The Process God
Birthing All-Stars
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First off, please merge this thread with any other threat that already covers this topic, but I thought I'd make this thread (1) because it's an important topic for many, and (2) my wife refuses to listen to my logic without other official authorities like "financial advisers" backing me about how I believe we can get out of debt a little bit faster using my way of doing things. I also want to hear perhaps other avenues for helping me get out of debt.
Now my wife believes that following "budget A" (a budget that allows for X amount of debt repayment per month) and paying for everything in cash/debit is the fastest way of doing things.
I believe that I've found a slightly faster way of doing things, and please correct me if I'm wrong. I want cold, hard numbers only--not subjective, hypothetical scenarios about how my way could get us into more debt--to prove me wrong if I am. Anyhow, I believe that, if she and I were to follow the exact same budget, "budget A," but, instead of paying for things with cash/debit, I pay for anything I can with my lowest interest credit card available (~14% APR), then use the leftover cash to pay more towards my highest interest credit card (~24% APR).
My logic is that, by doing things my way, although I am now incurring interest on my new debt on one credit card, that is more than wiped out by the interest I'm now NOT paying on my higher interest credit card because I put that money towards my highest interest credit card. Additionally, I get rewards that I wouldn't have otherwise gotten.
In my method, I'd pay the maximum amount I could afford to for each paycheck the day I got the paycheck toward my highest interest credit card so as to minimize daily interest gained from my purchases.
So here's my attempt at the math:
Let's say that my income is $4k/month.
Let's also say I have $2,000/month in expenses that can either be paid in cash or by credit card (so this is ignoring payments that I have no choice but to pay by any one given method).
Now let's say that I have $18,000 in credit card debt (which is pretty accurate).
Broken down as:
Card A - 12k owed - 14% APR
Card C - 6k owed - 24% APR
If I pay the 2k in expenses with cash/debit, I have 2k to pay per month towards that credit card debt, thus reducing my total debt by 2k/month. The interest on all of that is roughly $260/month. The payment of $2,000 would go toward my highest interest credit card, thus saving me $40 in interest for the following month (2k*.02[1 month of interest on a 24% APR card].
However, if I pay with my 14% APR credit card for everything, but then put the $4k completely toward my 24% APR card, I save $80 in interest on that card while accruing only an additional $23.33 in interest on my 14% APR credit card, thus saving an additional $16.66 per month.
Assume that I have additional income to make the minimum payments for all debt either way for simplicity's sake.
On top of that, I make an additional 2% reward with the 14% APR card, which puts me up to $40 additional made each month in rewards.
That makes for a total of $56.66 per month saved by using this method, I believe.
I know this doesn't account for daily interest and when payments are made vs when money is put on the card, but, even then, I believe that the max amount of interest that I could accrue from that is 1.167% interest per month on that 2k, which would be wiped out by the 2% rewards. Now, if I pay off the amount of each purchase I make on the 14% credit card that same day onto the 24% credit card, the interest I begin accruing on the 2k I just put on the 14% credit card starts the same day I stop getting interest on 2k on the 24% APR card.
If you try to answer this question and are a financial adviser or anyone who works a lot with numbers and money, please state your credentials so that I can show my wife. And, if my way is actually costing more money, then I'll happily start heading in the right direction.
Again, assume that I follow the exact same budget as my wife, never deviating from it, except it's all put on credit card.
Now, my next question is, is there an even better way even if my way is better than my wife's? What about consolidation? Where can I go to get a loan with lower interest for that amount? Like maybe I could get a consolidation with 6% interest or even up to 12%? Or should I try to get approved for some 0% APR credit cards and do a balance transfer? If so, which ones?
Anyone else, feel free to give your thoughts or ask your own questions about finances and/or debt.
Now my wife believes that following "budget A" (a budget that allows for X amount of debt repayment per month) and paying for everything in cash/debit is the fastest way of doing things.
I believe that I've found a slightly faster way of doing things, and please correct me if I'm wrong. I want cold, hard numbers only--not subjective, hypothetical scenarios about how my way could get us into more debt--to prove me wrong if I am. Anyhow, I believe that, if she and I were to follow the exact same budget, "budget A," but, instead of paying for things with cash/debit, I pay for anything I can with my lowest interest credit card available (~14% APR), then use the leftover cash to pay more towards my highest interest credit card (~24% APR).
My logic is that, by doing things my way, although I am now incurring interest on my new debt on one credit card, that is more than wiped out by the interest I'm now NOT paying on my higher interest credit card because I put that money towards my highest interest credit card. Additionally, I get rewards that I wouldn't have otherwise gotten.
In my method, I'd pay the maximum amount I could afford to for each paycheck the day I got the paycheck toward my highest interest credit card so as to minimize daily interest gained from my purchases.
So here's my attempt at the math:
Let's say that my income is $4k/month.
Let's also say I have $2,000/month in expenses that can either be paid in cash or by credit card (so this is ignoring payments that I have no choice but to pay by any one given method).
Now let's say that I have $18,000 in credit card debt (which is pretty accurate).
Broken down as:
Card A - 12k owed - 14% APR
Card C - 6k owed - 24% APR
If I pay the 2k in expenses with cash/debit, I have 2k to pay per month towards that credit card debt, thus reducing my total debt by 2k/month. The interest on all of that is roughly $260/month. The payment of $2,000 would go toward my highest interest credit card, thus saving me $40 in interest for the following month (2k*.02[1 month of interest on a 24% APR card].
However, if I pay with my 14% APR credit card for everything, but then put the $4k completely toward my 24% APR card, I save $80 in interest on that card while accruing only an additional $23.33 in interest on my 14% APR credit card, thus saving an additional $16.66 per month.
Assume that I have additional income to make the minimum payments for all debt either way for simplicity's sake.
On top of that, I make an additional 2% reward with the 14% APR card, which puts me up to $40 additional made each month in rewards.
That makes for a total of $56.66 per month saved by using this method, I believe.
I know this doesn't account for daily interest and when payments are made vs when money is put on the card, but, even then, I believe that the max amount of interest that I could accrue from that is 1.167% interest per month on that 2k, which would be wiped out by the 2% rewards. Now, if I pay off the amount of each purchase I make on the 14% credit card that same day onto the 24% credit card, the interest I begin accruing on the 2k I just put on the 14% credit card starts the same day I stop getting interest on 2k on the 24% APR card.
If you try to answer this question and are a financial adviser or anyone who works a lot with numbers and money, please state your credentials so that I can show my wife. And, if my way is actually costing more money, then I'll happily start heading in the right direction.
Again, assume that I follow the exact same budget as my wife, never deviating from it, except it's all put on credit card.
Now, my next question is, is there an even better way even if my way is better than my wife's? What about consolidation? Where can I go to get a loan with lower interest for that amount? Like maybe I could get a consolidation with 6% interest or even up to 12%? Or should I try to get approved for some 0% APR credit cards and do a balance transfer? If so, which ones?
Anyone else, feel free to give your thoughts or ask your own questions about finances and/or debt.