Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the tactics to use if you think you're underpaid. Hosted by Frances Cook.It’s a tough world out there trying to get a pay rise. Wages have been flat for a long time, and it only makes things worse if you’re already underpaid. Last ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's a new win for the passive investing fans. Hosted by Frances Cook.If you invest in shares, the later parts of last year probably weren't fun for you. To put it mildly, the markets were spooked by a combination of factors including t ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why a clean conscience could actually make you the most money. Hosted by Frances Cook.Nobody wants to be a bad person, but sometimes, life doesn’t make it easy for you to be a good person. So it is with money, where many have assum ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to tackle investing at different life stages. Hosted by Frances Cook.Time is one of the biggest ingredients for investing success. I would even argue, it can be more important than money. If you take $20 and invest it in your t ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the various tactics to attack the food bill. Hosted by Frances Cook.If you want to cut back your spending, it makes sense to focus on the biggest core expenses. Food is undeniably one of those. If you’re ruled by your tastebuds lik ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why you shouldn't be sucked in by budgeting's image problem. Hosted by Frances Cook.Budgeting has an image problem. Also, the sky is blue, the grass is green, and cats rule the internet. We all know budgeting sounds a bit boring, a ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what you need to know for the year ahead. Hosted by Frances Cook.New year, new me, new money. The last few years have been unstable, to say the least. While this has resulted in more than a few politics arguments over the dinner ta ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how shops get into your head, and how to fight back. Hosted by Frances Cook.We're in the final throes of the season of excess, and New Zealanders like to go out with a bang. Right after receiving a bunch of presents for Christmas, ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what to consider before bringing home an animal companion. Hosted by Frances Cook.We're in the thick of puppy and kitten season, when cute little furry faces appear in pet shop windows, beckoning for you to take them home and enjoy ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to take a the best holiday for the least money. Hosted by Frances Cook.I’m a big believer that having your money situation sorted doesn’t mean you miss out on having a life.In fact, if you do the money thing right, it actually ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today it's what's actually changed for mortgages, and how you can take advantage of it. Hosted by Frances Cook.For those who feel home ownership is out of reach, there's been some welcome news in the last week. The Reserve Bank has loosened th ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the things you need to know before monetising a hobby. Hosted by Frances Cook.KiwiSaver is a wonderful scheme. You get free money from the Government and your employer, it automates your retirement savings, and it has plenty of opt ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the things you need to know before monetising a hobby. Hosted by Frances Cook.When you're trying to get better with money, there's on simple truth that can't be ignored: it's always easier to do well if you have more cash coming in ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to deal with an unexpected change in finances. Hosted by Frances Cook.Lying awake at night, dreaming of how things would be different if we won Lotto, is something all of us have done from time to time. The house we'd pay off, ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to make shared equity work for you. Hosted by Frances Cook.As the talk-fest on what to do about our housing market continues, one idea hasn't had the scrutiny it deserves.That's the idea of shared equity, where you might buy a ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to tip the job market in your favour. Hosted by Frances Cook.As we hurtle towards the end of the year, it can often be a time to take stock. If the latest employment data is anything to go by, many of us will be taking stock of ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the things to know if you want to buy a house using KiwiSaver. Hosted by Frances Cook.You don't need me to tell you it's difficult for first home buyers right now. We all know this.What's more useful is finding out the various ways ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the subtle ways interest rates influence everything money. Hosted by Frances Cook.Talking interest rates, or the official cash rate, tends to make all but the most hardened personal finance nerds glaze over. The rates go up, they g ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why people bother with volatile higher risk investments. Hosted by Frances Cook.When we talk about investing, we often take the time to warn about high-risk investments. We’ll tell people you need to be ready for the ups and downs ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the strategies one New Zealander uses to get financial independence. Hosted by Frances Cook.Money stress is so common that the majority of New Zealanders are struggling with it.In the latest Barometer survey, the Commission for Fin ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what on earth is happening in our electricity sector. Hosted by Frances Cook.If you've ever shivered through a winter's evening because you don't want to turn on the heater and face a stiff bill, you're not alone. Many people, myse ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's both the financial and practical aspects to buying the best car for you. Hosted by Frances Cook.Buying a car has so many different parts to it, you can easily forgive people getting confused.First, you need to decide what kind of c ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's getting past the retirement scaremongering to figure out what you really need. Hosted by Frances Cook.KiwiSaver has to be the thing I get the most questions about. People are rightfully wanting to look after it, manage it well, and ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the things to know if you want to fly solo in the sharemarket. Hosted by Frances Cook.Just getting started always seems to be the hardest part.So it is with shares. I receive plenty of messages from listeners who tell me that they' ...…

