Mathematically, the "Avalanche Method" (paying off high-interest debt first) is the best way to get out of debt. Yet, financial counselor David Thorne argues in "The Math of Debt" that for 80% of people, this method fails. Why? Because humans are not calculators; we are emotional creatures driven by dopamine. Thorne champions the "Snowball Method" (paying off the smallest balance first), popularized by Dave Ramsey. He explains the behavioral science: small, quick wins release dopamine, creating momentum and motivation to stick to the plan. The mathematical loss is the price of admission for the psychological victory. The book analyzes the shame spiral of debt and how "optimizing" your payments often leads to "fatigue" and quitting. Thorne provides a guide to ignoring the spreadsheet and hacking your own reward system to claw your way back to zero. It proves that the best debt strategy is not the one that saves the most interest, but the one you actually finish.

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