Frances Cook

No, no, hit us with it.

I've noticed this across a few of your different guides.

And by the way, do hit us with the guides because no problem with that.

That's why you're here.

I love the guides you guys have got.

You're absolutely prolific on the topics that you tackle.

But there was a theme that I noticed coming up across a few of the different investing articles where you talk about having the financial foundations sorted first.

underrated because I think investing is one of those fun parts of money where you're like, oh, I'm going to put money in and I make money back.

And that's exciting.

Who doesn't want to make money?

That's great.

But it can go wrong.

I think if you don't have things like, as you say, the debt paid off and sorted, the credit card under control, the savings, all that stuff.

So walk me through your perspective on what financial foundations you need sorted first and why is it dangerous if you don't have them?

Heaps of different companies keep doing this one.

There's different banks and things.

And I've seen fluctuating numbers, but it's anywhere from usually 50 to 70% of New Zealanders don't have $1,000 saved, which A, a bit of a sign of the times, but B, I think...

It does also show how we can ignore the small things building up to big things.

Because even if you put 20 bucks a week into a savings account, you'll hit that goal in less than a year.

And to build up those smaller wins to have that savings account will give you so much more stability and not just the rest of your financial life, the rest of your life, right?