The debt avalanche method is a debt reduction strategy that involves paying more than your minimum payment each month. Any additional payments or “snowball” are focused on one debt at a time, while still paying the minimums on your other obligations.

The debt avalanche method focuses on the debt with the highest interest first. Once the first debt is paid off, the “snowball” and that that debt’s minimum payment is added to the next highest interest debt. Mathematically, focusing on the highest interest first will allow you to pay off your overall debts faster since those debts will have less time to charge you more on your principal.