High-Interest Debt: How I Tackled Mine

23.4.25

At one point, I had over $14,000 sitting on cards with an average APR of 22.4%. That’s almost $3,000 a year in interest alone. I knew I had to act — and fast. Here's what worked for me, and what might work for you.

Person overwhelmed by high-interest debt working at kitchen table

1. Step One: Face the Numbers

I listed every balance, APR, and minimum payment. That alone was scary — but necessary. I used a free tool from Undebt.it to track everything.

2. My Payoff Strategy: Avalanche Method

I prioritized the highest APR cards first while paying minimums on the rest. I also:

Cut subscriptions and shifted that money to debt
Used biweekly payments to reduce interest faster
Set auto-pay to never miss a due date

3. Tools That Helped

NFCC Credit Counseling – for budgeting support
Bankrate Debt Consolidation Tools
NerdWallet Payoff Calculator

Explore Your Debt Payoff Options

4. The Turning Point

When I saw my interest drop by over $90 in one month, I knew it was working. Momentum builds quickly once your payments actually start hitting the principal.

5. What I’d Do Differently

I would’ve started sooner. Waiting cost me thousands.
I would’ve looked into credit counseling earlier.
I would’ve stopped using the cards completely — cold turkey.

Get Help from a Certified Credit Counselor

Permalink: https://cards.buildcreditfromzero.com/2025/04/high-interest-debt-payoff-guide.html

Labels: high interest debt help, credit card payoff, avalanche method, debt tools, consolidate high apr

Search Description: Paying off high-interest credit card debt isn’t easy — but here’s how I did it. Real tools, real numbers, no fluff.

Cards