I’ll get straight to the point here. If you have credit card debt and you are serious about getting rid of it, here is a proven method for getting it paid off as quickly as possible.

Why The Debt Snowball?

This is a very popular method for reducing your credit card debt. It’s taught by many financial experts and credit professionals, and for good reason. This method is part math and part emotion, which is also why it’s popularity is increasing.

There are 4 basic steps to follow:

Step 1: List your debts in order of outstanding balance and not by interest rate. If 2 balances are roughly the same you can put the higher interest rate card above the one with the lower interest rate. List your smallest balance first and the largest debt last. Like this:

1. $1100 - Min payment $35
2. $3250 - Min payment $98
3. $6000 - Min payment $180
Total payments: $313

Step 2: Add up the minimum payments on all the cards. From the example above the total minimum payments would be $313. Now commit to increasing your total debt payments by at least 25% to 30% more or $100 whichever is higher. For $313 as your beginning minimum payment total a 30% increase would be $94 extra, so lets round that up to $100. You would commit to paying at least $413 every month towards your credit cards.

Step 3: Start making the minimum payments on all your credit cards with that extra 25-30% or $100 going to the debt with the smallest balance. Continue to do this month after month until the first debt has been completely paid off.

1. $1100 - Min payment $35 + $100 = Monthly payment of $135
2. $3250 - Min payment $98
3. $6000 - Min payment $180
Total payments: $413

Step 4: Once your first credit card debt has been cleared, you are going to take what was it’s minimum monthly payment plus the 30%/$100 extra payment and add that to the minimum payment for the next largest debt on your list.

1. Paid
2. $3250 - Min pay $98 + $35 + $100 = Total Monthly Payment of $233
3. $6000 - Min payment $180
Total payments: $413

Continue to do this until debt#2 has been full paid and then repeat the process for the final debt. Your Monthly payments on the last debt will be the full $413 that you have committed towards reducing your total credit card debt.

Helpful Hints

1. $100 should be the minimum amount you commit to in extra debt payments. This will help you eliminate your debt much quicker. If you are on a fixed income or can only scrap together $50 or that is alright as well. Anything over and above the min payments will benefit you, but make an honest effort in trying for the $100 mark.

2. Throw your pocket change into a bowl or dish and every month add that on top of your payments, sell stuff on ebay, take a second job or just give up your morning coffee and throw all that extra income towards your debt snowball. Every little bit helps.

3. Contact your credit card companies and let them know what you are doing. Some companies might take any extra payments and apply the towards your future monthly payments. Let them know that these extra payments are to be applied directly to the principal.

4. Once a debt has been paid off take time to celebrate it, reflect on what you have accomplished and think of new ways to contribute extra money to the next debt. This can be great motivation for tackling the larger and more time consuming debts.