Making Cents with Frances Cook
Making Cents and enable.me have partnered up to bring you content that helps you get ahead with your finances. In this blog we bring you summaries of the episodes our Financial Coaches and Financial Advisers appear on, so you can get the insights you’re after to improve your financial trajectory.
Disclaimer: The Making Cents podcast and the information shared by host Frances Cook and her guests does not constitute individual financial advice. If you’re interested in receiving financial advice, you can book a consultation with an enable.me coach. Costs apply.
2026
18 February
How To Get Ahead In NZ Without Earning More
How do you get ahead if you’re on a fixed income? This week’s listener letter is from a teacher who has a capped income and who can’t necessarily follow mainstream advice to “earn more” and “get a side hustle.” There are many people in similar situations, so podcast host Frances Cook invited enable.me Financial Coach Kristin Sutherland to share insights and tips on how to get ahead – if you can’t simply earn more.
22 January
“I’m a saver, he’s a spender, how do we get on the same page?” Mailbag episode
A saver and a spender fall in love – and struggle to reconcile their money personalities. It’s a common hurdle many couples face. After all, opposites attract. But if the couple from this episode’s listener letter put some strategies in place to manage their finances and different approaches to money, they can succeed and build a better financial life, together. enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney lends her experience working with thousands of clients, with many in a similar situation to these listeners. Listen to the full episode if you think you might be in a similar position.
16 January
What actually matters for your money in 2026 – WEBINAR REPLAY
Making Cents host France Cook brings along a cast of financial experts in this live webinar to talk about what they believe can actually move the needle with your finances in 2026. Election year considerations, the real estate market, politics and economics and how they intersect, and more. enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney joins the panel with a focus on investing and how to get the most out of your KiwiSaver investment. Listen to the episode for the full insights.
8 January
“Rental property vs. index funds: should we switch?” Mailbag episode
There’s a common debate in the money world: Is it better to invest in index funds, or through property investment? Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney from enable.me joins this episode to discuss which might be better for retirement planning, the role of diversification, liquidity and risk – and how it’s important to have a financial plan and advice that suits your specific situation. Katie centres her response by reframing the question around the listeners’ life goals and the role finances play in achieving them. Then making sure the how aligns with these goals. Listen to the full response here.
2025
19 December
Why investing got weird in 2025 – Webinar REPLAY
2025 was a strange year in the money world – there were a lot of moving parts, and a general sense of uncertainty, more than usual. In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook speaks with Stuff’s money editor Damien Venuto and AdviceFirst financial adviser Leon Leonardo. They reflect on the past year and shift their focus to what they believe will matter most in 2026. If you want a clear, grounded overview of 2025, and what you can do next, this episode is for you.
27 November
“Single mum at 46, how do I avoid poverty at 70?” Mailbag episode
Today’s listener letter is from a 46-year-old single mum with a toddler who hasn’t particularly focused on her finances but now doesn’t want to be in poverty in her 70s. Podcast host Frances Cook brings in enable.me Financial Coach Shelley Palman to lend her expertise on the topic. While the listener asked for ‘cold hard numbers’, Shelley has some more general words of wisdom. She covers how important mindset is – including using empowering language to talk about yourself – when building your vision of where you want to end up, what might be ‘enough’ for retirement, and where you can focus your attention first in your finances. Have a listen to learn more.
13 November
“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode
When you’re used to spending your full income each week, it can be hard to know what to do if you have a sudden injection of cash. Such was the case with this episode’s listener, who received a $100,000 gift. enable.me’s Katie Wesney joins Frances Cook to dig deeper into the listener’s letter, and provide some strategies on how to best use the cash. They discuss the juggle of pressure to use the gift well, with the competing demands for where it will be best allotted. They come up with some ways that the listener can make every dollar count – and help regain financial freedom.
30 October
“We’re paying for private school, two dream homes, and we’re out of cash.” Mailbag episode
Some people have a great financial position on paper – but in reality, their lifestyle has creeped up and sucked out their discretionary spending buffer. In this episode, Frances Cook and enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney discuss a listener’s letter about having assets and being set up well – but still going backwards. The two discuss strategies that the listener could employ to increase their income or decrease their expenses. The pair mention that, while the question is addressing a larger net worth, the strategies are applicable to people in many different situations.
16 October
The $1 trillion time bomb: Why Kiwi families are blowing the inheritance conversation
There’s one conversation many of us are avoiding: inheritance. New Zealand is coming up on a $1 trillion generational wealth transfer. But are we ready for it? enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney joins Frances Cook to discuss this, and why the inheritance conversation goes beyond the numbers – and into love, fairness, recognition, and the next generation’s preparedness. If you want to protect your family and your legacy, this episode is your guide to beginning the inheritance conversation before it’s too late.
