In the age of everything from constant Twitter updates to Wikileaks, it seems as if nothing is kept private anymore.  In fact, this lack of privacy is clearly apparent within the world of credit cards.  While most people would like to believe that how they spend their money is their own private information, in reality, big brother (AKA your credit card company) is always watching. That’s right; practically every purchase you make on your credit card is scrutinized by your credit issuer.  This is because credit card companies are constantly searching for patterns in spending histories that might shed some light on their customers' financial stability.

Your credit card is much more than a piece of plastic. It’s a status symbol. It’s an expression of your personality. It’s how you open your beer in a pinch.

The credit card has come a long way since the Diners Club of 1950. Now with more benefits and custom options than ever before, credit card companies are doing everything to attract customers. Even redesigning the credit card itself.

Introducing the top 10 best credit card designs:

10. Epos Card

Epos released a spectacular lineup of artistic credit cards in 2009. Here are just a few of their 100 jaw-dropping designs:

What's a college student to do when he's not old enough to buy a six pack of his favorite brew? He simply asks his older frat brother to buy it for him, of course. And now that the CARD Act restricts anyone under 21 from acquiring a credit card without an adult cosigner or proof of ability to pay, students are using the same old tactic in order to skirt the intent of the law.

[caption id="attachment_1735" align="alignleft" width="300" caption=" "][/caption] Credit issuers have become quite stingy when offering new credit card limits. But who can really blame them? With unemployment high and the economy still sputtering along, it shouldn't come as a surprise that credit issuers want to do everything possible to reduce unnecessary risk. Likewise, consumers are trying to reduce their own risk by paying down credit card debt and saving more cash. According to the latest report from the Federal Reserve Bank, revolving credit decreased nearly $900 million between June and July of this year. That marks a total annual decline of 1.8 percent and suggests that Americans are truly serious about not only curbing spending but also managing their existing debt.