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Raise your hand if you’ve got usernames and passwords written down everywhere, emailed to yourself, scattered in your brain and sprinkled across your computer.
Anyone? Anyone?
Just me? No way!
I know I am / was not alone here. But… I’m now a “former” member of that club and you can be too.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve sat down at my computer intending to be productive only to get hung up forgetting my usernames, entering incorrect passwords, resetting passwords, waiting for emails to allow me to get new passwords, and then finally making it into whatever online account I was trying to access.
All the while, I’m throwing a fit and pouting like a child because I’m so frustrated that this happens Every. Single. Time! Worst of all, it’s a circular cause and effect. By changing my password, I’m less likely to remember it again. When I can’t log on next time, I reset my password again. And I’m back to not knowing which one is right next time. What a mess.
My solution? Dashlane
Dashlane is a program and app that stores all your passwords, addresses, credit cards numbers and email addresses (you can pick and choose what you want it to save).
I know some of you are freaking out right now, thinking it’s crazy that I would pass all that information along to one company and store it online.
But really, I don’t think it’s crazy at all. And if you’re worried about it, rest assured that Google and Facebook have WAY more information (and far more valuable information) about you than Dashlane ever will.
I bet once a week I think to myself “I’m so glad I have Dashlane”.
I sound like a paid advertisement, but I’m totally not. I just really like it, and it’s made my online experience process so much smoother (not to mention saved me tons of time).
I spend quite a bit of time online whether it be researching on databases for work, managing my bank accounts or other personal accounts, buying things for our family, or shopping online for myself. (Oh yeah… blogging much?). Having Dashlane automatically log me in to every account every time I return to a site requiring a username and password is nothing short of wonderful.
I’m not a particularly impulsive online shopper. I plan my purchases and typically buy when I need things or when things on my wish list go on sale. Thus, having my credit card information readily available hasn’t been a financial failure for me.
For those with happy clicking fingers who find the friction of having to pull out the physical card helpful, you can always use Dashlane without completing the credit card functionality.
Let’s Be Honest About Security
Beyond just making password management a million times easier, Dashlane is working much harder than I am to protect my passwords.
If I had a personal IT security handbook, it might read 1) Purchase anti-virus program and 2) Try not to click on dumb links. That’s about all I’ve got. Dashlane, on the other hand, has a multi-million dollar budget dedicated to the latest in Internet security technology. Where would you place your bets?
When the CIO of my company mentioned that he used Dashlane, I followed suit quickly and haven’t looked back.
Added Bonuses
Not only does Dashlane store my username and password information, but it also keeps my credit card and address information on file. I know some might think this is nuts, but aside from groceries, I shop almost exclusively online. I type my credit card information into websites regularly. Now, Dashlane types all that information for me and I don’t have to pull my card out of my wallet every time I’m making a purchase. This is particularly sneaking for those of you who do a little online shopping at the office. But that’s probably not you, just your coworkers. Right???
Is There a Cost?
Dashlane has a free version that you can use on one device. I pay a small annual fee for an upgraded version that allows me to access my account on multiple devices. That I paid for the additional services indicates just how much I appreciate the ease it brings to my life.
If you’ve got an iron clad memory that remembers all your various passwords across the web, Dashlane might not be for you. If you remember the single password you use on every single account at every website, Dashlane is definitely for you (because you need to stop using the same password everywhere). Passwords get stolen far too often to fall victim to that expected crime.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We’re way past “fool me twice”.
If you don’t have Dashlane, it’s definitely worth a test run. It’s free and well worth the five minutes it takes to get your account in order.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.