If you’re looking for a way to pay down debt and improve your financial situation in 2020, then you’ve probably done a fair amount of Google research. And the two most commonly utilized debt repayment strategies are the debt avalanche and the debt snowball.
Both of these methods focus on paying off debt, but there are slight variations between the two. So what is the difference between them, and how do you know which strategy is right for you? That’s exactly what this article will help you figure out.
Debt Avalanche Method
With the debt avalanche method, you pay off your debt based on which is charging the highest interest rate. Then you’ll make the minimum payments on everything else.
So if your largest debt is $20,000 in high-interest credit card debt, you’ll pay this off before paying back a $500 medical bill. Many people like the debt avalanche because mathematically, it makes the most sense.
By tackling your high-interest credit card debt first, you’ll end up paying less money in interest over time. And by paying less interest, you’ll actually end up getting out of debt quicker.
However, if your largest debt is also charging you the most money in interest, it will take a lot longer before you feel like you’re making any progress in paying down your debt.
Pros
- It makes the most sense financially
- Paying off high-interest debt first will save you money over time
- Getting rid of high-interest debt will help you get out of debt faster
Cons
- You’ll likely have more outstanding balances, which can cause stress
- It’s hard to stay motivated when you don’t see yourself making progress
Debt Snowball Method
The debt snowball is a strategy first popularized by financial expert Dave Ramsey. With this method, you’ll list off all your debt from the smallest to the largest.
To get started, you’ll pay off your smallest outstanding debt first. Depending on the size of your debt, you may be able to do this all at once, or it may take you several months.
Once the smallest debt has been paid off, you’ll apply that money to pay off the next highest debt on your list. You’ll continue doing this until you reach your largest outstanding debt.
With a debt snowball, you don’t worry about how much money you’re paying in interest, which is what differentiates it from the debt avalanche. Instead, it really focuses on the psychology of paying off debt and capitalizing on small wins to build momentum.
Paying off debt can be a very emotionally draining and difficult process. And with the debt avalanche method, it may not feel like you’re making much progress on your debt for a long time.
This can make it hard to keep moving forward with your goals. With the debt snowball method, you’ll achieve your first “win” pretty quickly, which can help you feel motivated to keep going.
Pros
- You’ll pay off small balances more quickly
- Early quick wins can make it easier to stay motivated
- Having fewer outstanding balances can reduce stress
Cons
- You’ll likely end up paying more money in interest
- If you pay more in interest, it will take you longer to get out of debt
How to Get Started Repaying Your Debt
So now that you understand the difference between these two popular methods, how do you decide which is right for you? Many people have strong opinions about which strategy is the right choice, which can make it hard to choose.
But the truth is, it doesn’t really matter which you choose as long as you have a plan for repaying your debt. So here are four tips for how you can get started repaying your debt.
1. Do the math
It can be helpful to take a look at the numbers and figure out how much you’ll wind up paying in interest with each plan. If you’re leaning toward the debt snowball and there isn’t a huge difference in how much you’ll end up paying in interest, then stick with that method.
On the other hand, you may find that the debt avalanche would massively cut down on the amount of interest you’ll end up paying over time. In this case, it may be worth the extra mental effort to focus on paying off high-interest debt first.
2. Know yourself
Any debt repayment strategy you choose has to work for you. If you can’t stick with it then it doesn’t matter what the math says.
So take some time to think about which strategy is going to work best for your personality and goals. Evaluate where your motivational level is at, and consider whether it might be worth it to pay off those small balances first.
3. Focus on one debt at a time
Regardless of which plan you choose, it’s important to just focus primarily on one outstanding debt at a time. Of course, you want to continue paying the minimum balances for everything so your accounts will remain in good standing and your credit score won’t be affected.
But focusing on paying down one debt at a time will make it easier for you to stay focused and make progress more quickly than by dividing your efforts.
4. Stick with it
And finally, you need to focus on sticking with your debt repayment goals no matter what. Any strategy can work as long as you stick with it and don’t give up. Your financial future is too important not to.
Bottom Line
The debt avalanche focuses on paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first, while the debt snowball focuses on paying off your debt from the smallest to the largest balance. And at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether you use the debt snowball or the debt avalanche as long as you’re committed to getting out of debt.
And keep in mind, you should be working on building better habits along the way so that once you get out of debt, you can stay that way. Building better financial habits involves doing things like creating a budget, improving your credit score, and building an emergency fund.
