Step 1: list every card
Write down each card, its balance, APR, and minimum payment. The snowball ignores APR for ordering and ranks purely by balance.
Multi-card payoff calculator
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Strategy
Months to debt-free
24 mo
Debt-free by Sep 2028
Total interest
$962
Vs. snowball
−$495
You save $495 staying on avalanche
You're at risk of losing your 0% APR on Card 2 — balance remaining on Jan 8, 2027: $1,640
Card
Payoff date
Interest paid
Card 1
May 2028
$962
Card 2
Sep 2028
$0
Calculations are estimates for educational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Actual payoff timelines, interest charges, and credit outcomes may vary.
How the snowball works
Why clearing the smallest balance first keeps people on the plan.
Step 2: pay minimums on all but one
On every card except the smallest, pay the minimum. On the smallest-balance card, put every extra dollar you have.
Step 3: roll the payment
When the smallest card hits zero, take what you were paying on it and add it to the next-smallest card's payment. That's the snowball.
Why it works
Each cleared card removes a whole bill from the rotation: fewer due dates, fewer minimums, fewer reasons to fall off plan. Momentum is the point.
When to choose avalanche instead
If your highest-APR card has a much bigger balance, avalanche can save significantly more in interest. Run both above and compare.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
You pay the minimum on every card and put all extra money toward the card with the smallest balance. When that card is cleared, you roll its payment into the next-smallest card, so the 'snowball' grows as each card is eliminated.
Avalanche saves more money mathematically because it kills the highest-APR card first. Snowball usually wins in practice because clearing a whole card quickly keeps people motivated. The calculator above shows the dollar difference for your situation.
It depends on total balance, APRs, and how much extra you can put in each month. Most people with $5K to $15K in card debt and a few hundred extra per month finish in 18 to 36 months.
Yes. Adding new charges while you pay down restarts the clock. Use a debit card or cash for everyday spending until the snowball is finished.