practical framework you can actually use.

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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock
Filmed by Fanaticals

What if the chaos of parenthood is actually building your business brain?
Renata Wiles was posting videos on the internet, with no business background, no tech background, and no real following.
Now she's the founder of Roam with Kids, an app helping New Zealand parents find family-friendly places to go.
In this episode, Frances talks with Renata about the messy reality of going from frustrated mum to tech founder.
They’re talking:
Why overwhelmed parents spend more, and the surprisingly simple fix
The KiwiSaver gap for parents
How to turn a parenting pain point into a business
Building multiple income streams so one bad month doesn't sink you
Why you don't need a following, a business degree, or a perfect plan to start

If you've ever had a business idea but talked yourself out of it, this episode is the nudge you needed.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.

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

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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 crunch the numbers on a proposed policy that would automatically enrol newborns into KiwiSaver with a $1,000 government contribution and what that could actually be worth by the time they retire.
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One in four young people in NZ can't find work. But some jobs are up 200% year on year.

The job market hasn't collapsed - it's split. And if you're on the wrong side of that split, waiting for things to improve isn't a strategy.

In this episode, we get into which jobs are actually booming right now, what the latest Stats NZ unemployment numbers really mean once you dig past the headline figure, and what it tells us about where the economy is actually heading.

Then we get practical. How to make yourself the person your employer can't afford to lose. How to job hunt strategically when most roles are never even advertised. And how to ask for a pay rise, with real scripts, not vague advice about knowing your worth.

We also talk honestly about AI: what it actually means for your career right now and the two smart plays depending on where you want to go.

In this episode:
The Stats NZ unemployment data and what's buried in it
The top 10 most in-demand jobs in NZ right now
Why the hidden job market is 70-80% of all roles (and how to access it)
Two career strategies for navigating AI
How to ask for a pay rise: timing, preparation, and the exact words to use

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

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals
Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock