DiscoverMaking Cents“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode
“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode

“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode

Update: 2025-11-121
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A $100,000 gift should feel like freedom, so why does it come with so much pressure?


In this Making Cents mailbag episode, a listener writes in after being gifted $100K from family.


They’ve got a big mortgage, no savings, and a long wish-list that includes home repairs, maternity leave, and some breathing room in the budget.


The question: how do you use a windfall like this without wasting it?


Frances Cook talks to Katie Wesney, head strategic coach at EnableMe, about how to turn a one-off gift into long-term financial security.


They unpack how to prioritise between paying down the mortgage, building an emergency fund, and improving your home, plus smart ways to use a revolving credit account to keep flexibility while cutting interest.


If you’ve ever wondered what to do after receiving a cash gift, inheritance, or bonus, this episode will show you how to make every dollar count, avoid the “easy come, easy go” trap, and set yourself up for the future.


If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz and you might feature on our next episode!


Links

Follow Frances Cook on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or join the Money Memo newsletter for a free weekly money tip in your inbox each week.


This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne 

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode

“We were gifted $100K, how do we not blow it?” Mailbag episode