The avalanche method (cheapest)
List your debts by interest rate, highest first. Pay the minimum on everything, then throw every extra dollar at the highest-rate debt until it's gone. Then roll that money to the next-highest rate.
Mathematically this is optimal — you pay the least total interest and get out of debt fastest in pure dollar terms. The catch is that your highest-rate debt might also be your largest, so the first win can feel far away.
The snowball method (most motivating)
List your debts by balance, smallest first. Pay minimums on everything, then attack the smallest balance until it's cleared — regardless of interest rate. Then roll that payment to the next-smallest.
You pay slightly more interest than the avalanche, but you get a clear win quickly, and the momentum of crossing debts off the list keeps many people going when the maths alone wouldn't.
Which should you choose?
If your debts are similar in size, use the avalanche and save the interest. If you've started and stalled before, or you need to feel progress to stay motivated, the snowball's early wins are worth the small extra cost.
The best method is the one you'll actually finish. A snowball completed beats an avalanche abandoned.
Free up more money to accelerate
Both methods speed up dramatically when you increase the 'extra' amount. Audit your subscriptions, pause one lifestyle category, and route any windfall straight to debt. Even an extra $50 a month can cut months off a payoff timeline and save real interest.
Track each debt's balance and payoff date so you can see the finish line getting closer — visible progress is what sustains the effort.