Have you ever been at the checkout using your credit card and the operator informs you that your credit card has been declined. This can be an alarming moment. Have I reached my credit limit? Has my credit card been compromised?

If you have cash or another credit card you can complete your transaction with no further hassles and set about finding the reason why your credit card was declined.

Imagine that you are travelling overseas and this happens. Having a backup credit card can save a lot of headaches.

Most of us use our credit cards for just about every purchase we make both online and in stores. If you own only a single credit card this can cause immediate problems and hassles. If you need a replacement credit card, this can sometimes take up to a week. During this period you need to find other ways to fund your purchases.

We are all so used to the convenience that credit cards bring to our lives, that without them we would find it quite difficult. Many of us use our credit cards wisely making use of the many reward programs.

If you can pay your balance off in full each and every month, then there is no reason why a second credit card would not be a wise choice. For more advantagses of owning more than one credit card, check out our earlier article, Multiple Credit Cards – The advantages and disadvantages.

You need to keep track of your balance to avoid overspending, your reward points and their expiry and most importantly your due dates.

Missing your monthly payment can lead to unexpected charges appearing on your credit card statement. You could also miss out on some well earned rewards if you are not aware of their expiry date.

There are a few simple steps you can take to help manage multiple credit cards.

• consolidate your existing credit cards so you only need to make one monthly repayment. Check out the current balance transfers offers from the leading providers.
• When you have multiple credit cards with various due dates, it can be easy to miss a payment. Who likes being charged a late payment fee? Consider changing your due date. Contact customer service and they should be able to organise to move your due date to a more suitable time.
• If you always have money in your bank account to cover you credit card expenses, it may be worthwhile to set up an auto payment. This will certainly help to avoid missed payments.
• Set up reminders in your calendar about when your reward points are due to expire. This will help to avoid missed rewards that you certainly pay for.

If you need to carry multiple credit cards, these helpful tips should help you to manage them better.