Making Cents with Francis Cook

Francis Cook is a New Zealand based financial journalist who is very active on social media.

She has various financial qualifications and provides very good information on understanding money and how to get ahead financially in a way that is easily understood.

Highly recommended for all and particularly for women and younger investors.

Here's a list were you can access her content.

Spotifyopen.spotify.com/show/2xL5BpCt2pKJDlPN0SgbCc?si=781640d496004ea9

Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/making-cents/id1770231736

Facebookfacebook.com/FrancesCookNZ

Instagraminstagram.com/francescooknz

TikTok tiktok.com/@francescooknz?lang=en>

Newsletter francescook.co.nz/subscribe

And below you can watch her YouTube channel

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Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.

This week we’ve partnered up with Xero, which has kindly leant us their expert Mere Teinaki, from Northland Chartered Accountants, and we’re talking about how everyone says you need to know your numbers... but how do you actually do that? Then, how you use that to make a plan?

Basically, it's how to use the past to predict the future.

If you want to bag a bargain, Making Cents listeners can get a whopper of a discount on Xero. Go to this link xero.com/francescook to help supercharge your small business.

The information in this podcast is general information only and you should seek appropriate tax, financial and legal advice as may be appropriate for your personal or business needs.

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:36 - Understanding Numbers and Trends
02:30 - How To Use AI For Your Business
04:00 - Top Three Things To Know About Your Business
05:20 - Setting Financial Goals and Resolutions
09:26 - Hacks For Software Services
10:42 - Key Takeaway For Success
11:33 - Conclusion

Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson explains some of the biggest money mistakes she sees, and how we can all do something to fix them.

Money can be frustrating, and all of us have had at least once or twice when we’ve wondered, why isn’t someone trying to make this a bit easier for me? Why does it have to feel like such an uphill battle?

Well, there are actually some people whose job it is to work away behind the scenes, badgering the government on everything from changing our education system, to retirement savings, to housing… it’s just that, well, there’s a lot to fix and sometimes resistance to fixing it.

One of those people here in New Zealand is the Retirement Commissioner. And actually, her job starts well before you or I turn 65.

One of her big projects at the moment, is actually helping us stamp out money problems while we’re still at school.

So what are most of us getting wrong with our money, and are there easy wins, whether it’s from us, or bigger government changes?

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:57 - The Role of the Retirement Commissioner
04:30 - The Sorted Fund Finder
05:22 - Personal Journey and Financial Awareness
10:01 - The Impact of Historical Financial Crises
13:21 - The Biggest Surprise In Her Role
15:00 - Common Financial Mistakes and Debt Management
20:48 - The One Thing You Should Set Up During Your First Job
22:12 - Kiwibank Ad
22:38 - Positive Trends in Saving and Financial Awareness
25:40 - Balancing Individual Responsibility and Systemic Issues
28:02 - Integrating Financial Education into Schools
34:00 - Enhancing KiwiSaver for Future Generations
44:59 - Addressing Housing Affordability and Options
51:10 - Long-term Solutions for Retirement Savings
56:05 - Conclusion

Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.

This week we’ve partnered up with Kiwibank, who has kindly leant us their expert fraud specialist Alyssa Charles-Green, and we’re talking about the fraudsters and scammers who want to get you, and how you can beat them at their own game.

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:31 - Understanding Fraud
02:22 - Red Flags To Know It’s A Scam
03:44 - New Tactics To Look Out For
04:44 - New Types of Scams: Cryptocurrency and Impersonation
08:18 - Frances’ Experience of Her Own Impersonation Scams
13:45 - Kiwibank Ad
14:14 - Top Scamming Hacks To Watch Out For
16:48 - The Recovery Scam
19:18 - Protecting Yourself from Scams
24:06 - Conclusion

If you've ever wondered, what is FU money, and could you ever have enough to quit your job?

In this episode Frances breaks down what FU money is, and the four levels that make it easier to achieve, from basic survival funds to true financial independence.

Then it's into an Ask Me Anything, for your burning questions including how investment funds work, and the benefits of rentvesting as an alternative to buying a home.

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:34 - Understanding FU Money
05:45 - Levels of FU Money
13:11 - Investment Funds Explained
17:21 - Coping Tips For Small Businesses
20:41 - Life As A Business Owner
24:12 - Frances’ Thoughts On New Years’ Resolutions
25:47 - Frances’ Family
27:49 - Rent Vesting vs. Buying a Home
31:42 - Conclusion

Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.
This week we’ve partnered up with AMP, which has kindly leant us their expert Aaron Klee, General Manager, Investment Management. We’re talking how it feels like the world is falling apart at the moment, and how to invest through volatility, uncertainty, and a rollercoaster ride of a stock market.

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:18 - Navigating Market Uncertainty
03:16 - S&P 500 Risk
04:28 - The Growth Industry
04:55 - Why Is The Market Reacting?
08:29 - AMP’s Investing Strategy
09:00 - AMP Ad
09:43 - Kiwibank Ad
10:02 - AMP’s 5 Year Forecast
12:45 - Why Emerging Markets Are The Ones To Watch
16:33 - Geopolitical Risks and Their Impact on Investments
19:35 - Investment Strategies in a Volatile World
21:19 - Conclusion

Beth Vickers, vocal coach, singer, doula, gardening influencer, shares how motherhood led to changing everything about her career.

