Question 1

What is the avalanche method?

Accepted Answer

The avalanche method directs extra payments to the card with the highest APR first, while paying minimums on everything else. Once the highest-rate card is paid off, you roll that entire payment to the next highest-rate card. Mathematically, this minimizes total interest paid.

Question 2

What is the snowball method?

Accepted Answer

The snowball method directs extra payments to the card with the smallest balance first. You get faster early wins (fully paid accounts), which some people find motivating. You may pay slightly more interest than avalanche, but behavioral research suggests the momentum of eliminating debts helps people stick to the plan.

Question 3

Which method should I choose?

Accepted Answer

If your goal is purely mathematical, avalanche saves the most money. If you need motivation from visible progress, snowball may help you stay on track. Many financial advisors suggest avalanche for high-APR debt (credit cards above 20%) and snowball when the difference in interest rates is small.

Question 4

What is the debt roll-over or snowball roll?

Accepted Answer

When you pay off a card completely, you do not reduce your total monthly payment — you redirect that card's payment (minimum + any extra you were applying) entirely to the next target card. This accelerates payoff and is the core mechanism of both methods.

Question 5

How much extra should I pay each month?

Accepted Answer

Even $50-$100 extra per month on a $5,000 balance at 22% APR can save hundreds in interest and cut payoff time significantly. The most important step is paying more than the minimum. Use this calculator to see the exact impact of different extra payment amounts.

Question 6

How is my minimum payment calculated?

Accepted Answer

Credit card minimums are typically 1-2% of the outstanding balance, or a flat dollar amount ($25-$35), whichever is greater. Some cards charge 1% + interest. Enter the actual minimum shown on your statement for the most accurate projection.

Question 7

What if I can only afford the minimums?

Accepted Answer

Paying only minimums on high-APR credit card debt is very expensive. A $5,000 balance at 20% APR with a $100 minimum takes over 6 years to pay off and costs more than $3,000 in interest. Even adding $50/month cuts years and hundreds of dollars. Try the calculator to see what difference a small increase makes.

Card	Balance ($)	APR (%)	Min payment ($)
Card 1
Card 2

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