I am an International Speaker. TEDx Speaker. Best Selling Author. Philanthropist.

​

I am an Accountant of 25 years. A Certified Fraud Examiner. A Certified Financial Crime Specialist and a Certified Financial Education Instructor.

​

But what some may not know about me is that 1996 was an unrecognizable year. October 17th, literally in an instant, 5 days after turning 21, a day that 24 hours turned into a nightmare that took me…paralyzed…unable to walk. Doctors didn’t know what was wrong and my mom was only able to keep me comfortable to barely stay alive because she could not afford any other care.

​

1996 was a time in my life where I was confined to my mom’s bed. For almost 3 months, I could not get my legs to walk. I was bedridden in unimaginable pain, willing myself to move, begging my body to disrupt my brain. Battling the voices. “I won’t ever walk again!!!” “God please just take me.” But I also bargained with God that if He raised me up, I would do differently if any other health challenge presented itself. And thankfully my mom and family would gather by my bedside every day to pray for a miracle. And one day, after almost 3 months, I forced one foot in front of the next, and finally made it to the front room.

However, for some time after, I never thought I would be able to become whole emotionally or physically. Doctors told me that I would be dead by 25. The next decade of my life I lived filling an emotional hole by buying lots and lots and lots of stuff.  From 1997 to 2007, I racked up so much consumer and credit card debt that I stopped counting when I reached six figures. Thank God though for 2008. 2008 was a pivotal year and I decided to deliberately disrupt my financial destiny of being broke because I was exhausted by being paralyzed by the weight of all that debt. I wish I could tell you that I never got physically sick again.  However, in 2013 I found myself unable to walk again. But because I was willing to deliberately disrupt what I was doing with my dollars I met 2013 emotionally and financially whole. Between 2013 and 2017, I had 5 life-saving procedures which were more than $300,000.  

 

As a result of 2008 and being absolutely willing to dig up, disrupt, and deliberately will my steps differently, I was able to pay off the consumer and credit card debt I racked up between 1997 to 2007, I was in the financial position to not only survive but thrive another health attack because of solid savings and stellar medical insurance, I am now able to provide top care for my mom as her primary caregiver.

 

I am the Founder of Amplify Your Legacy – A Mindset + Money Movement that absolutely, unrecognizably empowers women and children fearlessly through Financial Literacy.

​

I am Caline Newton – The Bahamian Money Maven. I am an unstoppable walking unrecognizable bold, brave, blazing, and mind-blowing miracle and I was able to use 10 simple strategies to move from broke to blazing with my mindset and money. 

 

Here are 10 practical tips for women who are trying to manage their debt while sustaining their lives to ultimately become debt-free and thrive.

​

1. FORGIVE YOURSELF

​

Do you know that you are not responsible for what you believe about money and what you do with your money? It is said that 80% of all beliefs and emotions around money are developed by the age of 10 years old due to environment, experiences, family, religion, and culture. In fact, everyday experiences continue to shape your mindset and your money if you are not intentional. For me, I had to forgive myself for my past money mistakes before I could focus on changing my money management. For me, I had to forgive myself for not applying the positive lessons my mom taught me about money. 

 

2. FUTURE COMMITMENT

​

Make a promise to yourself that you would never use consumer or credit card debt again for purchases of no value or net worth. The only possible exception is a home mortgage or investment property. Invest in assets that generate money. For me, I began to invest in multi-family property which could eventually provide a return as an investment. 

 

3. FACE YOUR DEBT TO FIX IT

​

You cannot fix what you do not face. Write down everyone and every entity you owe. This is a scary thing to do because now the paper becomes a reflection of who you are and looks clearly back at you. However, you never know the weight of the debt you are carrying until you see a reflection of every dollar you owe. Whether it is to family or friends or the Bank or the Credit Union or Visa or MasterCard or American Express or J C Penney or whomever. Write it all down. For me, when I wrote down all my debt and added it all up, I realized the weight of the debt I had racked up was paralyzing me financially. For me, I realized I would never be free until I started to deliberately pay off my debt.  In the words of Publilius Syrus, Debt is the slavery of the free.  

​

4. FORM YOUR BUDGET USING THE FOUR WALLS

​

Coined the four walls of budgeting by Dave Ramsey, you and your family are your priority. Food. Shelter. Utilities. Transportation. The goal is to ensure that the basic essentials of life are your priority. For me, this meant living way below my means, spending only on needs and not wants, and delaying gratification by not spending on unnecessary, non-essential stuff.

