Plenty of us get angry about the money world being unfair. But few people get angry enough to actually change something.

Sasha Lockley did.

Sasha started Money Sweetspot because, in her own words, she was furious. Furious that so many ordinary New Zealanders were working hard, making tough decisions, and still drowning in debt.

In this episode of Making Cents, we dig into the emotional and practical realities of debt in New Zealand.

We talk about why people get trapped, what actually works to pay down loans faster, what doesn’t, and how shame, guilt, and overwhelm derail the plans you make.

We also look beyond the individual level. Because while there are things we can control in our own financial lives, there are also parts of the debt system that need fixing, and Sasha has a front-row seat to what needs to change.

In this episode we cover:

- Why Sasha got angry enough to start Money Sweetspot

- What she’s learned from thousands of real NZ debt stories

- The loan traps catching ordinary Kiwis every day

- The worst debt myths doing the rounds online

- What actually works when you’re trying to pay off the credit card faster

- Why shame and avoidance make debt worse, and how to break that cycle

- Simple first steps if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start

- What needs to change at a system level to stop this happening to so many people

If you’ve ever felt stuck, ashamed, or overwhelmed by debt, this conversation will help you understand what’s really going on, and what you can realistically do next.

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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