Are you using multiple credit cards? How should you handle your debts on different cards with different interest rates? There is no best answer to these questions, you can approach credit card payoff through several strategies. However, it’s more effective to focus on paying off one credit card at a time rather than spreading your payments over all your credit cards. You’ll make more progress when you pay a lump sum to one credit card each month.
This does not mean you will put off payments on other cards, rather, you should continue to make minimum payments on all your other credit cards to avoid late payment penalties and to keep your accounts in good standing. Now, let’s try to answer the question, what order should I pay off my credit cards?
Ways to Handle Credit Cards Payoff
There are two basic ways to handle credit card payoff, either by. Paying off the credit card with the highest interest rate first or the. One with the lowest balance first. To decide which strategy is best for you, think about whether you’d like to. Save money on interest or get rid of entire credit card balances quickly.
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Paying off Highest Interest Rates First
If saving money on interest is more important than. Paying off something quickly, then pay your credit cards starting with the. Highest interest rate balance first. Paying off the highest interest rate balance first will take. Less time and allow you to save money on finance charges, especially if your. Highest interest rate credit cards also have higher balances.
Make a list of your credit cards, ranking them in order. Highest to lowest interest rate. Then, pay off the credit card with the highest interest rate. First by making high lump-sum payments to that card each month. Once you pay off the. Credit card with the highest interest rate, move on to the card with the next. Highest interest rate, and so on, until all the credit cards have been paid off.
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Paying off the lowest balance first
If paying off an account faster is more important than saving money on interest, then pay your credit cards starting with the lowest balance first. When you pay off smaller balances first, you feel like you’re making progress faster. Since you’re knocking out an entire credit card balance. This progress can keep you. Motivated to stay diligent with paying off your accounts.
Exceptions to the Rule | Credit Cards Payoff
Depending on your credit cards, there may be some. Exceptions. For example, if you’ve opted out of an interest rate increase and your. Credit card will be closing soon, you should consider paying off the balance quickly to avoid hurting your credit score.
Also, if you have balances with deferred interest, pay off those. Balances to avoid being hit with all the interest charges at the end of the promotional period.
Please note that interest rates can change, particularly if you have a. Variable APR or you get hit with the penalty APR.
Is One Method Quicker?
When it comes to the amount of time required to pay off your credit card balances, there isn’t a huge difference between the two methods. Paying in order of interest rate will typically allow you to pay off your accounts a few months earlier than paying in order of balance, and you’ll pay less in interest charges.
In the end, you don’t have to choose either of those two methods. You can pay off your credit cards in whatever order you choose. You can alphabetize them by the credit card issuer or get rid of the balances on cards you’re not using anymore. The ultimate goal is to pay off your credit card balances by making a lump-sum payment to one credit card each month until that balance is repaid. In the meantime, be sure to make minimum payments on all your other credit cards.
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