I’ve always been a high achiever. As a kid, I was the one who would use a pencil until there was no lead left to write with. I studied until I aced every test.

But when I was 7 years old, I learned a lesson that no textbook could teach me.

Minutes before a big exam, my teacher pulled me out of class. “You can’t take the test yet,” she said. “Your parents haven’t paid your tuition.” I remember standing by the school cashier, sobbing, waiting for my dad to arrive.

In that moment, I promised myself:

To make sure I kept that promise, I had to fix my "broke mindset." I went from a $30-a-week budget in a Philippine dorm to banking half a million pesos a month.

But as we shared in our last email, life happens. A "perfect storm" of a global pandemic and a sudden move left us with $10,000 in credit card debt. And that was the beginning of our downward battle with consumer debt. To wipe it out, we are combining my Petite Budget Manifesto with a 4,000-year-old strategy from The Richest Man in Babylon.

In ancient Babylon, a man named Dabasir escaped slavery by following a specific "Rule of 10s." We have adopted this as our roadmap to freedom:

• 70% for Living: We live on 70% of our income. This covers the needs (housing, food, transport).

• 20% for the Creditors: 20% of every dollar we earn goes straight to our debt. We use a "Snowball/Avalanche" hybrid—paying off the smallest balances first for the "win," then attacking the high-interest rates.

• 10% for the "Fat Purse:" This is the golden rule. You must pay yourself first.

Most people say, "Wait until the debt is gone to save." I disagree. My manifesto is built on the Abundance Psyche.

If you give all your money to the bank and keep nothing for yourself, you are still a slave to your past. By saving 10% while paying off debt, we are building "Future Mrs Debt Free" and "Future Mr. Debt Free" at the same time. It’s how I’m on my way to retiring at 35 (crossing my fingers).

Small Win: I rewarded myself with some snacks which are almost staple in the family because even on a journey to freedom, you have to enjoy the life you’re building.

Think back to your first memory of money. Was it a moment of scarcity or abundance? Does that memory still run your life today?

Hit reply and tell me. Understanding your "Money Story" is the first step to changing your "Money Future."

To the fat purse we’re building together,

Mrs Almost Debt Free