Two Cents' Worth

We waste $1.6 billion worth of food every year. Nearly 160,000 tonnes. With more and more people needing help putting meals on tables in the wake of the coronavirus, Two Cents' Worth looks at a waste minimisation campaign backed by 60 councils.

The combination of solar panels, electricity storage batteries, smart household gadgets, and a boring looking black box is set to change forever how our electricity system works.

This week on Two Cents' Worth: how tripe got the markets buzzing and what that can tell us about New Zealand's investment ecosystem.

The closed borders protecting us from Covid-19 is keeping us healthy, but having unexpected consequences for our economy.

In April, economists were predicting Covid could cause a 10-20 percent fall in house prices. In June, prices rose more than 9 percent - much more in some places. What is going on - and will it last?

Glyphosate is one of the most commonly used weedkillers in the world, but there’s huge pressure to phase it out. Find out why and what that might mean for our billion dollar agricultural sector. 

How two multi-millionaires, two pandemic futurists, Air NZ’s former boss, a dairy executive on a break, a retired anaesthetist (and a few others) nearly saved New Zealand.

The race is on. Two Cents Worth investigates the economics of finding a vaccine for coronavirus.

As the global economy spirals post-coronavirus and many people can no longer pay their debts or are being forced to take out new ones, is it time to wipe the slate clean?

Bankruptcy is something to be avoided - but maybe not at all costs. Two Cents' Worth follows a woman's journey into insolvency.

Forty percent of Millennials have one and increasing numbers of GenXers and Baby Boomers are getting in on the act too. Two Cents' Worth finds delves into the world of side hustles.

With million dollar losses and huge staff cutbacks, there are concerns that rugby is in its death throes. Two Cents Worth looks at the economics of our national sport.

In our new germ-wary world online shopping has become more important than ever, but the road for reliable home delivery has always been a bit bumpy. Andrew Patterson considers how we might improve getting goods into the hands of customers.

We're bracing for a major, global economic downturn. Will the government's historic 'once in a generation' budget be enough to insulate us from it.

Meet Bella, Jamie and Yumi. Just some of the robots taking over our jobs. But does this have to be as scary as it sounds? Peter Griffin finds out.

Apple growers have filled our fruit bowls and bolstered our export coffers, while harvesting a bumper crop and maintaining strict social distancing for their workforce. It’s been a nightmare.

The Covid-19 lockdown has forced a 'Green Eggs and Ham' moment on many businesses and government departments which could jumpstart our adoption of digital technology and productivity.

New Zealand could emerge from level-4 lockdown next week and set off down the slow, uncertain road to recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Peter Griffin looks at what we can learn from Christchurch's recovery from the 2011 earthquakes.

Two Cents Worth answers two listeners’ questions around how Covid-19 might change the world.

Fortunes can be lost or made in volatile markets. Peter Griffin looks at how amateur investors are navigating these troubled waters. 

This week on Two Cents' Worth the team look at how Covid-19 has changed the way we work and live and what business might look like after the lock down is lifted.

As we face very uncertain times, the Two Cents' Worth team thought to try to find the economic positives out of the COVID-19 crisis.

Fiona Acheson from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise joins the Two Cents' Worth team to discuss the economic ramifications of the coronavirus, covid-19.

Trade Me has been our favourite online marketplace for nearly two decades, but serious competition is on the way. Peter Griffen looks at our e-commerce options.

More than a million New Zealanders live paycheck to paycheck. Feeling terror trying to buy something two days before pay day. New technology could be the solution. Nikki Mandow investigates.

Peter Griffin looks past the rollercoaster ride that is cryptocurrency to find out its true potential.

In the '80s, "Think Big” became an insult; government spend-ups became a political no-no. Until now. In the light of Jacinda Ardern’s $12 billion infrastructure announcement, Nikki Mandow and Bernard Hickey look at why it has taken 40 years to get over the trauma.

There's been a huge upswing in subscription businesses across the world and in New Zealand. Peter Griffen looks at what that means for consumers and the economy.

One man’s decades-long fight to deal with New Zealand’s farm effluent problems by bringing dung beetles to New Zealand.

In the spirit of giving, the Two Cents' team is answering your economic questions on Kiwisaver, property prices and mortgage rates.

It's banking, yes, but not as we know it.  A new movement is seeing the rejuvenation of an ancient economic model. Claire Crofton looks into the growing trend of time-banking.

Debt – it’s deep in the heart of our society and our economy.  But we have an odd relationship with it. Bernard Hickey asks why we both fear debt and love it so much.

The work of Pacific people has been noted in a Treasury report, but does it go far enough? And what is the impact of this on our wider economy?

The New Zealand stock exchange (NZX) turns 150 this year. But the number of companies listed on it has been falling in recent times, begging the question - is still as relevant as it once was?

The disastrous impact of banks selling risky financial derivatives to farmers is still being felt in rural communities more than a decade later. How did it happen and how can we stop banks doing it again?

New Zealand saw the UK’s ‘Brentry’ into the EEC in 1973 as an existential threat to our nation’s future. It preoccupied New Zealanders for a decade and eventually all hinged on 48 hours of intense trade negotiations.

House prices are on the rise again - but is that a good thing? The Two Cents' Worth team looks at the Goldilocks sweet spot for our housing market - do we want prices to go up, fall down or stay as they are?

Gyles Beckford looks at why inflation has gone walkabouts, why central banks are still so obsessed about taming it and - hold your hats - is it time to give away inflation targeting?

Donald Trump’s tariff war is hitting the world economy hard, and there's no sign of a truce. Nikki Mandow looks at how tariffs have played a major part in some serious, and often traumatic historical events.

Could an online bra fitting service be the final death knell for bricks and mortar stores? Claire Crofton finds out.

New Zealand has fallen behind Australia and Britain in using contactless payments and retailers are revolting.  The Government may have to regulate fees directly.

We're going back to where it all began... and finding out how far we've come. Spoiler alert: Not far.

Come on a hilarious romp with some of New Zealand's best theatrical talents as Justin Gregory looks at the economics of taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Our most feared pest could be starting its journey to New Zealand.

Win or lose, the Rugby World Cup is being seen as a great opportunity to boost our economy.

We put Kate Raworth and Arthur Grimes in the ring together to debate the value of growth.

If the government gave everyone an extra $1000 to spend would we all be better off? Bernard Hickey looks into the theory of helicopter money.

Nikki Mandow tells us why social procurement is way more exciting than it sounds - and how it might change the world.

The Two Cents' Worth team is joined by the Honourable Kris Fa'afoi to discuss banks, interest rate caps and 5G.

New Zealanders lost 33 million dollars so scams last year. Madison Reidy looks at how that's impacting our economy and what we're doing to stop it.

Nikki Mandow looks at avocado economics and how this humble fruit became an underworld currency.