Minimum Due Is a Product Feature, Not a Favor
CFPB materials explain that minimums are calculated to keep accounts profitable—often 1–3% of balance plus interest. If you only pay the minimum, you are renting your past purchases at a brutal rate. Fed G.19 shows revolving credit remains expensive even when prime rates shift.
That low number on your statement is not mercy—it is the setting that keeps interest flowing. Once you see it that way, the urge to pay "just enough" loses its grip.
Run Your Real Timeline
Plug your statement balance and APR into the Debt Payoff Calculator. The years-to-zero number is the wake-up most statements hide. Compare snowball vs avalanche if you need momentum vs math.
- Write down the year count: Seeing "18 years" on paper changes behavior faster than APR percentages.
- Freeze new charges: Paying down while adding balance is a treadmill—pause spending on that card first.
- Pick one method: Avalanche for math, snowball for momentum—either beats minimum-only.
The $100 Nudge Rule
We are not asking for heroics—add a fixed $50–$100 above minimum on the highest APR card first (avalanche). Freeze new charges on that card. One habit month often saves more than a year of minimums.