Making Cents

NZ Career Survival Guide 2026: How to Get Paid More In A Bad Economy

When you’re working hard, ticking the boxes, doing everything “right”, yet still not getting the promotion or pay rise? It’s easy to feel stuck.You’re not imagining it.New Zealand’s job market has cooled. Job listings are down. Businesses are cautious. Pay rises are harder to secure. Career progression can feel slower.But when things get tight, that’s when strategy matters the most.Enter Jarrod Haar, Professor of Management and Māori Business at Massey University, to tell us what actually works when you want to earn more, get promoted, or completely reinvent your career.If you’ve been wondering:“How do I get a pay rise in this economy?”“Is it time to change jobs?”“Do I need more qualifications to earn more money?”“How can I reinvent my career without starting over?”This episode is for you.This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com (https://www.odoo.com/r/hpl) now and try it for free, for 15 days.Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribeThis podcast was filmed & produced by FanaticalsVideo editing & content production by Lana ByrneAudio engineering by Tash Chittock#MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedomChapters00:00:00 Introduction00:02:35 Meet Jarrod: Professor of Management on the state of burnout00:06:13 The post-COVID hangover: why the job market feels so tough right now00:07:44 Start with what you can control: upskilling and staying relevant00:09:40 Social capital: why being a nice person actually pays off00:19:17 Should you stay or should you go? Voting with your feet00:21:51 The power of saying yes: building skills through work experience00:24:35 The skills that matter across industries: human connection over credentials00:29:22 Future-proofing your career: keep your finger on the pulse00:34:07 Wrapping up: hustle smarter, not just harder

The Mortgage Hacks That Actually Work in New Zealand

A small change to a payment strategy can save hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of repayment time from your mortgage, cutting one of the biggest expenses most people will face.A replay of Frances Cook's column for Stuff.co.nz, read here with permission. Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribeBecome a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest#MakingCents #FrancesCook #MakingCentsPodcast #InvestingPodcast #MoneyPodcast #FinancialFreedom

Sell Your Home At A $250k Loss Or Stay Miserable?

What do you do when you’re stuck between two bad options?Sell a home you bought near the peak of the market, even though it’s now worth hundreds of thousands less, or stay put in a house that no longer fits your life?That’s the dilemma facing this week’s listener. They bought in late 2020, welcomed kids, watched their house value fall by around $250,000, and now feel trapped: too much mortgage pressure, not enough flexibility, and no clear “right” move.Vanessa Williams from realestate.co.nz is in the expert hot seat, to tell us about the shocking number of New Zealanders in this situation, and what they can do about it.We talk about:What selling in a down housing market really means for your moneyWhether holding on longer could help, or just prolong the stressHow life changes (kids, cashflow, burnout) should factor into property decisionsWhy feeling “stuck” is common, and how a clear plan can restore controlIf you’re weighing up sell or stay, worried about selling your house at a loss, or feeling trapped by a house that no longer works for your family or finances, this episode has the tactics you need to be thinking about.If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz (mailto:ask@francescook.co.nz) and you might feature on our next episode!Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribeThis podcast was filmed & produced by FanaticalsVideo editing & content production by Lana ByrneAudio engineering by Tash Chittock#MakingCents #FrancesCook #NZProperty #WellingtonRealEstate #NZHousingMarket #HousePrices #NegativeEquity #LowEquity #SellOrStay #propertyadviceChapters00:00:00 Introduction00:01:12 Listener letter: bought at the peak, now stuck00:03:43 How common is this situation?00:07:47 First steps: get a realistic valuation00:08:33 Talk to a mortgage advisor or financial advisor00:09:15 Could you wait it out? Considering 202600:09:57 Creative options: students, Airbnb, and short-term solutions00:11:49 What if you've lost your deposit?00:13:33 The power of having a plan00:15:05 Outro

Is the age of property investment over?

For decades in New Zealand, property wasn’t just an investment, it was THE investment.The safest bet. The biggest capital gains. Often tax-advantaged. And for many households, the clearest path to building long-term wealth.But that narrative is starting to shift.House prices remain high. Debt is expensive. And a growing number of New Zealanders are questioning whether residential property is still the best way to build wealth.In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook speaks with BusinessDesk journalist Dileepa Fonseka about New Zealand’s housing market, property prices, and long-term investment trends.Together, they explore whether New Zealand’s decades-long property obsession is beginning to crack.Why has property been such a dominant wealth-builder in NZ for so long?Are we reaching a ceiling on house price growth?Is this just a market cycle, or a structural turning point?If you’ve ever wondered whether buying property is still the smartest investment strategy, or whether it’s time to rethink the traditional path to wealth, this conversation will challenge your assumptions.Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribeThis podcast was filmed & produced by FanaticalsVideo editing & content production by Lana ByrneAudio engineering by Tash Chittock#MakingCents #FrancesCook Chapters00:00:00 Introduction00:02:38 Meet Dileepa Fonseka: tracking the winds of change in property00:03:12 The land myth: why property prices can't rise forever00:05:50 The COVID property mania and the crash that followed00:17:10 Is there a ceiling on house prices?00:06:48 The political shift: capital gains tax enters the conversation00:10:17 From share market skeptics to everyday investors00:23:35 The rise of accessible investing: apps, Kiwisaver, and the new generation00:26:04 Property's hidden costs: climate change, insurance, and rising rates00:28:13 Election year battlegrounds: where is money going next?00:31:36 Outro

How your subscriptions and KiwiSaver can change the world (from little old NZ)

In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook joins the TVNZ Breakfast team to talk about the growing "resist and unsubscribe" movement, how everyday New Zealanders can use their wallets to make a statement, and why your KiwiSaver might be one of the biggest votes you'll ever cast.Follow me everywhere!Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookNZInstagram / https://www.instagram.com/francescooknzTikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@francescooknzJoin the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribeBecome a confident sharemarket investor by signing up to the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest