Add your debts, choose a strategy, and see exactly how much interest you'll save and when you'll finally be free. The difference between methods can be thousands of dollars.
Your Debts
$
⚡ Avalanche Method
Pay highest interest rate first — mathematically optimal
Debt-Free In
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Total Interest Paid
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✓ Saves More Money
Payoff Order
❄️ Snowball Method
Pay smallest balance first — fastest psychological wins
Debt-Free In
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Total Interest Paid
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✓ Saves More Money
Payoff Order
$0
Interest saved by choosing the better strategy
Why It Matters
The case for paying off debt first
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A guaranteed return you can't beat
Paying off a 22% APR credit card is a guaranteed 22% return. No index fund can promise that. Paying down high-interest debt first is literally the best investment you can make.
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Minimum payments are a trap
A $5,000 credit card balance at 22% APR with only minimum payments takes 15+ years and costs over $7,000 in interest. Paying just $50 extra per month cuts that nearly in half.
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Mental load has a real cost
Debt creates constant background stress. Research shows financial stress reduces cognitive performance and sleep quality. Eliminating it frees up mental energy for everything else in your life.
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Debt-free accelerates investing
Once your debts are gone, those minimum payments become investment dollars. A person who pays off $800/mo in debt payments and redirects that into index funds builds wealth remarkably fast.