I’m going to share the single best piece of technology advice I can give: get a password manager.
Not just for security, though that’s important, but for sanity. Both yours and your family’s.
Here’s how it works: instead of trying to remember 80 different passwords or using the same password for everything, you remember one really good password that unlocks a digital vault containing all your other passwords.
Most password managers generate strong, unique passwords for every account, auto-fill them when you need to log in, and sync across all your devices. It’s like having a really good memory that never forgets and never gets confused about which password goes with which account.
But here’s the estate planning part: you can give someone else access to your password manager without giving them your individual passwords. Most services have emergency contact features or family sharing options.
This means your trusted person can get into your accounts when necessary, and they’re not reading your passwords off sticky notes or trying to guess what combination of your pet’s name and birth year you used for your bank account.
Popular options include Bitwarden, 1Password, and LastPass. They cost about as much as a fancy coffee per month, and they’re worth every yen.
Your future self will thank you. Your family will thank you. And you’ll never again have that moment of panic when you can’t remember if your password has one exclamation point or two.
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