Credit CardsDebt·Apr 23, 2026
Snowball vs. Avalanche: The Debt Payoff Debate, Settled
Mathematically, paying highest-APR first saves the most. Psychologically, paying smallest-balance first wins more often.
The two methods
Avalanche: Pay minimums on everything. Throw extra at the highest APR. Snowball: Pay minimums on everything. Throw extra at the smallest balance.
Bottom line
Pick the method you'll actually finish. Both beat doing nothing.