What if I stopped spending on…
Take a monthly habit and see what that money becomes if you invest it, or aim it at the debts above.
SHIP'S INSTRUMENTS
What if I stopped spending on…
Pick a monthly expense you could drop - a subscription, takeout, the second streaming service - and see what that money turns into. Invest it and watch it compound; or add your debts below and see how many months it shaves off your payoff.
Add your debts here to see the payoff impact above.
Debt payoff planner
List your debts, pick Snowball or Avalanche, and see when you're debt-free. Minimums are paid every month; anything extra goes to one target debt at a time.
How it's calculated
- The invested rows use the same monthly-compounding formula as the compound interest calculator at 1, 5, and 10 years, split into what you put in and what growth added.
- The debt rows run the payoff planner twice - once as-is and once with the amount added as an extra monthly payment - and report the difference in months and interest.
Worked example
$150 a month at 7% is $1,859 after one year, $10,739 after five, and $25,963 after ten - with nearly $8,000 of that coming from growth rather than your contributions.
Frequently asked
Why compare investing and debt?
They are the two things freed-up cash can do. If your debt's APR is higher than the return you expect from investing, paying it down is the better guaranteed return; if it is lower, investing usually wins. The two results let you see both numbers before deciding.
Does the app do this with my real spending?
Yes - in the app the tool lists your actual budget categories with their six-month averages, so you pick a category instead of typing an amount.
Is 7% a safe assumption?
It is a long-run, after-inflation stock market average, not a promise. Use a lower number for savings accounts or a shorter horizon.
Related calculators
Every calculator here runs in your browser and matches the math in the BudgetArk app's Charts tab. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Want it with your real numbers?
In the app, this tool pulls from your actual debts, budget, and accounts - and everything stays on your phone.