Making Cents

There is a lot of mortgage advice out there that is confidently wrong.

And the cost of following it isn’t just money, it’s time. Sometimes years of your life spent under pressure you didn’t actually need.

In this episode of Making Cents, we’re cutting through the biggest mortgage myths that trip people up both before they buy a home and long after they’ve signed the papers.

From “cleaning up” bank statements and chasing the lowest interest rate, to misunderstood rules around deposits, credit scores, extra repayments, and offsets, this is the stuff that sounds smart on paper, but can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over time.

Mortgage Man Aaron Cattell is a mortgage adviser on the front lines, working with real borrowers, real numbers, and real lending rules, and he’s ready to let you peek behind the curtain.

We break down:

What banks actually care about when approving a mortgage (and what they don’t)

Common mortgage-ready myths that no longer apply in New Zealand

Why loan structure matters more than chasing the cheapest interest rate

The simplest ways to cut years off your mortgage, without needing a windfall

When extra repayments, lump sums, offsets, or revolving credit actually make sense

The tactics that sound clever, but Aaron would ban tomorrow

If you’re buying your first home, refixing soon, or just want more control over the biggest debt most people will ever take on, this episode will help you avoid mistakes that quietly steal time from your future.

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Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

Aaron’s references mentioned in the episode: - https://www.themortgageman.co.nz/links

#MakingCents #FrancesCook

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:37 Meet Aaron Kital: the mortgage man on the front lines
00:04:00 Busting the deposit myth: you don't need 20 percent
00:05:30 The clean bank statements myth and what banks actually care about
00:09:25 Auctions, valuations, and the first-time buyer obstacle course
00:12:40 Is buying your own home actually a good investment?
00:15:00 Myths from overseas: credit scores and payment frequency
00:19:03 Should you pay off your mortgage early or invest elsewhere?
00:23:48 Three ways to smash your mortgage faster
00:26:06 Offset accounts and revolving credits: when they work and when they don't
00:34:42 Fixed versus floating: why structure beats interest rates every time
00:41:24 When mortgages keep you awake at night: hardship options
00:43:43 The easy win: one simple change that saves years
00:44:14 Outro

If you're feeling the February slump and wondering how to get back on track without starting from scratch, this one's for you!

A replay of Frances Cook's column for 1 News, read here with permission, on 7 science-backed ways to get your money back under control.

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Join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week https://www.francescook.co.nz/subscribe or level up your investing knowledge with the Market Memo newsletter https://www.francescook.co.nz/invest

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook

This episode was originally part of the Market Memo newsletter, where you learn about sharemarket investing every week. You can subscribe to that, here https://marketmemoweekly.substack.com/

It’s never been easier to start investing. And that’s both brilliant, and part of the problem.

Between constant headlines, market swings, hot takes on social media, and apps that let you trade with a swipe, investing has turned into a psychological minefield.

Now, for most people, the biggest risk to their money isn’t the market. It’s their own brain.

In this episode of Making Cents, it’s the seven common mental traps that trip investors up.

We’ll cover:

Why losses hurt so much more than gains (and what that makes people do)

How herd behaviour and FOMO sneak into otherwise sensible decisions

Why sticking to what feels familiar can cost you real growth

The mental shortcuts that make short-term noise feel more important than long-term plans

And the simple systems that help emotions stop driving the car

This episode isn’t about suppressing your feelings or becoming some emotionless investing robot.

It’s about understanding how your brain works, and putting smart guardrails in place so it doesn’t sabotage your future.

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

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook #InvestingPsychology #BehaviouralFinance #MoneyPsychology #InvestorMindset #MentalTraps #Investing

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:18 Loss aversion: the pain hits harder than the pleasure
00:03:31 Overconfidence bias: the 'I can time the market' illusion
00:05:21 Herd behavior and FOMO: when everyone's buying, beware
00:07:13 Home bias: comfort can cost you
00:08:31 Confirmation bias: the echo chamber effect
00:09:39 Recency bias: thinking yesterday predicts tomorrow
00:10:48 Present bias: the 'now' trap
00:12:19 Wrapping up: stop emotions from driving the car
00:13:00 Outro

If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually going on behind the scenes of the 1%, beyond the headlines, Instagram posts, and glossy business profiles, this episode pulls back the curtain.

Because beneath the public image of wealth is usually a highly deliberate money strategy. And it doesn’t have to be exclusive to the ultra-rich.

In this episode of Making Cents, Frances Cook speaks with Andrew Clements, a private wealth and succession lawyer who works with some of New Zealand’s wealthiest families. Andrew spends his days helping high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients build wealth, protect it, and stop it being blown up by one bad decision, whether that’s an investment mistake, poor structure, or family conflict.

What he’s learned may surprise you.

We talk about:

How wealthy families think in decades, not years

Why protecting money often matters more than chasing returns

The “guardrails” the wealthy put around their money, and their families

Why the rich often sell when others are rushing in

The risks that don’t show up on balance sheets, including family and succession risk

How downturns are treated as opportunity, not panic

And which wealth strategies are realistic for everyday NZers to copy

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

This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook #GenerationalWealth #WealthBuilding #WealthManagement #FinancialLiteracy #SuccessionPlanning #ImpactInvesting #FinancialAdviser #PrivateWealth #HighNetWorth #NZBusinessOwners

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:13 Meet Andrew Clements: private wealth and succession lawyer
00:03:39 Money talks, but wealth whispers
00:04:25 Values over dollars: what wealthy families actually prioritize
00:08:19 The long game: how the wealthy build and protect assets
00:09:44 The Lithuanian entrepreneur who didn't get greedy
00:12:38 Investing in yourself: the best investment you can make
00:18:43 Philosophy breeds methodology: finding advisors who understand you
00:22:12 How the wealthy invest differently: shares over property
00:27:24 Impact investing: making money and making a difference
00:29:22 Family risk: how inheritance can become poison
00:33:16 Beating the three-generation curse
00:37:20 The hundred dollar note on the dinner table
00:42:13 Can average people become wealthy? Yes, here's how
00:44:39 Outro

Everyone says you should start investing in the stock market, but how do you actually do that?

Time for a quick roadmap to get you started. Whether you’re starting from scratch, or you’ve been investing for a while but you’re not sure you’re nailing it, this is the live session to help you feel like the confident investor you should be.

With top industry experts

-Kernel chief executive Dean Anderson

-Stuff money editor Damian Venuto

-Massey University Professor Claire Matthews

As we answer questions live, we’re talking about what actually matters when investing in shares in 2026, how to get started without overthinking it, building a system that lets you keep investing no matter what, and getting under the hood of what’s happening in the sharemarket right now.

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

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

#MakingCents #FrancesCook