 

5. FOCUS ON ZERO-BASED BUDGETING

​

This is a simple method of budgeting where your income minus your expenses equals zero every single month. You delegate every dollar and give every dollar a mission.  For example, say you earn $1,500 per month. You need to ensure that your budget identifies exactly where each of those $1,500 goes. Once you do that, when you spend, you know exactly where every dollar goes since you budgeted down to the last dollar. As you budget, also prioritize where you put your dollars. By prioritizing, always pay yourself 1st. And any extra money can be put towards debt and savings no matter how small. For me, as I was paying off debt, I was also saving although it started small. Bit by bit, no matter what, I paid myself first whenever I was paid. Each bit became a brick that built the foundation I used to save my financial life between 2013 and 2017.

 

6. DECREASE VARIABLE EXPENSES + ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY EXPENSES

​

Negotiate for lower interest rates. Things that you would pay for, do it yourself, then you no longer have to pay someone else to do it. Carpool. Find a roommate. Rent. Unsubscribe from emails that can entice you to purchase. Cancel Cable TV, gym memberships and trainer, shopping, entertainment, and dining out. Cancel your credit cards. Become creative with rewards for yourself that do not include spending money. For me, I negotiated lower interest rates on my consumer loans and credit cards. I canceled six credit cards totaling $40,000 in credit and kept one credit card with only a $5,000 limit that is used purposely. For me, I also stopped going to the hairdresser weekly, started going to the barber once a month and only went to my beloved hairstylist when I had a special occasion. I stopped wearing contact lenses and switched to eyeglasses. For me, I canceled my personal cable subscription and took the TV out of my room. Ultimately, I became creative and satisfied with frugal joys like walking the beach and watching the sunrise or set.

 

7. INCREASE YOUR INCOME

​

Do side jobs. Declutter your home and sell items. Work part-time. Work overtime. Take ALL and any extra money and put on your debt. For me, I was a freelance makeup artist for 10 years. All the money I made from freelancing, I put on my credit card debt.

​

8. TRACK IT TO STACK IT

​

Do you leave the house in the morning, go to the ATM, get out cash, and by the end of the day do not have a clue as to what you did with that money? That’s why you track every dollar to the penny. By tracking, you are able to find any leaks in your budget. I love conch salad. In fact, I love it sharp and spicy like me. For me, until I deliberately started tracking my cash purchase, I did not realize I was buying conch salad a minimum of 4 times a week. To disrupt that habit, I made a commitment to cut my buying to 2 and if I ever went over, I would match that amount in my savings account. My new mindset was and is, if I cannot afford to buy one and match the same by saving the price of one, I cannot afford any.

​

9. DOUBLE DOWN USING THE DEBT SNOWBALL METHOD

​

The debt snowball method involves using your list of debts and listing them from the smallest amount due to the largest. Next, minimum required payments are paid on all debt until the first smallest debt is paid off. After paying the first smallest debt off, add that payment to the next smallest debt payment. As you pay off the smaller debts you use those payment amounts to add to the minimum required payments. As you get rid of the smaller amounts you make room to move on to the bigger ones. For me, I felt motivated to aggressively tackle my credit card debt as each moment I paid off a credit card gave me the momentum to keep paying until all my credit card debt was paid off.

 

10. NO SPEND CHALLENGES

​

Make a commitment to not spend any cash and to follow your budget to the penny.  If you budget $200 for groceries and only spend $150, send the $50 to debt.  If your actual spending is less than your budgeted amount, send the difference to debt. For me, I made the commitment that if a store didn’t accept debit cards or cheques, I would not spend with them.  Using a debit card or cheque, also helped me in tracking every dollar because I was able to see all transactions on my bank statement.

​

BONUS TIP: CALL YOUR CREDITORS.  If you ever get in a position where you are unable to pay your debt obligations, give your creditor a call and let them know your position.  Never take for granted that they know your circumstances. For me, during the time 2013 to 2017, I was able to call one of my creditors and was given a six-month waiver at a time when it was most needed.

​

Ultimately, every dollar paid to debt, quicker, results in freedom faster.  Remember the sacrifice is not forever. Just long enough to pay off the debt. Ask yourself, do you want to pay off your debt as bad as you want to breathe? If your answer is yes, send every spare dollar straight to debt. Be fearless and determined. Side job money? Monetary gifts? Sell something? Christmas bonus? Spare change in ashtray or house? Straight to debt. Every. Single. Dollar.

Disrupt your mindset and shift your sacrifice.

​

The time is now.

​

Are you absolutely willing to be an unrecognizable blazing, mind-blowing miracle in your mindset and your money?

 

I am your sister, Caline, leading you to a place of meaningful blazing mindset shifts to unrecognizable money mastery and mind-blowing financial legacy.