How to build a debt payoff plan based on your actual income
TL;DR: Start with your actual, realistic surplus after essentials — not an aspirational number — and prioritize which debt gets that surplus based on real math (interest cost), not just which balance feels most stressful.
Why a fixed "extra $X/month" plan often fails
Generic debt plans assume a stable surplus every month. Irregular income, a variable-hours job, or a tight budget means some months there's more room and some months there's none — a rigid plan breaks the first time reality doesn't cooperate.
What an income-based plan actually looks like
- A minimum floor you can hit even in a lean month (usually just the minimums)
- A clear priority order for any extra money when it's available, based on interest rate
- A buffer built in before aggressive extra payments, so a bad month doesn't force new debt
Get your exact attack order and payoff date
Get Rid of My Loan builds one prioritized plan across every debt you have, with the fastest debt-free date and lowest total interest calculated both ways.
Build my payoff plan — $9.99 →Frequently asked questions
What if I have no surplus most months?
Focus first on paying minimums reliably and building even a small emergency buffer — an aggressive payoff plan you can't sustain does more harm than a modest, consistent one you can actually stick to.
Should irregular income go entirely to debt in good months?
Not entirely — keeping a portion for buffer months prevents a good month's progress from being undone by having to borrow again during a lean one.