to think it's humanly impossible to remember log in details for all my bank accounts without writing them down?

[SnickersRhymesWithKnickers]

I have a personal account, a savings account for tax, a joint account with my ex for stuff to do with DS, a savings account for DS, and a number of other savings accounts, not including ISAs. This is just bank stuff, not including all the other things that need user name and password log in info, like my email account, online shops, Mumsnet, etc.

It is not humanly possible to remember different log in details for every single one of these accounts and sites. And so I write them down and hide them away. However, writing down my bank log in info breaches my banking terms and conditions.

You're not supposed to use the same log in info over and over, for lots of different sites, are you? So what else are you supposed to do?!

Grrr.

(Am just applying for a savings account, whose terms and conditions are warning me not to write down the password I'm about to come up with ...)

There's a small application called Keepass that is very useful - allows you to securely store all account information.

Free, safe and terribly easy to use.

keepass.info/

Couple of tips - don't know if I'm within the terms and conditions, but this is what I do.

1. I do write down partial details, e.g the account number or the user name (esp. if it's one of those interminable strings of letters and numbers that they don't allow you to change).

1. I have a selection of about five different passwords for low/medium security sites. Instead of writing down the actual password, I give each one a number, and just write that down on my list (e.g. British Gas, password no.1). That way they're unguessable, but it allows me to use several passwords and still remember which I've used for each service.

1. I have one 'high security' password that I use for bank accounts and so on. If you're interested, I use the initials of the words from the first line of a poem that I know off by heart (then stick a couple of numbers on the end as well, for good measure). That way it's very memorable for me, but I don't have to write anything down, and I think it would be pretty tricky to guess.

Barclaycard is the most difficult - they make you pick a password full of numbers as well as letters and I have no hope of remembering it. Plus a load of other things like a user name that I can't remember. Consequently I can never log in.

No, you shouldn't stick with one password but I think having say, 3, which you randomly apply (as I do) is pretty secure - I know it's always one of three, even if I can't remember which one is for what.

Some banks do a wrapper account where they link to all of your financial details through one portal. I think First Direct do one.

Agree it is really difficult. Like Hassled I have a small number I rotate.

I use words I can remember but replace some letters with numbers eg password would be pa55w0rd.

you can also make up a sentence like this and use the initials. still hard to remember...

My first own flat was number 42 Dream Street and my dog was 5 years Old

Mfofwn42DSamdw5yO

Yabu, it is humanly possible to remember all your passwords as I do and am human

But then I also know all my account numbers and sort codes off by heart too

My bank details are fine, it's the stoopid bloody security questions my payrole ask, that I can't remember! Every flipping month, when I check my salary slip, I have to get my password reset! I ask you, the three questions I am asked - randomly - are favourite holiday destination, favourite colour and favourite author!! FGS!!

I use a similar app to the one looktowinward linked to, but for the iphone - it's called Keeper. I have it on both my iPhone and my iPad in case I lose my phone and I only have to remember the password that opens the appp. You can also backup your data online or sync it with the keeper desktop app or export it by FTP.

I use words that fit a particular category, replace letters with numbers and add a punctuation mark if a special character is needed, so I usually remember my passwords anyway - it's the usernames I tend to have trouble remembering.