Debt Snowball vs Debt Avalanche: Which Is Faster?
July 25, 2026
Placeholder draft — calendar post #9 (PILLAR). Replace with the real article with worked examples. Target keyword: debt snowball vs avalanche.
Snowball says: pay off the smallest balance first for the motivation win. Avalanche says: pay the highest interest rate first because math. Both work — the right one depends on what actually keeps you going.
The debt snowball
List debts smallest to largest, throw everything extra at the smallest while paying minimums on the rest. Each payoff is a visible win that keeps you in the game.
The debt avalanche
Same mechanic, but ordered by interest rate. On paper it's always cheaper and faster; in practice it can mean months before your first payoff.
Which should you pick?
If you've quit debt plans before, pick snowball. If spreadsheets motivate you, pick avalanche. Either way, the plan starts with a budget that has a debt line in it.
