Debtless
The short answer
Automate the minimum payment on every debt so it's never accidentally missed, since a missed minimum is what actually damages your credit and adds fees. Then decide the extra payment amount by hand each month, based on what your budget can actually support that month, rather than locking in a fixed extra that might not fit every month equally.
Why the minimum belongs on autopilot
A missed minimum payment is one of the more damaging things that can happen to your credit, and it's also avoidable purely through automation, since the amount never changes and the due date is fixed. There's little upside to deciding the minimum manually each month when automating it removes the risk of a forgotten payment entirely.
Automatic payments do require enough in the account when they run, so pairing autopay with a quick balance check around the due date is still worth doing.
Why the extra amount is better decided deliberately
Unlike the minimum, the extra amount can reasonably change month to month depending on what's actually left over after essentials. Automating a fixed extra risks either overcommitting in a tight month or underusing a stronger one. Deciding it by hand keeps the extra payment matched to the month it's actually happening in.
Setting up the two-track system
Splitting the payment into an automatic piece and a manual piece is a one-time setup with an ongoing monthly decision.
- List every debt's minimum payment and due date.
- Set up automatic payments for each minimum, timed a few days after your typical payday.
- Rank your debts by interest rate, so you know where extra payments should go.
- Each month, decide the extra amount based on that month's actual budget.
- Send the extra manually to whichever debt is currently ranked first.
What this looks like over a few months
The system keeps working the same way even as which debt is "first" changes, since a debt that clears moves off the list and the next one takes its place for future extra payments.
Worked example · illustrative numbers
Example: two cards, automatic minimums, a deliberate extra
Say you have a $2,000 card at 19% with a $60 minimum, and a $1,500 card at 23% with a $45 minimum, both minimums automated. You decide on a $150 extra most months, sent to the 23% card since it carries the higher rate: $195 total to that card, $60 to the other.
Simulated month by month, the higher-rate card clears in about 9 months. Its $195 then rolls onto the remaining card, and the two cards together clear in roughly 17 months, at a combined cost of about $522 in interest, a total that reflects the deliberate choice to attack the higher rate first.
Put this into practice with Debtless
Debtless doesn't set up or send payments; it only tracks what you enter, including minimums and any extra you've decided on. The Plan tab's extra-monthly-payment slider lets you test a deliberate extra amount and see the projected effect before you actually send it that month.
Common questions
What if I can't afford any extra payment some months?
That's fine. The automated minimums keep every account current regardless, and skipping the extra in a genuinely tight month doesn't put you behind the way a missed minimum would. You can resume the extra the following month without any penalty for the pause.
Should the extra amount ever be automated too?
You can automate a baseline extra and manually add more in stronger months, which is a reasonable middle ground. The core idea is just making sure the minimum never depends on you remembering, while the extra stays flexible enough to match your actual budget.
How do I decide which debt gets the extra payment?
Ranking by interest rate, sending extra to the highest rate first, generally reduces total interest the most. Ranking by balance instead, smallest first, can be easier to stick with for some people even if it costs slightly more in interest overall.
Sources & further reading
General education for U.S. readers, not individualized financial, legal or tax advice. Examples are hypothetical; lender terms and actual interest calculations can differ. Check your current statements and agreements.
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