If you’ve pushed money aside for years, only to wake up in your mid-40s with a toddler, a tiny KiwiSaver balance, and a creeping fear about what life looks like at 70… where do you even begin?
That’s the heart of today’s Ask the Experts letter.
A single mum at 46 is saving just a few dollars a week, working part-time, and terrified that she’s already run out of time to build any kind of financial safety.
So what are the options when you’re starting late, starting small, or starting over?
- How much is “enough” for retirement?
- Does homeownership still make sense when you’re on the back foot?
- What can you realistically focus on when your capacity is limited by childcare, low income, and years of unstable work?
- And is it ever truly too late to turn things around?
Shelley Palman from EnableMe is in the hot seat to map out the options, the trade-offs, and the first practical steps to take when you’re overwhelmed but determined.
If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz and you might feature on our next episode!
Links
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This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals
Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock
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