Debt Payoff Calculator — South Africa
Calculate how long it will take to pay off your debt. Compare snowball and avalanche methods.
Last updated: May 2026
Your Debts
Any extra amount is thrown at the priority debt each month until it's gone, then rolled to the next.
Models two popular debt elimination strategies — the Avalanche (highest interest first) and the Snowball (smallest balance first) — showing which saves more money and how long each takes.
Key inputs explained
- Debts
- Add each debt with its current balance, interest rate, and minimum payment.
- Extra monthly payment
- Any amount above the combined minimums — this accelerates payoff dramatically.
The Avalanche method saves the most interest mathematically. The Snowball method keeps motivation high by clearing small debts quickly — choose the one you'll actually stick to.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the avalanche method, you make minimum payments on all debts and direct any extra money to the debt with the highest interest rate first. Once that is paid off, you roll that payment to the next highest rate. This method minimises total interest paid and is mathematically optimal — but requires patience if your highest-rate debt has a large balance.
With the snowball method, you pay off the smallest balance first regardless of interest rate. The psychological wins from eliminating individual debts keep you motivated. Research shows people using the snowball method are more likely to stick to their plan. The trade-off is that you typically pay more total interest compared to the avalanche.
The NCA requires credit providers to assess affordability before granting credit, limits fees and interest rates (e.g. personal loans capped at repo rate + 21%), and gives over-indebted consumers access to debt counselling. A debt counsellor can negotiate reduced payments and a restructured repayment plan with your creditors.
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