1 October
Buying vs building: Which property strategy builds more wealth over time?
It’s a common question in the property investment space – whether to buy an existing property or build a property off the plans. enable.me Financial Coach Kirsty Healey shares her professional insights and investing experiences on this episode of Making Cents. She covers the key elements to weigh up when looking for a property investment, and how it can be different from a family home.
17 September
Using your home to buy investment property: smart or risky?
It’s the golden word often thrown out in investment and financial spaces: leverage. Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney from enable.me joins this episode to talk about the prime conditions for someone to use leverage to build their wealth. Is it risky? Can it be part of a strategic plan? Get the benefit of Katie’s full insights.
3 September
The KiwiSaver trap: why a common tactic can accidentally torpedo your nest egg
In this episode of the Ask the Experts series of the podcast, enable.me Financial Coach Kristin Sutherland reveals the common KiwiSaver mistakes that are quietly shrinking your nest egg, and the easy fixes that could supercharge your long-term savings.
20 August
How to stay motivated when your money goals feel too big
Sometimes it feels hard to stay motivated towards your goals – especially when they are so big they feel out of reach. In this episode, enable.me Financial Coach Lisa Butler shares practical money mindset strategies, goal-setting techniques, and real-life examples of clients who turned things around, one small step at a time.
13 August
From broke to thriving: Money fixes for self-employed and side hustlers
Justin Gauci, a Financial Coach from enable.me joins this episode to unpack the money traps that trip up self-employed Kiwis. Justin discusses how running your own business can be a way to build yourself freedom and flexibility – if you put the right systems in place. He covers tips on how to avoid the traps that make self-employment synonymous with overworking and financial stress.
23 July
How to get your boss to pay for your insurance
In this episode, Frances is joined by Willie Moala, National Insurance Lead at AdviceFirst, to break down the smart ways to cut insurance costs, the underrated workplace perks you might be missing, and the cover you’ll be grateful to have when life throws you a curveball.
9 July
The mortgage mistake that’s costing you thousands (and how to fix it)
Buying a house is one of the biggest financial commitments most people ever make – and usually, by taking on a mortgage. How you structure that mortgage can be the difference between paying it off in 30 years – or a lot less. enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney breaks down the biggest mortgage structure mistake people commonly make, and the strategies to fix it.
27 June
The US-Israel-Iran conflict shows chaos is the new normal
LIVE REPLAY: Frances Cook is joined by Jarrod Kerr, Chief Economist at Kiwibank, Gareth Kiernan, Chief Forecaster at Infometrics and Michael Gorin, Wealth Adviser at AdviceFirst, to discuss the impacts of recent geopolitical tensions on your finances.
11 June
The hidden cost of being single: How to beat the ‘singles tax’ and build wealth anyway
Housing costs, food bills, healthcare. It’s hard to manage all the incoming bills, put money away towards your goals and have enough left over to do the things you enjoy. It can be even harder when you are only responsible to yourself, with solely your income in the mix. enable.me Financial Coach Shelley Palman joins Frances cook to discuss the hidden costs that come along with being single – rather than in a couple – and some strategies and the mindset that will help you get ahead.
29 May
The investing shift that builds wealth (even in a recession)
enable.me Head Strategic Coach Katie Wesney joins this episode to cut through the noise. She shares the most important financial news and decisions to pay attention to right now, how to make progress even when the stock market’s chaotic, and why a few smart moves can make a big difference – even in a downturn.
14 May
FOMO vs financial goals: How to stay focused when everything’s a temptation
The fear of missing out, and the constant comparisons we make between our own situation and others’ can play havoc with our personal finances. It’s important to cut through the noise to focus on your own goals and what you really want from life. enable.me Financial Coach Justin Gauci joins Frances Cook to share practical mindset shifts and small changes that can help you break the FOMO loop — and actually feel good about it.
11 April
Tariffs, inflation, and interest rates: we answer your money questions
LIVE REPLAY: We answer your money questions: answering audience questions on tariffs, how to invest when the market is down, what to do about KiwiSaver, best strategies for the mortgage while interest rates are falling, and whether your job is safe. Katie Wesney, Head Strategic Coach at enable.me, joins the discussion.
20 February
Why is insurance getting more expensive?
In this episode, Frances chats with AdviceFirst National Insurance Lead Willie Moala. They discuss everything you’ve always wanted to know about insurance, including what you need, and what you don’t.
30 Jan
How to master debt, and pay it off faster
Katie Wesney, Head Strategic Coach at enable.me, shares her insights about debt, how it can hold you back, and the best ways to get on top of it. In this episode Katie talks all things debt and how to control it, so that it doesn’t control you.
