Most credit cards set the minimum payment at roughly 1–3% of your balance. Because the minimum shrinks as your balance shrinks, the payoff stretches out for decades: a $5,000 balance at 22% APR paid at a 2% minimum takes well over 20 years to clear, and the interest can exceed the original balance.
The fix is simple and costs nothing today: freeze your payment at its current dollar amount. When the minimum drops next month, keep paying the same number. That alone converts a decades-long payoff into years.
Add any fixed extra amount on top — even $25 — and the curve bends sharply. Use the calculator on the home page to see your own numbers; the difference between 'minimum due' and 'fixed payment plus extra' is usually the most motivating chart you'll see all year.
Updated July 2026