How I Created a Debt Snowball Plan That Finally Worked

By Beelinger Staff
Estimated read time: 6 min

I remember the moment it clicked for me. I had just paid the minimums on all four of my credit cards and realized not a single balance had budged. It felt like running on a treadmill—sweaty, tired, and going nowhere.

I’d heard about the Debt Snowball Method from a podcast. The idea sounded simple: start small, stay consistent, and let momentum do its thing. I figured, why not?

Step 1: I Listed Every Single Debt

Even the ones I pretended didn’t exist. My full list included:

• 💳 Credit Card #1 – $320
• 💳 Credit Card #2 – $680
• 👩‍⚕️ Medical Bill – $950
• 🚗 Car Loan – $6,400

I sorted them from smallest to largest balance—regardless of interest rate. That’s a key part of the snowball method: you’re chasing wins, not math.

Step 2: I Paid the Minimums—Except on the Smallest

Every extra penny I had—$30 here, $50 there—went toward the smallest balance. I skipped takeout, paused Amazon, and even sold some old clothes. Within three weeks, Credit Card #1 was gone. That feeling? Addictive.

Step 3: I Kept the Snowball Rolling

When the smallest debt was gone, I rolled that payment into the next one. It created this incredible sense of progress. I wasn’t just saving—I was attacking my debt. By month four, I was down to two balances. By month seven, only the car loan remained.

Tools That Helped Me Stay on Track

• 📊 Undebt.it – Free debt snowball calculator and tracker
• 📱 You Need a Budget (YNAB) – Helped me budget aggressively to free up more cash
• 📘 Ramsey Solutions’ Debt Snowball Guide – Old-school but helpful

Even without any extra income, I found success by changing my mindset and building momentum. Paying off debt wasn’t a sprint. It was a strategy.