I'm utilizing the snowball method and trying to determine which credit card balance to put the most money toward. I know I should choose the one with the highest interest, but when I looked at how much interest is being charged I noticed that one with a lower APR was charging more because my balance on that card is higher than the others. So should I put money there first, or am I missing something? I'm extremely math-averse and appreciate your insight. Thank you in advance!
You're actually stuck in some question between the Snowball and the Avalanche method. The Snowball recommends you start with the smallest balance, the Avalanche recommends you start with the highest interest rate. And we explain how to navigate the two in the link below.
BUT YOU, my child, have an entirely separate question. Should you start with a lower APR with a high balance because that's costing you the most in the short term?
And the answer is... you decide. If you're going for mathematical efficiency, then it sounds like you have your answer. And if you're going for what will give you the most peace of mind... it's about the same answer: start with the card with the highest balance. The trick is to pick what feels right to YOU, regardless of what will save the most money.
The Best Way To Pay off Credit Card Debt: From the Snowball To the Avalanche
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