Debt Strategy Simulator
Enter your real debts and an extra monthly payment. This tool simulates both payoff strategies month by month — avalanche (highest rate first) and snowball (smallest balance first) — then shows you which costs less, which finishes first, and the exact payoff order for each.
Educational modeling only — not professional financial advice. This simulates fixed rates, fixed minimums, no new charges, and on-time payments. Real-world results vary with fees, rate changes, and missed payments.
Your debts
Balance = what you owe today. APR = the annual rate on your statement. Minimum = the required monthly payment. Leave a row blank to skip it.
This is the engine of both strategies: every extra dollar goes to one target debt until it's gone, then rolls to the next.
Results
Side by side
Payoff sequence — Avalanche (highest rate first)
Payoff sequence — Snowball (smallest balance first)
Assumptions behind these numbers
- Interest accrues monthly at APR ÷ 12 on the remaining balance, then your payment is applied.
- Each month you pay every open debt's minimum first; the extra payment plus any freed-up minimums all go to the current target debt.
- Rates, minimums, and the extra payment stay fixed. No new purchases, no fees, no late payments, no balance transfers.
- Payoff dates count forward from the current month. Figures are rounded to the cent; months are whole months.
- If minimums don't cover monthly interest, the balance grows — the simulation caps at 50 years and flags it.
Go Deeper
For the full system — payoff psychology, negotiating with creditors, and staying debt-free — read Debt Made Simple by Kimani Upshur, M.Ed.