What Is the Debt Snowball Method and How Does It Work?

The debt snowball method is one of two big debt payoff strategies endorsed by money experts like Dave Ramsey. It helps you get out of debt fast by keeping you motivated. It seems counterintuitive, but for many Americans, it actually works.

But is the debt snowball method the best way to become debt-free? Here's how it works and stacks up to it's No. 1 competitor, the debt avalanche method.

What is the debt snowball method?

The debt snowball method is a debt payoff strategy that prioritizes keeping you motivated. It requires you to pay debts off from smallest balance to largest.

As each debt gets paid off, you roll over that freed-up money into the next debt. Your payments get larger as you go, just like a snowball growing as it rolls down a hill.

How to use the debt snowball method

First, you need to make the minimum payment for each of your debts. This is the amount you need to pay each month to avoid late fees or credit problems.

Next, consider how much extra cash you can put toward debt payments. The more money you can put toward paying off your debts, the faster it will go. (If possible, avoid taking on any new debt while paying off your existing debt.)

Order your debts by size, from the smallest balance to the largest balance. Any extra money should go to the debt with the smallest balance first.

Once you've paid off your smallest debt, move on to the second-smallest debt. All of the money you were putting toward your smallest debt should go to the next debt. This includes the extra money, plus the money for the minimum payment.

Every time you pay off a debt, roll over the money from that payment to the next debt. (In other words, you should always be putting the same total amount of money toward debt payments overall.) Tackle your largest debt last.

Example of the debt snowball strategy

Some things are easier to understand when you can see some numbers, so here's an example.

Let's say you have five debts, as in the table:

With the debt snowball method, you would follow these steps:

1. Make the minimum payment for all five debts.
2. Put any extra money toward Debt A.
3. Pay off Debt A. Put all of the money you were using for Debt A toward Debt B.
4. Pay off Debt B. Put all of the money you were using for Debt B toward Debt C.
5. Pay off Debt C. Put all of the money you were using for Debt C toward Debt D.
6. Pay off Debt D. Put all of the money you were using for Debt D toward Debt E.
7. Pay off Debt E. You are now debt free!

In this scenario, you put $510 a month toward minimum monthly payments. Let's say you have enough money to make all of your minimums, plus an extra $50 a month.

For the first two months, you would pay a total of $75 toward Debt A. ($50 + the $25 minimum payment.) Within two months, you've paid off Debt A completely.

Next, you can begin to pay off your next-highest debt, Debt B. Your total monthly payment for Debt B becomes $75 + $35 = $110. (The money you were using to pay off Debt A, plus the minimum payment for Debt B.)

Paying off Debt B lets you put $180 toward Debt C. Paying off Debt C lets you put $310 toward Debt D. Paying off Debt D lets you put $560 toward Debt E, your biggest debt. Once you pay that off, you're debt free.

RELATED: See The Ascent's debt snowball calculator to see which debts you should pay off first.

Why the debt snowball method works

The snowball method is a debt payoff plan that keeps you motivated. By focusing on your smallest debt first, you can pay it off quickly. Instead of spending years making slow progress on a large debt, you get a fast win.

That progress gives you a sense of achievement, which motivates you to keep going.

As you pay off each debt, you roll over the payments into the next. So, although the balances get larger, so do your payments. This helps you keep up momentum; you'll always see progress being made. When you reach your largest debt, it's now your only debt. This can make paying off the big one feel manageable.

The trouble with the debt snowball

While the debt snowball method can be great for some people, it does have a major downside: It's expensive. That's because it basically ignores your interest rates.

The longer you're in debt, the more you'll pay in interest. High-interest debts, like credit card debt, can build up fast. If your largest debt is also your debt with the highest interest rate, you could wind up paying thousands in interest fees by the time you're debt free.

That extra interest also means it will take you even longer to pay off all of your debt.

One way to limit this problem is to reduce your credit card interest rate. The best way to do this is with a balance transfer credit card. This lets you transfer a credit card balance to a card with a lower APR, reducing your interest fees. (Check out the balance transfer calculator to see how it works.)

The debt snowball method vs. the debt avalanche method

If you're interested in paying off debt as fast as possible, the debt snowball method may not be for you. Instead, you may prefer the debt avalanche method.

The debt avalanche method has you prioritize your debts by interest rate. Instead of focusing on the smallest debt first, you focus on the one with the highest interest rate. When you pay off that debt, you go to the debt with the second-highest rate -- and so on.

Because you're paying off your most expensive loans first, you'll pay less in interest overall. You will also become debt free faster if you don't have to pay for extra interest fees. (You can use a credit card interest calculator to get an idea of how interest rates can impact debt repayment.)

Both of these methods have pros and cons. If you're someone who needs a win to stay motivated, the snowball method may work best. However, if motivation isn't a problem, the avalanche method could save you money.

Learn more: Debt Snowball vs. Debt Avalanche

Some people like to make their own strategy with a mix of the two methods. You could even split the difference by putting half of your extra money toward the smallest debt, and half toward the most expensive debt.

Another alternative is to forgo either method in favor of debt consolidation. With consolidation, you use a personal loan to pay off all of your high-interest debts. Then you only need to make a one loan payment, ideally with a lower interest rate. Consider comparing debt consolidation lenders before choosing a debt repayment method.