Frances Cook

People think their biggest risk with investing is making the wrong bet on a stock, and losing big time. It’s not. It’s their own brain. 7 of the biggest mental investing traps, and how to avoid them, on the latest Making Cents podcast. Linked next post

How long does it take to prepare to leave a job? For Jenny-May Clarkson, it was about two years. She's on the Making Cents podcast to talk quiet planning, money decisions, and thinking ahead when careers feel fragile. Linked next post.

A 30 year mortgage often means paying DOUBLE your house price. But you can cut that down... if you avoid the fake “mortgage hacks” online. We're laying out the real mortgage freedom strategy on Making Cents. Link next.

Why chase financial freedom? Because when life falls apart, you need space to rebuild without money making it worse. Kasia Morrison has lived in a tiny home for 9 years, and it saved her when her marriage and business collapsed. New Making Cents episode, linked next post.

If you're a first home buyer that needs to find a bargain... a few hours of research could be the key to saving you THOUSANDS. How to get that done, on the latest Making Cents episode, linked next post

How many millions would you turn down to stay true to your vision? Sasha Lockley wanted to take on the debt world and help people out of the credit card trap - and that meant saying no to an early investor in the company she built to do it. New Making Cents episode, linked next post

“It’s time to put your big girl undies on.” A 46-year-old solo mum wrote in terrified about poverty in retirement. Time to hustle? Yes. Impossible? No. We're breaking down the options, on the new Making Cents episode.

Most people overpay their mortgage by thousands without realising it. I cut mine by eight years… with $20. New episode breaks down exactly how, plus the other strategies that actually work. Linked next post.

Better food, lower cost, zero shame about finding delicious food that doesn't break the budget. Chef Alice Taylor is talking ways to beat the cost of living crisis in the pantry... but also the wider problems with food prices. On the latest Making Cents podcast, linked next post.

You can boycott your coffee. Post your outrage online. But the most powerful vote you’ve got? It’s sitting in your KiwiSaver. How to use your KiwiSaver to make your voice heard, on the latest Making Cents podcast. Linked next post.

Everyone’s obsessed with getting on the housing ladder, but what if the smarter move isn’t a house at all? A Making Cents listener asked if commercial property could be the underrated way in. Higher risk, higher return, and a few surprises along the way.. episode linked next post

At 23, Ecoya CEO Claire Barnes lost $100k of her dad’s life-insurance money on a business that collapsed. That fear of failure followed her for years, even as she turned Ecoya into a household name. Now she's learned how to use that fear - and is even launching a new business.

If you're earning $6,000 a month, and spending $10,000 a month, how long can that last? Not long. Today we're answering a listener question, for where to start when life costs are spiralling out of control. Episode linked next post!

A money myth I’ll happily bust: "good with money” doesn’t mean spreadsheets or daily discipline. My money plan is lazy! Automation, multiple accounts, index funds, and it works. Talked all about it (plus financial freedom + rebuilding in your 30s) on the latest Making Cents, linked next post

If you're worried about your job, and want to quickly boost your savings... how do you do that? And where is the smartest place to keep those savings? A real sign of the times, but I'm answering this listener question on the latest Making Cents podcast. Linked next post.

What if financial freedom didn’t take a lifetime, or Lotto? Ruth Henderson from The Happy Saver hit work-optional in just 11 years, on an ordinary income. No tricks, no stock-picking, no inheritance. Her story’s on the latest Making Cents, one of my favourite chats yet. Linked in the next post.

Working for billionaires looked like the dream, until Hannah saw what money without meaning really looks like. It changed everything she thought about money. Now she's focused on freedom, not stress. Using money to build a life, not just earn one, on Making Cents - linked next post.

The most expensive words in personal finance? “I’ll start when I feel ready.” You won’t. Confidence doesn’t come first, instead it’s built through tiny, repeatable wins. The new Making Cents episode is all about rebuilding your money confidence, linked in next post!

Walking away from stability is terrifying. But sometimes the bigger risk is staying put. That's why financial freedom isn’t about money, it’s about choices. To walk away, start over, rebuild something better. My own story of burning it down and starting again on Making Cents, linked in next post.

Early retirement sounds dreamy, until you realise nobody tells you about the dark side. Captain FI saved 90% of his income in his 20s... then quit, hated it, and then “un-retired” into a life that actually works. On this week’s Making Cents. Link in next post.

Red flags aren’t always buried in fine print. Sometimes it’s the gut feeling in that first meeting. If a financial adviser talks down to you, rushes you, or ignores your goals? 🚩 I’ve unpacked red (and green) flags for a financial adviser in this week’s pod! Linked next post