Spare cash raises the same question for everyone carrying a balance: build savings or attack the debt? Done in the wrong order, either choice backfires. Done in the right order, both happen faster.
Buffer first, but a small one
One month of essentials in instant access stops new borrowing when life happens — a boiler repair, a quiet month, a surprise bill. Without it, every emergency lands back on credit and the debt grows again.
Then hit the expensive balance
Once the starter buffer exists, every spare pound goes at the highest-cost debt: penalties and interest first, then the core arrears. This is where agreed instalment plans shine — fixed, affordable and steadily shrinking.
Grow the buffer as debts fall
Each cleared balance frees its payment, which splits between the emergency fund and the next debt. By the final payment you hold three months of reserves — and the habits that built them.
Unsure of your order? We'll sequence your buffer and your balances in a single session.