Title: What's the best investment for your life stage?Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the different ways to grow wealth in different stages of life. Hosted by Frances Cook.It might come as no surprise to you that many people believe investing is only for the rich ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the best strategies to argue for a raise. Hosted by Frances Cook.Whether or not to give a pay rise has become a hot potato.Unemployment is low, at 4.5 percent, which would usually mean employees could demand better pay or they'd wa ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why and how you should negotiate your mortgage. Hosted by Frances Cook.Hope is on the horizon for those who want to buy a house.The recent Quotable Value House Price Index for July found that prices have stagnated, and investor act ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to give your kids a good start with money. Hosted by Frances Cook.Family politics is hard enough without bringing money into it. But just because it's hard, doesn't mean you can put it off.For better or worse, most schools don' ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to brace for a market downturn. Hosted by Frances Cook. Those who like to dabble in shares have had a dream run in recent years. Prices have gone up, dividends have been generous, and investors have happily raked in the returns ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the strategies for getting through a housing renovation. Hosted by Frances Cook.It's easy to look at a TV show on housing renovation, and start to feel the itch yourself.Maybe you start to see the improvements you could make to you ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what puts people off the sharemarket, and why it's worth a rethink. Hosted by Frances Cook.New Zealanders have a love affair with housing.It's true, owning your own home gives you security, and if you pay it off before retirement y ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's whether it's worth draining your retirement savings to buy your first home. Hosted by Frances Cook.Scraping together a deposit for your first home can be a fraught exercise. House prices are through the roof, and in some areas, onl ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what some say you need saved to achieve early retirement. Hosted by Frances Cook.It doesn't matter how much you like your job, you're there to get paid. That's what makes it a job, rather than a volunteer role.But while many people ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the options for earning more money on the side. Hosted by Frances Cook. Making extra money on the side can be an appealing idea. Maybe you're trying to save for a house, or you just want to go on holiday and see a bit more of the w ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to stay on top of the power bill in winter. Hosted by Frances Cook. You know it’s cold when everyone suddenly becomes a fan of cuddles. The cats, the dogs, the children, all pile together in a big heap of body warmth, and all y ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's getting past the retirement scaremongering to figure out what you really need. Hosted by Frances Cook. There's nothing more irritating than patronising, scaremongering articles pretending to offer helpful advice about money. Take t ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how figuring out your money personality can give you back control. Hosted by Frances Cook.There's a weird thing about economists, where they assume we're all calm and rational with our money.Whole systems have been designed around ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why saving even a little bit could change your relationship with money. Hosted by Frances Cook.People often say it’s the simple things in life, and that’s certainly true when it comes to money. Most of the things you can do to impr ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the good change for first home buyers, but also a word of caution. Hosted by Frances Cook.After years of bad news for first home buyers, it seems that things are finally starting to improve.Research released by ANZ shows an increas ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what's happening in the home loans market, and how to take advantage of that. Hosted by Frances Cook.If you manage to buy your own home, you may feel like you've already won the battle.And yes, take the time to celebrate, because t ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's the strategy many people are turning to, to stop emotion hurting their finances. Hosted by Frances Cook.When it comes to watching your finances, your biggest enemy is you.Yes, you need to watch out for the scammers, the charlatans, ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's whether grandstanding politicians could hurt your back pocket. Hosted by Frances Cook.I love a good rollercoaster. Hands in the air, yelling and screaming as you go up the highs and down the lows, defying gravity.It's not quite so ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's whether you should help your kids with the problem of getting a first home. Hosted by Frances Cook.Just when you thought the property market was bad enough, there's a whole new layer of complication added on top.High prices are now ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how you can have fun without spending a cent. Hosted by Frances Cook.A basic rule of personal finance is to live within your means. Spend less than you earn. Have some self-restraint.Which is all well and good, but that's really ha ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's whether it's about to get easier to buy your own home. Hosted by Frances Cook.First home buyers will be crossing their fingers and toes that relief is on the horizon, with the Labour Government working on plans to ban foreign buyer ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to use your credit score to your advantage. Hosted by Frances Cook.Most of us wouldn’t give much thought to our credit score. In fact, depending on who you ask, only between 20 to 40 percent of New Zealanders even know what a c ...…

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how to use your credit score to your advantage. Hosted by Frances Cook.Most of us wouldn’t give much thought to our credit score. In fact, depending on who you ask, only between 20 to 40 percent of New Zealanders even know what a c ...…

Each week the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why you shouldn't overreact to your KiwiSaver taking a dive. Hosted by Frances Cook.It’s satisfying watching your KiwiSaver climb higher every day. You can even get it attached to your bank accounts, so that you can keep a ...…

Each week the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking The Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's why you shouldn't overreact to your KiwiSaver taking a dive. Hosted by Frances Cook.It’s satisfying watching your KiwiSaver climb higher every day. You can even get it attached to your bank accounts, so that you can keep a ...…