The Best Free Debt-Reduction Spreadsheets (2024)

Get your debt under control with a debt-snowball spreadsheet

Updated on January 20, 2022

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Margaret James

The Best Free Debt-Reduction Spreadsheets (1)

Reviewed byMargaret James

Peggy James is an expert in accounting, corporate finance, and personal finance. She is a certified public accountant who owns her own accounting firm, where she serves small businesses, nonprofits, solopreneurs, freelancers, and individuals.

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The Best Free Debt-Reduction Spreadsheets (2)

Coming up with a plan for paying off debt may sound difficult, especially if you don’t have a financial background. But spreadsheets simplify the task, making it easy for anyone who can use a spreadsheet to make a plan to pay off debt.

The snowball method is a popular strategy, anddownloading one of these debt-snowball spreadsheets can help you reduce your debt. One option on this list even walks you through how to choose a debt-payoff method by comparing the snowball method to the avalanche method and other strategies.

Technically, these are spreadsheet templates that you can use with Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc, or Google Sheets. With a template, you get a ready-made spreadsheet with the right formulas to do all of the calculating for you. All you need to do is download the template and plug in a few numbers—the spreadsheet will do all the math. Some of the options listed also present schemes for dealing with your loans, a multiple credit card payoff calculator, and recommendations for paying down other debt.

Vertex 42 Debt Reduction Snowball Calculator and Credit-Repair Spreadsheet

You can learn something from the Debt Reduction Snowball Calculator ​spreadsheet from Vertex 42 when you choose from different debt-reduction strategies after you enter all of your debts.

This spreadsheet includes additional information about those strategies with more resources for reducing debt. After you enter your information, select the different methods to see how each would work for paying off your debt. This spreadsheet includes a printable payment schedule for easy reference.

Need help repairing your credit? Download the Credit Repair Edition of the debt-reduction spreadsheet to first pay down each credit card to specific levels determined by your FICO score. Once you reach that that goal, the spreadsheet shows you how to start paying off all credit card balances.

Squawkfox Debt-Reduction Spreadsheet

The author of the spreadsheet and theSquawkfox blog, Kerry Taylor, paid off $17,000 in student loans over six monthsusing this downloadable Debt Reduction Spreadsheet.

Start by entering your creditors, current balance,interest rates, and monthly paymentsto see your current total debt, average interest rate, and average monthly interest paid. The spreadsheet will also show you the total number of monthly payments on your debt accounts.

You will need to have an idea of how much money you will set aside each month toward paying off credit cards and other debt to activate the debt snowball features of the spreadsheet.

Simply enter the amount you have planned for paying down the debt, and the spreadsheet will tell you what portion of that amount should be applied to the bill with the highest interest rate.

It's Your Money Excel DebtTracker Spreadsheet

DebtTracker is not quite as elegant as the other spreadsheets on this list, but it has great features to sort and view your debt thatare definitely useful.

The worksheets come populated with some data so you can see how they work,and the download page includes a tutorial. You will need to enable macros in Excel to use the DebtTracker spreadsheet, which is also explained in the tutorial.

Enter all of your debts, including multiple credit cards, mortgage, and various types of loans, into the spreadsheet to start. Then you can change the view by sorting debts by type, interest rate, minimum payment, and other options.

The advanced sorting is helpful if you're using a particular debt-payoff plan, such as the debt snowball. The DebtTracker includes seven worksheets,including a Paydown worksheet with a graph for tracking the results of paying off ​a debt over time.

Debt Prioritization Worksheet From Wise Woman Wallet

If you're struggling to choose a debt-payoff method, this bare-bones free with email signup spreadsheet from Wise Woman Wallet can help you get a big-picture view of your options. Simply enter basic information about each of your debts, including the starting balance, current balance, interest rate, and minimum payment. Then use the filters to sort by your current balances (for the snowball method) or the interest rate (for the avalanche method).

Wise Woman Wallet's spreadsheet also lets you consider two additional strategies. In the debt volcano method, you prioritize the debt that makes you most frustrated or angry, such as a high-interest credit card balance or a "buy now, pay later" charge for a gift you bought your ex. In the hybrid method, you combine several strategies, such as starting off with a snowball but switching to avalanche when two debts have similar balances, but one has a higher interest rate.

If experimenting with these spreadsheets makes you realize that you need more help managing your debt, you could look into debt-relief companies. However, it's not a step to take lightly: Debt settlement can take years and can result in a hit to your credit score as well as other potential ramifications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the debt snowball method?

