Frances Cook

5 days ago | 1news.co.nz | Frances Cook

Don't ask for a discount? Don't get one. But what happens when you do ask? You might be surprised, writes Frances Cook. There’s a little voice that lives in most of our heads, and it could be costing us thousands. It whispers things like “don’t make a fuss”, or “don’t be difficult”. Maybe it’s saying “don’t rock the boat”. It’s a very polite little voice. It’s also very expensive. Because when it comes to your money, you could miss out on tens of thousands of dollars, just by trying not to make a fuss.

2 weeks ago | 1news.co.nz | Frances Cook

Time is one of your greatest financial assets. And once it's gone, it's gone, writes Frances Cook. If there’s one thing I’ve seen sabotage financial progress more than bad investments, bad advice, or even bad luck, it’s this; waiting for the perfect moment. The barriers crop up in all sorts of ways. Waiting for the market to settle. For your income to be a bit higher. For interest rates to come down. For when you feel more confident. For when you’ve “done the research". We all do it. I’ve done it.

2 weeks ago | 1news.co.nz | Frances Cook

Frances Cook talks to veteran financial journalist Paul McBeth about what to look out for in a company report, before you invest your money in that company. If you're investing in the sharemarket and trying to figure out which companies are worth backing, there’s a good chance you've been told to "read the reports". Sounds simple enough, until you're 20 pages deep in a statement packed with jargon, fair value adjustments, and EBITDA breakdowns, wondering what any of it actually means.

3 weeks ago | 1news.co.nz | Frances Cook

Feeling broke? You’re not alone — and you’re not out of options, writes Frances Cook. It’s no secret that the cost of everything has gone up and, as tough as last year was for employment, it's predicted that around the globe there will be many more redundancies in 2025. What a lovely economy to be part of. If you’re trying to cut back and stick to a budget while you frantically build up the emergency savings, you’re far from alone and it doesn't have to mean life is bleak.

1 month ago | 1news.co.nz | Frances Cook

Few of us have late pop star Liam Payne's multiple millions, but Kiwis die without wills, as he did, every day. Disappointed partners and feuding family members can be left behind, and there's no need, writes Frances Cook, when getting one sorted is often simple and cheap. Got a KiwiSaver worth more than $15,000? Got kids? A family member that you don’t particularly like? If just one of those fits, you need a will. And yet, stats from Public Trust are that 50% of us don’t have one.