Money guides

Plain-language guides to paying off loans and card debt faster, each with a worked example from our free calculators.

Mortgage payoff guides

How biweekly mortgage payments work – Why half a payment every two weeks adds up to an extra payment each year.
Biweekly payments vs one extra monthly payment a year – How a biweekly schedule compares with adding one extra payment each year.
Does your lender allow biweekly mortgage payments? – Questions to ask your servicer, and why to be careful with paid biweekly services.
How mortgage amortization works – Why early payments are mostly interest, and how that changes over the loan.
Should you pay off your mortgage early or save? – The questions to weigh before sending extra money to your mortgage.

How extra payments on a car loan work – What happens to your balance, interest, and payoff date when you pay extra.
Paying off a car loan early: pros and cons – Interest saved, prepayment penalties, loan types, and credit effects.
Biweekly or weekly car loan payments: do they help? – Why splitting your payment helps mainly when it adds up to more each year.
Refinance your car loan or pay extra? – Comparing a lower APR with extra payments, and combining the two.
How car loan amortization works – How each payment splits between interest and principal over the loan.

How balance transfer fees work – How the fee is charged, added to your balance, and earned back.
Is a balance transfer worth it? – The factors that decide whether a transfer saves money after the fee.
Balance transfer vs personal loan – Comparing a 0% card with a fixed-rate loan for paying off card debt.
What happens when the 0% APR period ends – What happens to a leftover balance, and how to plan your payments.
Balance transfer mistakes to avoid – Common ways a transfer ends up costing more than it saves.

Debt avalanche vs snowball: which saves more interest? – Why the avalanche usually costs less, by how much, and when the two tie.
How the debt snowball method works, step by step – List your debts smallest first, then roll each freed-up payment forward.
How the debt avalanche method works – Pay the highest interest rate first, with a stage-by-stage example.
Debt snowball with extra payments or a lump sum – What a bigger monthly budget or a one-time payment does to your plan.
When the debt snowball beats the avalanche – Quick wins, fewer bills, and cases where the snowball costs little extra.
When minimum payments don’t fit your budget – What still helps when you can only pay the minimums, or less.
How to list your debts and pick a payoff order – What to write down for each debt and how each method ranks them.

Guides are educational only, not financial, tax, or legal advice. See how our calculators work.