Making Cents – Details, episodes & analysis

With warnings that interest rates are heading up fast and soon, Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to break down what mortgage holders can do to avoid the squeeze.

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Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Petrol is up 43%. Diesel has nearly doubled. But the financial damage from the Iran war goes way deeper than what you're paying at the pump, and a lot of it is already locked in, whether there's a ceasefire or not.

In this episode, Frances Cook breaks down exactly what this means for your groceries, your mortgage, your job, and your KiwiSaver. And most importantly, what you can actually do about it right now.

We’re talking:

- Why fuel prices won't drop quickly even if the conflict ends

- The fertiliser story nobody's talking about (and why it'll hit food prices in the months ahead)

- What the Reserve Bank's latest warning means for your mortgage

- Whether you should change anything with your KiwiSaver or investments

- Practical steps you can take today on transport, food, your job security, and more

This isn't doom and gloom for its own sake. It's about taking back control of the parts you can actually influence.

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

A conflict in the Middle East is already showing up in Kiwi bank accounts, after sending shockwaves through the global economy.

From food to petrol, daily essentials are becoming more expensive. Interest rates and mortgages could be going up. The sharemarket, and therefore your KiwiSaver, is looking wobbly.

So what’s actually going on, and what should you do about it?

In this live Making Cents webinar, Frances Cook is joined by Infometrics economist Brad Olsen, Stuff Money editor Damien Venuto, and Kernel CEO Dean Anderson to break down what the Iran conflict could mean for your money.

We’re talking about:

• Why petrol, groceries, and everyday costs are under price pressure
• What rising energy prices can mean for inflation and interest rates
• Why sharemarkets often wobble during global crises
• And most importantly, how to make smart financial decisions in all these areas
• Because global events might be outside your control, but how you respond with your money, isn’t.

Join us live for a clear, practical conversation about what’s happening now, what could happen next, and how to protect your finances.

Feeling guilty every time you spend money? You’re not alone, but it might be doing more harm than good.

In this episode of Making Cents, we’re diving into why money guilt is one of the biggest mindset traps stopping people from saving, investing, or sticking to a budget.

I’ll break down the psychology behind guilt and spending, and show you how to shift your habits without giving up the things that make life fun.

We’ll talk:

• Why guilt-based budgeting usually backfires

• How to enjoy your money while staying on track with financial goals

• The science-backed way to build better money habits (without relying on willpower)

• What behavioural economists like Richard Thaler and psychologists like Brad Klontz say about shame and self-sabotage

• How to set up systems that make saving, spending, and financial planning easier

• Why small wins and values-based spending matter more than you think

Whether you’re dealing with debt, trying to grow your savings, or just want to stop feeling anxious every time you tap your card, this episode is your guide to dropping the shame and taking control.

Because being good with money shouldn’t mean punishing yourself.

A quick hit highlight clip from the April 2025 episode "Housing, KiwiSaver, and debt: Solving NZ’s biggest money issues with the Retirement Commissioner", with Jane Wrightson.

Making Cents is supported by Kiwibank.

Links

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

Ever felt like your financial goals are just too far away?

Whether you're dreaming of financial independence, planning for early retirement, or just trying to build up a decent savings buffer, staying motivated over the long haul can be tough.

In this Ask the Experts episode of Making Cents, we're talking about how to stay on track with your biggest financial goals, even when progress feels slow.

Financial adviser Lisa Butler from EnableMe shares practical money mindset strategies, goal-setting techniques, and real-life examples of clients who turned things around, one small step at a time.

We break down how to:

• Set achievable money goals without getting overwhelmed
• Stay motivated while saving for retirement or financial freedom
• Use mindset shifts to avoid burnout and build momentum
• Create financial milestones and celebrate wins along the way
• Make smart, strategic progress toward long-term goals
• Build consistency into your budgeting and investing habits

If you're working toward long-term wealth, debt freedom, retirement planning, or simply want to get better at sticking to your financial plan, this is the episode for you.

Links

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

What if the worst happened, but you were financially ready?

When Caroline Gordon was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, everything changed. But because she’d already built financial independence, she had something many people in crisis don’t: options.

In this episode of Making Cents, we dive into how financial freedom became Caroline’s safety net. She shares how it allowed her to:

- Self-fund private cancer treatment not available in the public system

- Travel overseas for surgery when time was critical

- Step away from a stressful job to focus on recovery

- Maintain her quality of life without financial panic

Whether you’re working towards FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), building your first emergency fund, or just trying to create more security, this episode shows what financial freedom really means.

Caroline shares her investing strategy (including index funds and ethical investing), and what she wishes more people understood about money, health, and freedom.

It’s not about the money.

It’s about what the money makes possible, especially when life gets messy.

Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank.

Links

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

Will your mortgage rate go down soon, or will banks keep them higher for longer?

In this episode of Making Cents, financial journalist Frances Cook joins RNZ’s Nights on 14 August, to break down everything you need to know about New Zealand interest rates right now.

We cover:

• How the Official Cash Rate (OCR) works and what it means for home loans
• The link between what savers get in their term deposit, and what borrowers are charged for their mortgage
• Whether banks are competing hard enough for customers
• Why banks cut or raise interest rates at different times

Whether you’re a homeowner, first-home buyer, or looking to grow your savings, this episode explains how bank decisions, Reserve Bank policy, and market competition all affect your wallet.

Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank.

Links

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

Why we choose Lotto over investing, even when it’s irrational, and how to flip the script so investing feels just as exciting.

A replay of a conversation with Wallace Chapman on RNZ's The Panel, from 11 August.

Making Cents is supported by our friends at Kiwibank.

Links

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

Are you enjoying the freedom of self-employment - or just underpaid, overworked, and financially stressed?

Running your own business can give you freedom, flexibility, and the chance to build something that truly works for you.

But without the right systems in place, it’s also easy to end up burnt out, broke, and completely unprepared for the future.

In this Ask the Experts episode of Making Cents, financial journalist Frances Cook is joined by Justin Gauci from EnableMe to unpack the money traps that trip up self-employed Kiwis.

Then? It’s how to fix them.

We cover the essential questions every freelancer, contractor, sole trader or small business owner needs to ask:

• Are you charging your true market value, or just making yourself a job that doesn’t pay properly?
• How should you really think about GST and tax deductions (hint: they don’t make things free)?
• What’s the smartest way to save for retirement when you don’t get KiwiSaver employer contributions?
• How can you smooth out cashflow, and prepare for big tax bills without panic?

This episode is full of practical financial advice for self-employed people who want to earn well, save smart, and run their business like a grown-up, without sacrificing their lifestyle or security.

Whether you’re just starting out or several years into your self-employed journey, this is your roadmap for building a solid financial foundation.

Links

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