The Minimum-Payment Trap, Visualized
Credit card math is designed to feel painless and cost a fortune. On a typical $3,000 balance at 22% APR, a $90 payment sends $55 of the first month straight to interest — only $35 touches your debt. Stretch that over years and interest can exceed the original balance. The calculator above makes that math impossible to ignore.
What the Sliders Tell You
- Card balance & APR — pull these from your latest statement. The national average card APR now tops 22%.
- Your monthly payment — what you actually pay, not the minimum on the statement. Watch the payoff time explode as you drag it down.
- Discover loan term — pick the term whose fixed payment fits your budget. Every term shows its total interest so you can trade speed against cash flow.
- The savings banner — card interest minus loan interest. This is real money that stays in your account.
When Consolidation Wins (and When It Doesn't)
Consolidation wins when the rate gap is real
Moving 22%+ card debt to even a mid-range fixed loan rate typically cuts interest by half or more — the calculator shows your exact gap.
It wins bigger when you'd otherwise pay minimums
The closer your payment is to the interest line, the more catastrophic the card path — and the larger the consolidation savings.
It only works if the cards stay clear
Consolidating then re-maxing the cards doubles your debt. Keep cards open for credit utilization, but retire them from daily spending.
Ready to act on the numbers? Start with our debt consolidation loans page, model a specific amount in the loan calculator, or read how to consolidate credit card debt step by step.