Password Managing ProgramsI have the best clients and friends in the world… I have to admit.  Every time I think about a topic for the Blog I get dozens of suggestions from all of you. 
So here’s a question that I get frequently from several friends:  “With so many websites, apps, accounts, etc. that you handle, how do you keep track of all of your passwords?”  My immediate answer is “Easy! I just use the same password for everything!”  And after I enjoy seeing their facial muscles twitching because they don’t want to tell me how dumb I am, I proceed to give them the more intelligent response.
So here it is.  Of course, do NOT use the same password for all of your accounts, do not use your SSN, birth date, child’s name, etc.  And because most reputable institutions require “strong” passwords with a certain number of characters including, letters, numbers, symbols, etc. our memory is just not made for that!  So much for technology making our lives easier!
After trying the traditional Excel sheet with all my passwords, then password protecting my Excel sheet, phone apps, and a number of other methods, the one I like know is LastPass (www.LastPass.com).  For me, it is a great option, it is Free or even if you get the “Premium” version, it is only $1 per month.  It’s quite easy to use and it works very well when you’re on your computer.  Another option for individual users is RoboForm (www.RoboForm.com).  Of course, both of these applications have a number of additional features but since I’m including the handy links, I leave it up to you to check them out and see if they work for you.
I hope this helps and if any of you have any other suggestions about this or any other topic, please write your comments below.
Until next time, this is Manuel Gil del Real (MGR)