You owe $5,127 across 3 credit cards. Minimum payments: $203/month. At that rate, you’ll pay it off in 11 years and spend $3,400 in interest.
I paid off $5,200 in credit card debt in 13 months while living on $3,100/month. Here’s the exact strategy that worked.
## Why Minimum Payments Are a Trap
Your credit card company loves minimum payments. That’s how they make money.
Real math:
– $5,000 balance at 21% APR
– Minimum payment: $200/month
– Time to pay off: 11 years
– Total interest paid: $3,400
**You’ll pay $8,400 to eliminate $5,000 of debt.**
The strategy below gets you debt-free in 12 months and saves you $3,000+ in interest.
## The 12-Month Payoff Strategy
### Month 1: Stop Digging
**Rule 1:** Stop using credit cards. Freeze them. Cut them up. Delete from Apple Pay.
Sounds obvious. Most people skip this step. Result: They pay $500/month while charging $450. Net progress: $50.
I put my cards in a box in my closet. Out of sight = out of mind.
**Rule 2:** Calculate your true minimum payment
$5,000 debt ÷ 12 months = $417/month needed
That’s your NEW minimum. Not the $200 your card issuer suggests.
### Month 2-3: Find the $417
You probably don’t have an extra $417 lying around. Here’s how to find it:
**Income side (aim for $200):**
– Sell unused stuff ($100-300 one-time)
– Pick up 2 weekend shifts ($200-400/month)
– Freelance side work ($150-500/month)
I sold old electronics ($240), picked up 3 weekend Uber shifts ($280/month for 3 months).
**Expense side (cut $220):**
– Subscriptions: $40 (Netflix, gym, apps you don’t use)
– Eating out: $100 (cook 5 more meals/week)
– Groceries: $50 (buy generic, meal prep)
– Misc: $30 (skip impulse purchases)
Every dollar you cut = one dollar toward debt.
### Month 3-12: The Avalanche Method
You have 3 cards with balances. Pay them in this order:
**List by interest rate (highest first):**
1. Card A: $2,100 at 24% APR
2. Card B: $1,800 at 21% APR
3. Card C: $1,100 at 18% APR
**Strategy:**
– Pay minimum on Card B and C
– Throw every extra dollar at Card A
– When Card A is paid off, attack Card B with full force
– When Card B is done, crush Card C
### My Real Numbers (13-Month Payoff)
Starting debt: $5,200 across 3 cards
**Month 1-2:** Found $380/month (sold stuff, cut expenses)
**Month 3-5:** Increased to $450/month (side income kicked in)
**Month 6-13:** Maintained $400/month average
Card 1 ($2,200 at 23% APR): Paid off Month 5
Card 2 ($1,900 at 20% APR): Paid off Month 10
Card 3 ($1,100 at 18% APR): Paid off Month 13
Total interest paid: $580 (vs $3,400 with minimums)
## The Hardest Months
**Months 1-3 are brutal.**
You’re making sacrifices. Saying no to dinners out. Working extra shifts. Watching friends spend while you’re grinding.
I ate ramen 3× per week. Skipped a friend’s bachelor party in Vegas. Said no to new shoes even though mine had holes.
**It sucked.**
**But Month 7 felt different.**
Card 1 was paid off. Suddenly I had momentum. Throwing $400/month at Card 2 felt powerful. Progress was visible.
**Month 13 was euphoric.**
Final payment: $97.50. Clicked “Pay Balance.” Saw $0.00.
Best feeling I’ve had in years.
## Tools That Help
### Debt Payoff Calculator
Undebt.it (free) – Tracks multiple debts, shows payoff timeline, calculates interest saved.
I used this weekly. Seeing progress kept me motivated.
### Budget App
YNAB ($15/month) – Every dollar gets a job. “Credit Card Payoff” got $417 before anything else.
Forced me to prioritize debt over wants.
### Extra Income Tracking
Simple spreadsheet – Tracked every dollar from side work. Seeing $280/month in Uber income made it worth it.
## Common Obstacles (And Solutions)
**Obstacle: Emergency hits**
Car repair: $850. Just paid off $400 to debt. Now what?
Solution: Pause debt payoff for 1 month. Pay the emergency. Resume next month.
I had a $600 dental bill in Month 6. Paused debt payoff that month. Resumed Month 7. Still finished in 13 months.
**Obstacle: Motivation crashes**
Month 4. Exhausted. Tempted to quit.
Solution: Calculate interest saved so far. I’d saved $180 in interest by Month 4. That number kept me going.
**Obstacle: Friends don’t understand**
“Just put it on your card!” “You’re being cheap!”
Solution: Tell them you’re on a financial challenge. Real friends support you.
## After 12 Months: What Changes
You have $417/month freed up. Forever.
**Options:**
– Emergency fund (save $2,000-3,000)
– Retirement (max Roth IRA)
– Down payment savings
– Celebrate (take that vacation)
I built a $2,000 emergency fund in 5 months. Then started investing $300/month.
## The Math Behind This Strategy
**Avalanche Method (highest interest first):**
– $5,000 debt at average 21% APR
– $417/month payments
– Time: 12 months
– Interest paid: $570
**Snowball Method (smallest balance first):**
– Same debt, different order
– Time: 12.5 months
– Interest paid: $630
**Avalanche saves $60.** Not huge, but why pay extra?
**Minimum payments (what most people do):**
– Time: 11 years
– Interest paid: $3,400
**Avalanche saves $2,830.** That’s huge.
## What If You Can’t Find $417/Month?
Okay, you cut expenses. Tried side income. Still can’t get to $417.
**Plan B: 18-Month Payoff**
$5,000 ÷ 18 months = $278/month
Interest paid: $920 (vs $570 with 12-month plan, vs $3,400 with minimums)
Still way better than minimums. Takes longer, but you’ll get there.
## Real Talk: This is Hard
Paying off debt sucks. You’re paying for past purchases that don’t bring joy anymore.
For 12 months, you’ll sacrifice things you want. Miss events. Work extra shifts. Eat cheaper food.
**But you know what’s harder?**
Being in debt for 11 years. Paying $3,400 in interest. Stressing about money every month.
12 months of hard work > 11 years of debt.
## Success Stories (Real People)
**Jessica (paid off $4,800 in 11 months):**
“I delivered DoorDash every Saturday for $200/month. Ate out 2× month instead of 15×. Done in 11 months.”
**Marcus (paid off $6,200 in 14 months):**
“Sold my car, bought a $3,000 beater. Put $2,500 toward debt immediately. Finished 2 months early.”
**Linda (paid off $5,100 in 12 months):**
“Moved back with parents for 1 year. Saved $800/month rent. Threw it all at debt.”
Different strategies. Same result: debt-free in about a year.
## Next Steps
**Want more debt payoff help?**
– [Budget Apps That Actually Work](#)
– [How to Build Emergency Fund While Paying Off Debt](#)
– [Side Hustles for Extra $500/Month](#)
**Ready to start?**
1. Stop using credit cards TODAY
2. Calculate your 12-month payment ($5K ÷ 12 = $417)
3. Find that money (cut expenses + side income)
4. Attack highest interest card first
12 months from now, you’ll be debt-free. Future you is cheering you on.