Debt Avalanche: $500 at 29% and $2,000 at 15% on $500/month
Find the payoff timeline when using the debt avalanche to attack a $500 high-interest balance first, then a $2,000 balance.
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.
Paying off the highest-rate debt first saves the most money overall — calculate how quickly the avalanche method clears your $500 and $2,000 debts.
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.