Expense, bill and debt trackers3 to 10 debts
Debt payoff tracker
A debt tracker you can set up in the order that suits you. A table lists each creditor with balance, rate, minimum payment, due day and payoff date, a bar of 20 cells per debt shows progress, and an optional log records every payment and new balance.
- Type your details or print blank
- Print or PDF, Letter or A4
- Free, no sign-up
On this page
What prints
The heading reads Debt Payoff Tracker, with Start date and Debt-free goal lines. A two-line reminder follows: list your debts in the order you will pay them off, pay minimums on all and put every extra dollar on number 1.
The table has the columns #, Creditor, Balance, Rate, Minimum, Due day and Paid off. The number column is printed for you; the rest are blank.
Next comes a progress section: "shade one cell for every 5% paid off." Each debt gets a row of 20 cells, with markers at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Last, if the log is on, a Payment log with two side-by-side blocks of Date, Debt #, Amount paid and New balance, 30 rows each.
The settings
- Payoff order. This page uses "My own order." The same tracker can be set to smallest balance first or highest interest first, and the debt snowball worksheet is the smallest-first version.
- Debts. From 3 to 10 rows.
- Payment log. On or off. Turn it off for larger progress bars.
Choosing your order
The two best-known orders pull in different directions. The avalanche attacks the highest interest rate first and usually costs the least in interest overall. The snowball goes after the smallest balance first and gives quicker wins. The avalanche suits people who stay motivated by the math, and the snowball suits those who need momentum.
You might also choose your own order: a debt with a looming deadline, a lender that charges fees, or a balance on a card you want to close. Whatever you choose, writing the order down matters more than the method. Keep paying every minimum on time.
Worked example: comparing two orders
Say you owe a card of $2,400 at 24%, a card of $900 at 18%, and a loan of $3,000 at 9%, with $200 a month extra.
Monthly interest is balance × rate ÷ 12. The first card costs 2,400 × 0.24 ÷ 12 = $48. The second costs 900 × 0.18 ÷ 12 = $13.50. The loan costs 3,000 × 0.09 ÷ 12 = $22.50.
Avalanche puts the $200 on the $2,400 card, which costs the most each month. Snowball puts it on the $900 card, which is gone in about four months at roughly $235 a month, and the first win arrives sooner. Either is fine if you keep going.
Using the progress bars
The bar is a picture of progress, so shade it often. For a $2,000 debt, one cell is $100. Each payment shades part of a cell, and seeing the row fill in over months can keep you going when the balance seems slow to drop. Use the log to confirm that each new balance matches your statement.
Where to get help
If you cannot make minimums, talk to the lender and consider a nonprofit credit counselor. This is not personal financial advice, and the example ignores fees.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission: How to get out of debt consumer.ftc.gov
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: How to reduce your debt consumerfinance.gov