Debt by the Numbers
How Much Debt Is Too Much? A Cash-Flow Check You Can Do Today
How much debt is too much depends on payments, income, and what remains for essentials. Use a debt-to-income ratio and cash-flow check to spot strain.
· 7 min read
Blog
Guides, templates and how-tos from Debt Payoff Planner.
Relief Options
Payday Loan Alternatives: What to Try When a Bill Is Due
Payday loan alternatives to check when a bill is due: ask the biller, check local help, compare credit union options, and calculate the full cost.
· 8 min read
Spreadsheets and Tools
Debt Snowball Worksheet: What to Fill In and How to Roll Payments Over
Debt snowball worksheet guide: list balances, minimums and due dates, sort smallest to largest, then track each rollover with a clear sample layout.
· 7 min read
Debt Relief Options
Debt Settlement vs Debt Consolidation: What Changes?
Debt settlement vs debt consolidation: compare how balances, payment terms, fees, and collection risks change before you review your options.
· 7 min read
Credit
Credit Utilization Ratio: How to Calculate Yours
Credit utilization ratio: calculate each card and your total, read the numbers in context, and track balances without treating 30% as a score promise.
· 7 min read
Debt Collection
Does Debt Go Away After 7 Years? The Three Clocks
Seven years usually refers to credit reporting, not debt cancellation. Learn how credit-report, lawsuit, and collection timelines differ.
· 7 min read
Spreadsheets
Debt Tracker in Google Sheets: Set Up a Clear Payoff Date
Debt tracker Google Sheets setup: log balances, APRs and minimums, compare payoff orders, and update the schedule when payments post or rates change.
· 8 min read
Debt Collectors
Debt Validation Letter: What It Is and How to Mark It in Your Debt List
Debt validation letter basics: read the notice, check the 30-day dispute window, find the CFPB sample, and record the debt while you wait.
· 8 min read
Debt Collectors
Can Debt Collectors Garnish Your Wages? What It Does to Your Payoff List
Can debt collectors garnish wages? Usually only after a court judgment, capped by federal law. Here's what a garnishment does to your payoff list, worked out.
· 7 min read
Spreadsheets
Debt Avalanche Spreadsheet: Set It Up Step by Step (Worked Example Included)
Debt avalanche spreadsheet: the 5 columns, the sort formula and one 4-debt example run month by month, with the interest the avalanche saves over the snowball.
· 8 min read
Payoff Methods
Debt Snowball vs Avalanche: Which Order Fits Your Debts? (3 Lists Run Both Ways)
Debt snowball vs avalanche on 3 example debt lists: the avalanche saved $1,359 on one, $290 on another and $0 on the third. Here's how to tell which you have.
· 10 min read
Spreadsheets and Tools
Debt Payoff Spreadsheets That Pick Your Order (Matched to Your Debts)
Debt payoff spreadsheet basics: the 6 columns it needs, how it picks your payoff order, and a 4-card example worked out to a real debt-free month.
· 8 min read
Spreadsheets and Tools
How to Set Up a Debt Snowball Spreadsheet (Without Writing Formulas)
Debt snowball spreadsheet setup in 5 steps for Excel or Google Sheets, with the rollover explained and a 4-debt example worked out to April 2029.
· 7 min read
