Found that paying the smallest bill first keeps me motivated

I was struggling with three credit cards and a car loan, total around $8,000. Tried the avalanche method but kept losing steam. Then I paid off a $150 store card in two months just to feel something. That tiny win got me to tackle the next one. Now I'm down to just the car loan. Anyone else find a small victory snowballs better than the math?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_bailey1mo ago

Have you seen that one study about how small wins can actually change your brain chemistry? I read it in a health magazine once, it said finishing something small gives you a dopamine hit that keeps you going. That totally matches what you're describing here. I think a lot of people get stuck on the "right" way to do debt but miss what works for them personally. Your way sounds smart because it keeps you from giving up entirely. The math doesn't matter if you just stop paying altogether, right?

aaron7401mo ago

Can't believe you actually paid off $8,000 in debt. That's huge, man. I know plenty of folks who would've just let that pile up and ignored it. The store card thing makes total sense to me. Sometimes you gotta trick your own brain into playing the game. Getting that little victory must've felt like winning a round. Good for you for sticking with it and almost being done.

wyatt1351mo ago

Solid point on the dopamine thing, phoenix. It's real, I've felt that myself with stupid stuff like finally cleaning out my car. Getting that tiny win makes you want to keep rolling. For aaron, that first paid off card was probably like a shot of adrenaline after months of feeling stuck. It's easy for people to say "just pay the high interest first" but if your brain doesn't work that way, you'll quit before you start. Whatever keeps you in the game and chipping away at it is the right move, end of story.