It can be really hard to make life and work fit together, and that’s particularly the case when kids come along.

Time becomes scarcer than ever, but you also very much need to keep paying the bills.

Now you might not think that that’s the ideal time to launch your own business… but that’s what one mum did.

She took the leap into the self-employed life, and found that with a bit of planning she was actually working less, earning more, and enjoying life a lot more.

Here’s the unusual way she made it work.

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

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:32 - Meet Beth Vickers
02:40 - Career Reflections Before Motherhood
05:52 - The Impact of Motherhood on Career
07:45 - Navigating Career Changes and Redundancy
10:39 - Embracing Self-Employment and Side Hustles
17:38 - Everything Beth Tried
20:33 - Community Support and Seeking Help
24:26 - Kiwibank Ad
24:51 - Embracing New Opportunities
29:48 - The Impact of Tik Tok
32:48 - Building a Sustainable Business Model
40:40 - Finding Fulfillment in Work
41:52 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
48:58 - Conclusion

Welcome to Making Cents, supported by Kiwibank, I’m Frances Cook an independent financial journalist of many years, best selling author, and financial freedom seeker who helps make money simple for you.

There are lots of issues that can hold people back from learning about their money, and one of them is just feeling like it could all be a bit complicated and hard.

So add in a layer of religion, and what works and doesn’t work for your faith, and you have a recipe for people getting confused, and giving up.

Enter Muhammad Lambat from Muslim Investing.

He’s dedicated himself to figuring out halal investing, and what that means, from whether you can get a mortgage, to when crypto is ok, or not.

There are also lots of grey areas, where even people in the know disagree.

So let’s jump in to figure it out.

Follow me everywhere!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZ
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknz?lang=en
Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe

00:00 - Introduction
01:37 - Intro to Muslim Investing
02:31 - Principles of Halal Investing
04:50 - Challenges in Muslim Investing
05:49 - The Issue of Interest
07:34 - Understanding Sukuk: The Halal Bond Alternative
08:34 - Navigating Property Investments
10:30 - Crowdfunding in Real Estate
11:26 - Islamic Mortgages Explained
15:00 - Halal Criteria in Stocks
18:21 - ETFs and Apps for Halal Investing
20:35 - Navigating the Risks of Crypto Investments
23:46 - Understanding Gray Areas in Halal Investing
26:07 - Kiwibank Ad
26:34 - The Strengths of Halal Investing
28:41 - The Mindset of Wealth and Community
34:43 - The Journey to Financial Literacy
38:55 - Engaging with the Online Community
43:29 - Support From Family and Friends
45:03 - What You Can Learn From The Muslim Investing Approach
46:28 - Conclusion

Welcome to Ask the Experts, where each week we talk to people in the industry to get the inside word on what’s happening right now, and what that means for the tactics that you should use to make the most of your money.

This week I’ve partnered up with Xero, who has kindly lent us their expert, chartered accountant Paul Churchman, and we’re talking about the myths that pop up at the end of the financial year.

If you want to bag a bargain, Making Cents listeners can get a whopper of a discount on Xero! Go to this link xero.com/francescook to help supercharge your small business.

The information in this podcast is general information only and you should seek appropriate tax, financial and legal advice as may be appropriate for your personal or business needs.

Links -
If you want to join the Money Bootcamp course, go to https://www.francescook.co.nz/money-bootcamp

Follow me, Frances Cook, on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:31 - Understanding the End of Financial Year
03:59 - Claiming Expenses: Who Can and How?
05:50 - Sole Trader Deduction Tips
08:41 - Home Office
12:50 - Xero Ad
13:07 - Kiwibank Ad
13:28 - Entertainment Expenses: The Fine Line
17:46 - Liability for Tax Mistakes
19:18 - The Value of Accounting Software
23:55 - Conclusion

Angela McLachlan, professional organiser and founder of Sort My House, shares how to organise your life to reduce stress and save money.

When you’re trying to live your best life for less, there’s an underrated trick… just getting organised.

Knowing what you have, and where it is, can mean not buying as much overall.

Not to mention, your time has value, and being organised can save a heap of that.

But where do you start, and do you need to buy a bunch of stuff to get organised too? Let’s bring in the pros.

Follow me, Frances Cook, on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

00:00 - Introduction
01:37 - What is a Professional Organiser?
04:33 - TikTok Trends
08:03 - Spending Less Through Organising
11:00 - A Simple Change You Can Do Today
12:25 - How To Stay On Top Of Cleaning
14:55 - How To Get Your Partner On Board
16:01 - Kiwibank Ad
16:41 - Cleaning Gimmicks
23:42 - Mental Health and Cleaning
29:25 - Traps You Can Fall Into
34:12 - Organising Tips and Tricks
38:44 - Top Organising Tip
40:13 - Conclusion

Frances Cook breaks down the problem with plastic surgery loans now targeting you on social media, then answers your questions in a quick-fire Ask Me Anything session.

Follow me, Frances Cook, on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.

00:00 - Introduction
01:09 - Cosmetic Surgery Loans
12:08 - Kiwibank Ad
12:53 - The 4% Investing Rule
17:17 - Balancing Career and Parenthood
23:43 - Using Home Equity for Wealth Building
28:36 - Property in NZ
33:53 - Future Plans
35:55 - Conclusion

Investments, Mortgage

Last updated on 11 February 2025.