in which case you'll be very thankful the bank put a freeze on your card. Finally, it's possible for a card issuer to experience technical problems that result in customers' cards not working for a short while. Usually when this happens, the bank is quick to fix it, but confirmation that the hitch is on their end and not yours can certainly make you (and the cashier) feel a lot better. 2. Carry Back-Up The embarrassment of having your card declined at the register can be eased if you know you have a second form of payment available. Never leave the house with only a card, just in case. Whether you keep an emergency $20 stashed in your wallet or a spare credit card used for only such occasions, a back-up payment option will at least get you out of the store with the least bit of a scene so you can work on resolving the problem of your declined card at home. 3. Offer Your Information Of course, hindsight is 20/20, which is why your card will probably be declined on that one day you forget to carry cash. And if you're at a restaurant or similar establishment, where the goods can't exactly be handed back when your card is declined, the situation can be especially tricky. Before offering to wash dishes, however, ask the merchant if you can leave your ID information with them while you go scrounge up payment. In the case of temporary technical issues, they