How I Paid Off $9,000 in Credit Card Debt Using the Avalanche Method

The Story

“At 25, I had $9,000 spread across three credit cards. The minimum payments were crushing me, and I was losing hundreds each month to interest. I decided to try the avalanche method — targeting the highest-interest card first. Two years later, I was completely debt-free."

Advisor Breakdown

Situation:

• 25-year-old with $9K in debt across 3 cards (APR 18%–24%).

• Interest charges making it hard to get ahead.

Task:

• Pay off debt as efficiently as possible.

Action:

• Made minimum payments on all 3 cards.

• Sent every extra dollar to the highest-interest card.

• Cut discretionary spending: paused subscriptions, meal-prepped, and funneled savings.

• Picked up weekend freelance work to boost cash flow.

👉 I like this because the avalanche method prioritizes math over psychology — it saves you the most money in the long run.

Result:

• $9K gone in 24 months.

• Saved ~$1,200 in interest compared to snowball.

• Built momentum to start investing right after.

Key Takeaways

• Avalanche = pay least interest, fastest payoff.

• Discipline matters more than quick wins.

• Once debt is gone, redirect payments into savings or investing.