may even be satisfied with taking down your card info and running it through later in the day. Prevent Your Credit Card from Being Declined Of course, what would be even better than smoothly handling a declined credit card is to never end up in this situation in the first place. Here are simple steps you can take to prevent the most common triggers of a declined card: Alert your bank when you plan to travel: If you know you're going to be traveling, tell your bank where you're going, and for how long, ahead of time. This will prevent the fraud prevention department from freezing your card when you attempt to make your first out-of-town purchase. Plan your purchases: A string of several purchases, or a small purchase followed by a very large one, are red flags to your bank. Break the habit of whipping out your card whether you're buying a pack of gum or big screen TV, and save the plastic for key purchases only. Besides, even if your card comes with one of the better interest rates available today, having no balance and no interest payments to worry about is even better. Keep track of balances: Whether your bank account is depleted or you've hit your credit limit, having insufficient funds is definitely the worst cause of getting declined at the register. It's a sign that you aren't paying enough attention to your spending, so keep a closer eye on transaction histories and account balances to