Mindestraten-Falle-Rechner — Formel

The Minimum Payment Trap

Credit card minimum payments are designed to maximize the interest the lender collects. They typically equal 1-3% of the balance or a flat floor (like $25), whichever is greater.

Why Minimums Are Dangerous

At 22% APR with 2% minimums:

  • Most of each payment goes to interest
  • The balance shrinks very slowly
  • A $5,000 balance can take 15+ years to pay off
  • You may pay more in interest than the original balance

    • The Fix

    Doubling your minimum payment can cut payoff time by more than half.

    Lösungsbeispiel

    $5,000 balance at 22% APR, 2% minimum payment ($25 floor).

    1. First minimum = max($5,000 x 2%, $25) = $100
    2. Monthly interest = $5,000 x 22%/12 = $92
    3. Only $8 goes to principal in month 1!
    4. At minimums only: ~199 months (16.6 years)
    5. Total interest: ~$14,900 (nearly 3x the balance)
    6. Doubling to $200: ~31 months, saving thousands