Wants vs Debt
Wants vs Debt Calculator
What this calculator does
This calculator makes one comparison: what you spend on wants this month versus the interest you pay the bank to hold your debt. It is designed to be uncomfortable.
The math, with a worked example
Monthly credit card interest = balance × APR ÷ 12. The verdict compares monthly wants to monthly interest. Spending $400 on wants while carrying $3,000 at 24.99% APR means you pay about $62 in interest. The calculator shows that side by side.
Why this matters
Wants spending while carrying card debt has an exact exchange rate: $400 of wants next to $62 of monthly interest means every fun purchase is financed at 24.99% whether it went on the card or not. Money is fungible; the APR doesn't care which dollars were 'fun' dollars.
Methodology and transparency
Monthly interest = balance × APR ÷ 12, compared against your monthly wants total. The comparison is a framing device, not an amortization — its point is that redirecting even part of the wants budget at the balance kills the interest line permanently, which no equal amount of restraint-elsewhere can do. Everything runs in your browser; no data is sent or stored.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
Common questions
Why only compare to interest?
Because interest is the cost of carrying the debt. If your wants cost more than the interest, you could have wiped out the interest and then some.
What counts as wants?
Anything discretionary: dining out, entertainment, shopping, subscriptions, hobbies, anything you could skip this month.
What should I do if wants exceed interest?
Redirect the wants money to the debt for one month. It is the fastest way to see the debt shrink.