Making Cents

The war in Iran is already moving mortgage rates, and it's not done yet.
Interest rates are moving, and this will change everything with your money. Beyond the mortgage, it’s also your savings, your investments, and even your job.
So what's actually happening, and what should you do about it?
Frances Cook is joined by Massey University’s Christoph Schumacher and EnableMe financial coach Katie Wesney to break down the chain reaction from a conflict on the other side of the world, straight to your bank balance.
We're covering:
– How a war in the Middle East ends up pushing up your interest rate
– What the Reserve Bank is likely to do next, and when
– The key decisions to help you be smarter with your money, and especially your mortgage
– How to build genuine financial resilience when the future is uncertain
You can’t control the war. But you can control how you prepare.

The New Zealand property market is shifting, and the latest data from http://realestate.co.nz tells us exactly how.
In just the last three months, sellers dropped their prices enough for a total of $54 million to be wiped off asking prices across New Zealand.
But strangely, it could be good news, as it’s slowing from previous falls.
So are we at a turning point?
In this episode of Making Cents Ask the Experts, financial journalist Frances Cook sits down with Vanessa Williams from realestate.co.nz, to break down what's actually happening in the NZ property market right now. Not the vibes, the real numbers.
We cover:
Whether New Zealand is still in a buyer's market, and how long that might last
How the Iran conflict and rising oil prices could affect property
The best strategies for sellers in this market
How buyers can negotiate hard, and where the best opportunities are hiding
What the data hints at for the next 6 to 12 months

Whether you're buying, selling, or just watching the market, this episode gives you the real picture on New Zealand property in 2026.

If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, send it through to [email protected] and you might feature on our next episode!

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals
Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Made redundant in your 50s? It might just be the start of something.
After decades as one of New Zealand's most recognised news presenters, Wendy Petrie was made redundant from the 6pm news. No warning, no plan B, just the sudden reality of starting over at a stage of life when most people assume the big career moves are behind them.
So she bought a business. Built it from the ground up. And figured it out as she went.
In this episode of Making Cents, Wendy Petrie opens up about what redundancy really feels like when it hits, why she chose to bet on herself instead of looking for another job, and the raw truth about buying and building a business in your 50s - the financial risk, the steep learning curve, and what nobody tells you before you take the leap.
This is the episode for anyone who's been made redundant, anyone who's wondered whether it's too late to start over, and anyone asking themselves: could I actually do this?
Spoiler: you might be surprised.

This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals
Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

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.

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
Become a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest

#MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals
Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock