Passwords - I'm sick and tired of trying to remember a 1000 didget Ph#

**Bigb23** · July-07-11, 03:26 PM

After two years off line and trying to re-do all of my CU and credit card accounts, I'm sick of trying to buy a $49 watch from China. Now It's the the VISA and manufacturer passwords and paypal and new online accounts with passwords and - ARHGGGGGG !

I'm password passed out. Slips of paper floating across the living room floor, stuff written on the back of envelopes, carved into my desk, but now invalid, but somebody can put them in one spot - [[with $$$$) WITH A PASSWORD ! [[I Forgot).

I'm well into my fifties, without a good woman, so I leave everything OUT, just to find it again. That includes underwear, porkchops, newspapers, and passwords. If you can break into my house and find those passwords, good luck, I don't know where they go either.

**the**364*pp* [[taken)

If you break in, and find tiny slips of paper swirling around the living room - help me out.

**Maof** · July-07-11, 03:35 PM

OMG big, that is so fricken funny and so very true. i keep on having to hit 'forgot passwood?" over and over again...

**old guy** · July-07-11, 03:58 PM

I hide mine in cryptic messages so they don't look like passwords. When I go to use them, I can't figure them out. I don't know why I go to so much trouble to hide them. If someone stole my identity, they'd be pissed. Probably give it back with a note that says, Sorry man, tough luck. I don't even get junk mail any more. What does that tell me.

**Bigb23** · July-07-11, 04:00 PM

Thanks Maof -

I'm just trying to tidy up my online presence but, the added 15 passwords kinda jerks my chain. What to do ?

**Bigb23** · July-07-11, 04:07 PM

I hide mine in cryptic messages so they don't look like passwords. When I go to use them, I can't figure them out. I don't know why I go to so much trouble to hide them. If someone stole my identity, they'd be pissed. Probably give it back with a note that says, Sorry man, tough luck. I don't even get junk mail any more. What does that tell me.

THAT'S Why you are my old guy.[/QUOTE]+ 5 years

My credit is crap, so if the russians stole it they are in for a big surprise.

**Johnnny5** · July-07-11, 04:37 PM

Use one password!

Add the first/last letter/letters from the name of the particular site to the front or back of the password. That way you have a different password for each, but they are still easy to remember.

**old guy** · July-07-11, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Use one password!

Add the first/last letter/letters from the name of the particular site to the front or back of the password. That way you have a different password for each, but they are still easy to remember.

That's not a bad idea. The problem is that lately most passwords want you to include at least one symbol [[#@ or *) one or two numbers and use upper and lower case letters.

The one I can't figure out is on my electric bill, I have a 21 digit account number. On a car loan I had a 32 digit account number. Both wanted me to include it on my check when making a payment. But social security can track everyone in the U.S. with 9 digits.

**Bigb23** · July-07-11, 06:08 PM

Old guy - thank you for the perspective,

Cripes, this sucks. [[being old).

Sorry- Garwood forever.

**Jimaz** · July-07-11, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

...The one I can't figure out is on my electric bill, I have a 21 digit account number. On a car loan I had a 32 digit account number. Both wanted me to include it on my check when making a payment. But social security can track everyone in the U.S. with 9 digits.

Some companies encode extra information into account numbers. That may have been convenient for them in pre-computer days but today that's totally unnecessary. All they need is a unique number for each account [[like the 9-digit SSN) then that can be used to index any and all other information.

Including alpha with numeric characters in an account number can allow it to be shortened even more.

Maybe it's time for thumbprint scanners.

Norton Security Suite has a feature called Identity Safe that remembers passwords, etc. for you. There must be cheaper utilities that do the same thing but of course you'd want to make sure they were trustworthy for obvious reasons.

**Zacha341** · July-07-11, 09:04 PM

YES! I've been doing that for years!! It's the only way to sanity. I only have really DISTINCTIVE unique passwords for my personal business email, eBay and a couple of finanicial institutes I deal with. The rest bear a similar prefix with just a change at the end..... Oh, what must life have been before all of these techno-stressors! ===

===

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Use one password!

Add the first/last letter/letters from the name of the particular site to the front or back of the password. That way you have a different password for each, but they are still easy to remember.

**Zacha341** · July-07-11, 09:09 PM

I store those zany long utility bill numbers into my phone like a phone number... if someone wants to hack those numbers and pay my bills, go for it! I do not record bank, SS or Drivers Liscence or ATM numbers anywhere -- I have them in memory.... about the only numbers my synapse's can hold. LOL!

Originally Posted by old guy

That's not a bad idea. The problem is that lately most passwords want you to include at least one symbol [[#@ or *) one or two numbers and use upper and lower case letters.

The one I can't figure out is on my electric bill, I have a 21 digit account number. On a car loan I had a 32 digit account number. Both wanted me to include it on my check when making a payment. But social security can track everyone in the U.S. with 9 digits.

**firstandten** · July-07-11, 10:10 PM

I see an opportunity for someone who can develop software to manage passwords. Its gets really tough to remember all the passwords for all of the sites that people go on

**Roq** · July-07-11, 10:30 PM

You may want to try this, it's free:

http://download.cnet.com/LastPass-Pa...-10889725.html

Good luck and I sympathize; I'm in IT and have approximately 867 passwords to remember at any given time it seems.

**coracle** · July-08-11, 07:01 AM

I have about 50 websites I need to log into and numerous PINs and other important numbers that must be remembered and safeguarded for regular use. So I have them all in a Spreadsheet on a password protected flashdrive hidden in a potted plastic plant [[I used to use a living plant until somebody watered it). My significant other does reorganize the plant pots around our house occasionally which gives me panic attacks.

**Zacha341** · July-08-11, 07:22 AM

Cool. I will check this out. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Roq

You may want to try this, it's free:

http://download.cnet.com/LastPass-Pa...-10889725.html

Good luck and I sympathize; I'm in IT and have approximately 867 passwords to remember at any given time it seems.

**Bigb23** · July-08-11, 10:43 AM

OK I quit-

I have about 50 websites I need to log into and numerous PINs and other important numbers that must be remembered and safeguarded for regular use. So I have them all in a Spreadsheet on a password protected flashdrive hidden in a potted plastic plant [[I used to use a living plant until somebody watered it). My significant other does reorganize the plant pots around our house occasionally which gives me panic attacks.

Where do we draw the line ?