debt

Debt Payoff Strategies That Stay Sustainable

Compare common payoff approaches—avalanche and snowball—and how to choose a plan you can stick with while covering essentials.

Author: OnPoint Education Team · Published 2026-07-22 · Updated 2026-09-15 · OnPoint Community Credit Union

List every balance and interest rate

Write down each debt, minimum payment, interest rate, and due date. Knowing the full picture helps you avoid missed payments and choose a payoff order that fits your goals and cash flow.

Avalanche vs. snowball

The avalanche method targets the highest interest rate first, which can reduce total interest paid. The snowball method targets the smallest balance first, which can create quick wins and momentum. Either can work if you keep making at least minimum payments on everything else.

Protect the essentials first

A sustainable plan covers housing, food, utilities, transportation, and required minimums before extra principal payments. If debt feels unmanageable, nonprofit credit counseling and carefully reviewed hardship options may help—avoid high-pressure offers that sound too good to be true.

How this helps OnPoint members

This education article is published by OnPoint Community Credit Union (also known as OnPoint Credit Union / OnPointCU) for people banking in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Pair what you learn with calculators, rates, and products—then manage accounts through OnPoint login.

Sources

CFPB — Getting a handle on debt