Avoiding the Debt Spiral: Warning Signs and First Aid

How to recognise trouble early, prioritise payments and get help.

5 min read · Loans & Credit

Debt problems usually build slowly.

Warning signs

Using credit to pay running costs.
Only paying minimums.
Ignoring letters.

Snowball: total interestCHF 1’821

Avalanche: total interestCHF 1’821

Example with default values. Open the calculator →

First aid

List all debts, prioritise rent, insurance and taxes, and talk to creditors early.

Get help

Prevention

Keep an emergency fund, avoid instalment plans for small purchases and check your budget every month. If your income drops, adjust your spending immediately instead of borrowing.

Free debt counselling exists in every canton. Test payoff strategies with the snowball vs. avalanche calculator.

Try the calculators

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