Her Money Hub
Credit card Use this tool to calculate how long it will take you to pay off your debt. Enter your information, get your result, and read about the different methods for paying off your debt.

Plan How to Pay Off Your Debt

Use this tool to calculate how long it will take you to pay off your debt. Enter your information, get your result, and read about the different methods for paying off your debt.

Debt Information

Financial Information

Payment Methods

The Avalanche Method is a debt repayment strategy that prioritizes paying off debts with the highest interest rates first. This method is known for minimizing the total interest paid over time and is particularly suitable for those looking to save money on interest charges. Follow these steps to implement the Avalanche Method:

  1. List Your Debts: Start by making a list of all your debts, including credit card balances, personal loans, and any other outstanding loans. Include the following details for each debt:

    • Debt Name or Creditor
    • Total Debt Amount
    • Interest Rate (APR)
    • Minimum Monthly Payment

  2. Order by Interest Rate: Organize your list of debts in descending order based on the interest rates, from the highest to the lowest. This means the debt with the highest interest rate will be at the top of the list.

  3. Make Minimum Payments: Continue making the minimum monthly payments on all your debts. Ensure you pay at least the minimum required for each debt to avoid penalties.

  4. Allocate Extra Funds: Identify any additional funds you can allocate to debt repayment beyond the minimum payments. This could be money from your budget or windfalls like tax refunds or bonuses.

  5. Target the Highest Interest Debt: Use the extra funds you’ve identified to pay off the debt with the highest interest rate on your list. Make a lump-sum payment toward this debt, in addition to the minimum payment.

  6. Avalanche Effect: Once you’ve paid off the highest interest debt, take the total amount you were paying toward it (minimum payment + extra funds) and apply it to the debt with the next highest interest rate on your list.

  7. Repeat and Review: Continue this process, focusing on one debt at a time. As each high-interest debt is paid off, you’ll have more funds to allocate to the next high-interest debt. Regularly review your list of debts and interest rates to ensure you stay on track.

  8. Monitor Your Progress: Track your progress as you pay off high-interest debts. You’ll notice that your total interest payments decrease over time.

  9. Continue Until Debt-Free: Keep following the Avalanche Method until all your debts are paid off. By targeting high-interest debts first, you’ll save money on interest charges and work toward becoming debt-free more efficiently.

The Avalanche Method is a strategic approach to debt repayment that can lead to substantial interest savings over time. While it may take longer to see individual debts completely paid off compared to the Snowball Method, it is a cost-effective approach that minimizes the overall financial burden of high-interest debt. Stay committed to the process, and your financial situation will improve as you eliminate high-interest debts.

The Snowball Method is a debt repayment strategy that focuses on paying off the smallest debt first, regardless of interest rates. This method is known for providing psychological motivation by giving you quick wins as you eliminate smaller debts. Follow these steps to implement the Snowball Method:

  1. List Your Debts: Start by making a list of all your debts, including credit card balances, personal loans, and any other outstanding loans. Include the following details for each debt:

    • Debt Name or Creditor
    • Total Debt Amount
    • Interest Rate (APR)
    • Minimum Monthly Payment

  2. Order by Balance: Organize your list of debts in ascending order based on the outstanding balance, from the smallest to the largest. Ignore the interest rates at this stage; focus solely on the balance.

  3. Make Minimum Payments: Continue making the minimum monthly payments on all your debts. Ensure you pay at least the minimum required for each debt to avoid penalties.

  4. Allocate Extra Funds: Identify any additional funds you can allocate to debt repayment beyond the minimum payments. This could be money from your budget or windfalls like tax refunds or bonuses.

  5. Target the Smallest Debt: Use the extra funds you’ve identified to pay off the smallest debt on your list. Make a lump-sum payment toward this debt, in addition to the minimum payment.

  6. Snowball Effect: Once you’ve paid off the smallest debt, take the total amount you were paying toward it (minimum payment + extra funds) and apply it to the next smallest debt on your list.

  7. Repeat and Celebrate: Continue this process, focusing on one debt at a time. As each debt is paid off, you’ll have more funds to allocate to the next debt. Celebrate your achievements along the way, as each paid-off debt represents progress toward your financial goals.

  8. Monitor Your Progress: Regularly update your list of debts and track your progress. Adjust your extra payments as your financial situation changes.

  9. Continue Until Debt-Free: Keep following the Snowball Method until all your debts are paid off. As you eliminate smaller debts, you’ll gain momentum and motivation to tackle larger ones.

Remember, the Snowball Method is not necessarily the fastest or most cost-effective debt repayment strategy in terms of minimizing interest payments. However, it can be highly effective for individuals who are motivated by seeing quick results and crossing debts off their list. The key is to stay consistent and committed to the process.

The Equal Distribution Method is a debt repayment strategy that evenly distributes your available disposable income among all your debts. This approach provides a balanced way to make steady progress on all debts simultaneously. Follow these steps to implement the Equal Distribution Method:

  1. List Your Debts: Start by making a list of all your debts, including credit card balances, personal loans, and any other outstanding loans. Include the following details for each debt:
    • Debt Name or Creditor
    • Total Debt Amount
    • Interest Rate (APR)
    • Minimum Monthly Payment

  2. Calculate Disposable Income: Determine your monthly disposable income, which is the amount of money you have left after covering essential expenses such as rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, and transportation.
  3. Make Minimum Payments: Continue making the minimum monthly payments on all your debts. Ensure you pay at least the minimum required for each debt to avoid penalties.
  4. Allocate Equal Payments: Divide your monthly disposable income equally among all your debts. This means you’ll assign the same amount to each debt every month.
  5. Consistent Payments: Make the calculated payment for each debt every month, in addition to the minimum payment. The equal payments help ensure that you’re making progress on all your debts.
  6. Steady Progress: Over time, as debts are paid off, your disposable income is spread across fewer debts. This accelerates the payoff of the remaining debts, as each receives a larger share of your disposable income.
  7. Review and Adjust: Regularly review your list of debts and payments. Adjust your equal payments as your financial situation changes or as you pay off individual debts.
  8. Continue Until Debt-Free: Keep following the Equal Distribution Method until all your debts are paid off. This method provides a structured and balanced approach to debt repayment, ensuring that you make consistent progress on all fronts.

The Equal Distribution Method is effective for individuals who want to make steady and balanced progress on all their debts without focusing on interest rates or debt sizes. It’s particularly useful if you prefer a systematic approach and don’t want to prioritize one debt over another. With discipline and consistency, you can gradually eliminate your debts and work towards financial freedom.

Get in Touch!