Math says avalanche wins, psychology says snowball — here's the real difference for your debts
Mathematically, avalanche always wins — you pay less total interest and get out of debt faster. But the best debt payoff method is the one you actually stick with. Research shows many people who start with avalanche lose motivation and quit before results materialize. If you need the psychological boost of eliminating an account, snowball is the right choice — the extra interest cost is worth the behavioral boost. The hybrid approach: use snowball for any debt you can pay off within 3–4 months of extra payments, avalanche for everything else.