The debt snowball strategy prioritizes your debts from the smallest to the largest. You'll start by paying the minimum payment on all debts, then putting any extra you have available toward the smallest debt each month. Once that is paid off, you'll take the amount you were paying on the smallest debt and add it to your minimum payment for the next-smallest debt. With each debt you pay off, it creates a "snowball" effect and speeds up the pace of repayment.

What is the debt avalanche method?

With the debt avalanche method, you prioritize your debts from highest to lowest interest rate. You'll pay the minimum payment on all balances every month, then put any available extra cash toward the debt with the highest interest rate. When you finish paying that debt off, you'll apply that payment toward the next-highest interest rate and repeat.

How do I decide on a debt-repayment plan?

The debt snowball and debt avalanche are just two of the strategies you can use to repay your debts. You might choose to prioritize other debts first, based on the type of debt, the risks involved if you fail to repay, or the emotional stress that some debts create. If you need help deciding on a strategy, consider talking to a debt or credit counselor.

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The Best Free Debt-Reduction Spreadsheets (2024)

FAQs

What is the best debt elimination method? ›

In terms of saving money, a debt avalanche is better because it saves you money in interest by targeting your highest interest debt first. However, some people find the debt snowball method better because it can be more motivating to see a smaller debt paid off more quickly.

How can I pay off $40 K in debt fast? ›

To pay off $40,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $1,449 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $12,154 in interest charges during that time, but you could avoid much of this extra cost and pay off your debt faster by using a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.

How to get rid of 30k in credit card debt? ›

How to Get Rid of $30k in Credit Card Debt
  1. Make a list of all your credit card debts.
  2. Make a budget.
  3. Create a strategy to pay down debt.
  4. Pay more than your minimum payment whenever possible.
  5. Set goals and timeline for repayment.
  6. Consolidate your debt.
  7. Implement a debt management plan.
Aug 4, 2023

Is Google Sheets free? ›

Google Sheets is the spreadsheet app available on Google Workspace, or standalone, with a free plan for personal use and accessible via mobile apps for iOS and Android.

What is the formula for debt repayment in Excel? ›

What Is the Formula for Monthly Payments in Excel? Use the PMT function in Excel to create the formula: PMT(rate, nper, pv, [fv], [type]). 1 This formula lets you calculate monthly payments when you divide the annual interest rate by 12, for the number of months in a year.

How to reduce debt quickly? ›

Here are five of the fastest ways to achieve debt freedom:
  1. Take advantage of debt relief services. ...
  2. Reduce interest where possible. ...
  3. Focus on your highest interest rate first. ...
  4. Take advantage of opportunities to earn extra income. ...
  5. Cut expenses where possible.
Mar 11, 2024

How to pay off $10,000 credit card debt? ›

7 ways to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt
  1. Opt for debt relief. One powerful approach to managing and reducing your credit card debt is with the help of debt relief companies. ...
  2. Use the snowball or avalanche method. ...
  3. Find ways to increase your income. ...
  4. Cut unnecessary expenses. ...
  5. Seek credit counseling. ...
  6. Use financial windfalls.
Feb 15, 2024

What are 3 ways to eliminate debt? ›

How to get out of debt
  • List out your debt details.
  • Adjust your budget.
  • Try the debt snowball or avalanche method.
  • Submit more than the minimum payment.
  • Cut down interest by making biweekly payments.
  • Attempt to negotiate and settle for less than you owe.
  • Consider consolidating and refinancing your debt.
Mar 18, 2024

How do I create a debt elimination plan? ›

Create a Plan of Attack
  1. Prioritize Your Debts. Rearrange your debts in order of which one you'd like to tackle first. ...
  2. Focus on a Single Debt. ...
  3. Figure out your expenses. ...
  4. Go for the big wins. ...
  5. Go for the easy wins. ...
  6. Set up auto-pay. ...
  7. Make extra payments. ...
  8. See if you can move the payment due dates.

How to create debt snowball? ›

The "snowball method," simply put, means paying off the smallest of all your loans as quickly as possible. Once that debt is paid, you take the money you were putting toward that payment and roll it onto the next-smallest debt owed. Ideally, this process would continue until all accounts are paid off.

How do I make a debt list? ›

List Each Debt: Create a detailed list that includes the name of the creditor, outstanding balance, interest rate, minimum monthly payment, and the due date for each debt. This organized list will provide you with a snapshot of your financial situation.

What is a debt worksheet? ›

The goal with the debt worksheet is to get all of the information about debts someone owes in one place. Start by helping someone brainstorm all of the debts they owe. You can also recommend reviewing their credit report to identity debt that is current, in collections, or resulting from judgments.

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