It's hard to remember all of those passwords for different sites, and writing them all down isn't safe, so how do you keep up with them all? Start a separate free email account (yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc) just to keep up with those passwords. Email them to yourself at that account, with the name of the site as the subject. Then you can look them up anytime you need them quickly and easily!
By Jana from NC
Not necessarily a "thrifty" tip, but a time/trouble saving. If you're need a security code word or password you can use a phone number of a friend or family member that's ingrained in your long-term memory, along with their initials.
When you need a numeric password, use a phone number of a family member to remember the password, post a note on or near your computer with the name of the person whose number you used.
I keep my most visited web sites with user id's and passwords written down on a little notebook and locked in a safe. Before I get online, I reference back to the ones I want to visit, then return the notebook back to the safe.
I use a spiral notebook to keep tips, website addresses or phone numbers for companies I might use at gift buying time by the computer. I also write my passwords for different logins on the back cover. It is quick and I don't need to memorize all the different logins.
I use my computer constantly and have for many years. Along the way, I've joined many, many sites, forums, etc. with user names and passwords.
Since an assortment of creative passwords and other info is too much to remember when accessing your favorite websites, you might find the following tip useful:
It is hard to remember passwords. When possible (when you are able to select your password), choose a very short word that is easy to remember + a few numbers. For websites, put those numbers within the word.
If you have a computer program that remembers all of your passwords for you for all of the websites you visit, you can get very dependent on that for serving as your "memory". If your system were to fail, you would probably be hard pressed to remember all of your passwords.
I remember sentences to create passwords for my computer. For example, I may think, "I Love My dog so much" so my password would be "ILMDSM"
I have a unique way for remembering my passwords. I came up with a simple sentence that I can remember, for instance:"I love hot fudge sundaes and chocolate cake 2 !" My actual password would be: ilhfs&cc2!
I have found that it is best to keep a hard copy of my e-mail address book and user names and passwords, just in case of computer loss or my memory failure. I use a 3 by 5 inch spiral notecard book.
I don't use many different screennames to keep it simple, but here is how I remember my passwords. I write them down, and carry most in my wallet, but I disguise them with words and numbers that only I would know or understand.
I have given this lots of thought and have figured out a simple way to have a unique password for every site I visit with only needing to remember 3 words.
Regarding the problem remembering passwords, etc., I have always used former addresses which always have numbers and capital letters. Also, grandchildren's names with their date of birth.
When I get an email to help me reset it, I go back to it after I have reset the password and type it in that email and resend it to myself.
Use a phrase or an abbreviation of a phrase that you can remember and a series of numbers for your password. For example "i am crazy about dogs" can be "iacad" then add numbers and a special character at the end.