Old vs new: Which property strategy builds more wealth?

When you're deciding whether to buy a house or build one, you're not just choosing a home, you're making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

In this Ask the Experts episode of Making Cents, financial journalist Frances Cook is joined by Kirsty Healey from EnableMe to unpack the pros and cons of buying an existing home vs building new. And importantly, which option could help you build more long-term wealth.

Whether you're a first-home buyer or property investor, the choice between old and new has serious financial implications. New builds often come with lower maintenance costs, better mortgage deals, and the potential for higher-quality construction. But they also carry risks like construction delays, budget blowouts, and developer red tape.

On the flip side, buying an existing home is faster and feels more straightforward. But it can come with hidden costs, future-proofing challenges, and unexpected renovation bills.

In this episode, we cover:

• How new builds can affect your mortgage rate and deposit requirements
• The most common building pitfalls, including budget and council issues
• Why existing homes aren't always the “safe” choice
• Which option could offer better long-term value growth
• How to decide based on your personal timeline, risk tolerance, and financial goals

If you're stuck between buying or building, this episode will help you weigh the real costs, risks, and rewards.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What really happens when you burn everything down and start over in your late 30s?

In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook shares the raw reality of leaving a high-profile media job, building a business from scratch, and creating financial freedom on her own terms.

This episode dives into the money lessons, business mistakes, and mindset shifts that come with starting over later in life.

From learning how to begin imperfectly, to setting boundaries, to turning financial security into life freedom, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to survive a major life reset.

If you’ve ever thought about walking away from stability, changing your career, or creating something of your own, his will give you a real look at the struggles, the lessons, and the unexpected wins that come from starting again.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buying a house in New Zealand? Don’t get caught out by hidden costs.

In this episode of Ask the Experts, we reveal the true cost of buying a home, beyond the sale price.

From legal fees to building inspections or surprise repair bills, these are the extra expenses that can seriously derail your property plans if you’re not prepared.

We break down the most common hidden costs that first home buyers overlook, how much they typically add up to, and smart ways to avoid nasty financial surprises.

Whether you're buying your first home or upgrading to your next one, this is essential listening to help you protect your deposit, manage your budget, and avoid costly mistakes.

Tune in for a chat between Frances Cook and Vanessa Williams from realestate.co.nz, on:

• Legal fees and how to reduce them
• What building inspections actually cost
• Whether you need to test for meth or asbestos
• Red flags in older homes that could cost you thousands
• How much extra cash to have on hand before going unconditional

Buying property is stressful enough, so don’t let hidden costs make it worse.

Listen now so you can go into your next home purchase fully informed and confident.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Think shares are too risky or too complicated? Think again.

In this live webinar, Frances Cook is joined by Ruth Henderson from The Happy Saver, independent financial journalist and founder of The Bottom Line, Paul McBeth, and Dean Anderson, founder of investing platform Kernel.

Together they’re going to break down how investing really works, without the jargon, hype, or Wall Street bros.

You’ll learn:

- Why the sharemarket isn’t gambling, but ownership in real businesses

- How and why prices actually move

- The difference between saving and investing, and why that gap matters

- Why you don’t need thousands of dollars to get started, $5 is enough

- How index funds make investing simple, diversified, and effective

- The biggest mistakes beginners make (and how to avoid them)

If you’ve ever wanted to invest but felt intimidated, this is the easiest way to understand the basics and build confidence. By the end, you’ll know how to take the first step toward growing wealth, on your terms.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us don’t just make money mistakes, we repeat them.

Why? Because our money beliefs and money psychology are quietly running the show.

In this episode of Making Cents, financial journalist Frances Cook dives into how financial self-sabotage happens, with guest Nick Alcock, a tax debt coach and chartered accountant who uses financial therapy techniques.

From compulsive buying and gambling, to financial enabling, money avoidance, and even being too scared to ask for a pay rise, it’s all on the table.

Nick explains how childhood money stories, financial flashpoints, and subconscious money beliefs shape the way we spend, save, and manage debt.

He shares real client examples of people earning six figures but still trapped in tax debt, the common red flags like financial infidelity or compulsive shopping, and why shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset can change everything.

Whether you’re struggling with overspending, stuck in fear of negotiating your salary, or trying to understand why you keep sabotaging your financial goals, this conversation will help you spot the patterns, and start building healthier money habits.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

If you’re thinking about property investment, there’s one word that always comes up - leverage.

It’s the strategy of using your home’s value to invest into something else, usually more property.

When it works, it can supercharge your wealth.

When it doesn’t? You’re putting your family home on the line.

In this episode, we unpack how to use leverage the smart way, with financial strategist Katie Wesney from enableMe.

We cover when it’s worth considering, the emotional and financial resilience you need, and how to avoid rookie mistakes that can cost you big.

Whether you're already in the property game or just thinking about it, this one could save you serious money, and a lot of stress.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a fantasy many of us share: what if you could retire early, walk away from your job forever, and live life on your own terms by the age of 30?

Would it be all freedom and fun… or would the reality look very different?

In this episode of Making Cents, I talk to Captain Fi, one of Australia’s most well-known FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) bloggers. He shares what it really takes to achieve financial independence at such a young age, and whether he would actually recommend it to others.

Captain Fi started out as a pilot, a career that cost him over $300,000 in training. Determined to buy back his freedom, he focused on three strategies that define the FIRE movement:

• Earn as much as possible through a high-paying job and multiple side hustles
• Spend as little as possible by keeping living costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep
• Invest everything left over into shares and growth assets to build wealth quickly

By living on less than $40,000 a year, while sometimes saving up to 90% of his income, he was able to quit work in his early 30s.

Today, Captain Fi lives on a hobby farm in Queensland with his wife and young daughter, raising bees, planting gardens, and building the family-focused life he always wanted. But his journey also included burnout, grief, and a surprising twist: after a short period of “retired life,” he realised it wasn’t fulfilling enough and pivoted into something new.

In this conversation, we cover:

• How he built financial independence by 30
• The reality of early retirement versus the daydream
• Why he “un-FIRE’d” and bought a farm
• The hidden challenges of extreme savings and burnout
• His advice for anyone chasing financial freedom today

If you’ve ever wondered what early retirement really looks like, or how to use the FIRE movement to reshape your own career and lifestyle, this episode has the insights from someone who has lived it.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fast Money with Jim Mora on Sunday Morning with RNZ. Chatting everything from cost-of-living savings, how to pay off debt faster, how to get a pay rise or what to do next if a pay rise is turned down, and what's happening with the property market at the moment.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.