Paying down debt involves tradeoffs: which balance to attack first, whether a balance transfer is worth the fee, and how to weigh extra payments against cash in the bank. The guides here compare those choices using illustrative numbers so you can run your own figures. Rates, fees and terms vary by lender, so check your own statements.
Where to start
- Debt avalanche vs debt snowball: which payoff method saves more? Compares the math-first and motivation-first approaches.
- When should you build savings vs pay down debt first? Helps with the most common sequencing question.
- Should you use a balance transfer card to pay off credit card debt? Covers fees, promotional periods and the risks.
If cash is tight, the saving category covers building a small buffer alongside payoff.