You already know you shouldn't use "password123" for everything. But managing dozens of unique, complex passwords feels impossible. Here's how to actually handle it.

The Real Problem

The biggest risk isn't having a weak password on one account — it's using the same password everywhere. When a company gets hacked, attackers try those leaked passwords on banking sites, email, and social media. If you reuse passwords, one breach compromises everything.

The Practical Solution: A Password Manager

A password manager generates and stores unique passwords for every account. You only remember one master password. Bitwarden is free, open-source, and works on every platform. 1Password is excellent if you're willing to pay a few dollars monthly.

If You Won't Use a Manager

Use the passphrase method: pick four or five random, unrelated words. Something like "correct horse battery staple" is far stronger than "P@ssw0rd!" because length beats complexity.

Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

Enable 2FA on every account that offers it — especially email and banking. Even if someone gets your password, they can't log in without a code from your phone. It takes 30 seconds to set up and is the single best thing you can do for account security.