NSA IT guy I knew helped me create a personal PW algorithm, you can too.
Childhood pet?
some 4 digit number you can’t forget.
Break things up, use the name of the website as an acronym in the password.
Dog: lassie
mom’s birthday: 0914
website: Freerepublic.
Two capital letters from the LAST syllable of freerepublic: IC
IC09lass14ie!
YOUR algorithm is a pattern YOU fill in the details of, a whole lot less to memorize.
ONLY issues become someone hacking ONE account and using your PW to decode the PW for other sites.
That’s where unique user names come into play, again, based on the preceeding.
Sounds complicated, but once you’ve written some of it down, make it work for YOU then destroy your notes.
Use two-factor authentication with a password manager. You can purchase USB keys, use any thumb drive, or use your cell phone app to generate a one-to e password. I use the USB keys — one at work, one at home, and one on my keychain. Together with LastPass. Even if my big pass phrase gets stolen, nobody gets in without the physical token. Excellent peace of mind.