What is Debt Snowball?
Paying off debt is a concern for many consumers, and there are different opinions on the best way to go about doing it. Mathematically, it makes more sense to first pay off the debts that have the highest interest rate, and thus, are costing you more money in the long run. But, handling finances and debts is more than mathematics; human emotion is responsible for many of the financial decisions we make.
Feeling discouraged from making little progress, or lacking confidence in our abilities to eliminate debt can sabotage even the best intentions. The debt snowball, a technique first popularized by Dave Ramsey, acknowledges the emotional needs of consumers who want to get ahead of their debt and takes a different approach than conventional methods.
First of all, being in debt can be very frustrating. And it may be difficult to stay motivated in paying off debt, especially for someone who has lots of it. A debt-ridden consumer may be overwhelmed by the number of creditors they owe money to, but quickly reducing that number proves the progress they’re making. With this positive encouragement, a consumer whose determined in paying off their debt may be more likely to stick with their debt-reduction plan until they are debt-free.
Credit to Mary Lan Tomkins