Managing Multiple Passwords for Different Sites

[David Bowley]

Ok here's the thing, I have so many sites/blogs/emails/ goodness knows what and I've started to think about the security of it all. I'm now considering the option of creating sites in a greater volume which again creates a bigger security risk as I don't have loads of individual passwords.

What do you guys use/recommend to sort out this problem? I'm sure a lot of you like me use the same password for a lot of personal accounts and that's fine, but what about for business purposes? I wouldn't leave my car unlocked when I go to the shops, yet my sites are worth a lot more to me than my car and I feel they could be more secure (at least passwords wise).

I've heard some people say they use password storage programs but I've never been too keen on the idea of keeping all my passwords in one place.

[Wickham]

A moderator on another forum said he just used Excel password-protected; not secure by itself but cheap (free) and convenient.

I use Excel but enter ** for most of the password, say L****n*2 for London12 so that I am just prompted by Excel. I use names and numbers that are familiar to me.

I tend to use the same username and password for forums and the like where security is not really an issue (I could always close an account and start another) but different usernames and passwords for each bank, etc.