Make a debt payoff plan you can actually follow

List your debts once and get a month-by-month payoff plan using the snowball or avalanche method.

The problem

With several credit cards, a car loan and maybe medical bills, it is hard to know which to pay first or when you will be done. Without a plan, extra money gets spread thin and the balances barely move.

Step by step

1. 1From each statement or app, write down: debt name (e.g., "Card A"), current balance, interest rate (APR) and minimum payment. You don't need account numbers or lender names.
2. 2Decide how much you can put toward debt each month in total, including the minimums.
3. 3Open ChatGPT or Claude and paste the prompt below with your list.
4. 4Compare the two plans it gives you. Snowball (smallest balance first) gives quicker wins; avalanche (highest rate first) usually costs less interest.
5. 5Ask it to make a table you can paste into Google Sheets. Each month, update the balances and check you're on track. Set calendar reminders for due dates.

Copy-paste prompt

Help me make a debt payoff plan. My debts: [name, balance, APR, minimum payment for each]. I can pay $[total] per month toward all debts combined. Show two plans: snowball (smallest balance first) and avalanche (highest APR first). For each give: the order to pay them, a month-by-month table until all are paid off, the payoff month for each debt, and total interest paid. Then explain in plain English which plan saves more and which gives faster wins. Note that your numbers are estimates and real interest will vary slightly.

Tips and watch-outs

• Use your lenders' real statements for balances and rates; AI math is a close estimate, not your lender's official payoff amount.
• If minimum payments are more than you can afford, a nonprofit credit counseling agency can help; be wary of companies that charge big up-front fees to "settle" debt.
• Keep paying at least the minimum on every debt to avoid late fees and credit damage.

Review AI output before using it. Don’t paste confidential, customer or patient data into tools your company hasn’t approved.