Debt Avalanche: $1,500 at 24% and $4,000 at 15% on $700/month
Calculate total months to payoff using the debt avalanche on a $1,500 and $4,000 balance at $700 per month.
How to use this tool
- Enter each debt's balance and APR.
- Enter the total monthly budget you can put toward both debts.
- The calculator attacks the highest-APR debt first, then rolls onto the next.
- Read the months to clear both debts and the total interest paid.
The debt avalanche method minimizes total interest paid — see how long it takes to clear $1,500 (24% APR) and then $4,000 (15% APR) on $700/month.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does the avalanche save the most interest?
- By eliminating the highest-rate balance first, you stop the most expensive interest from accruing as quickly as possible, which minimizes the total interest paid across all debts.
- Is the avalanche always faster than the snowball?
- It is at least as fast and usually cheaper in interest, but if the highest-rate debt also has a large balance, the first payoff can feel slower than the snowball's quick wins.
- What if two debts have the same APR?
- Then the order does not change total interest. Many people break the tie by paying the smaller balance first to get a faster first win.