Each week the NZ Herald's Cooking the Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's how Covid-19 has shaped money management for a new generation. Hosted by Frances Cook.

Here’s the thing. Many people were already struggling financially before all of … everything .. hit us.

In the 12 months to February, research from Kiwi Wealth showed young people, Maori and Pasifika, and those who were renting, had low levels of wealth and money confidence.

One of the big problems is the high cost of living, while another is increased levels of debt. Those are probably related, in a reinforcing negative cycle.

So when Covid came along, what happened next?

Well plenty are doing it tough, but there are also those who are increasing their financial activity.

Particularly young people are seeing this as a time that they might be able to get ahead, with online share trading particularly popular, as some try to take advantage of the market dipping.

In fact 84 per cent of New Zealanders have increased their savings or investments since Covid-19 hit.

So what’s going on out there, and how can we all navigate a weird time to try to get ahead?

For the latest episode I talked to Kiwi Wealth's Melissa Vasta.

If you have a question about this podcast, or question you'd like answered in the next one, come and talk to me about it. I'm on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookJournalist/ Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz/ and Twitter here https://twitter.com/FrancesCook