I think Anton Frattaroli and Michiel Hendriks have it covered well. But I'll add my two cents anyways. I don't use a PW manager because I don't trust them ... eggs in one basket and maybe the basket, etc.
My technique is modelled after the security ring system. I have several levels of password from easy / non secure to hard (hopefully very secure). The one or two easy rings never change and they are used for things like newsletter / website subscriptions and blog posts. From there I use a system. I change the system every 3-6 mos. The most secure ring is email and the next secure is banking and credit cards.
For example, a system could be based on flowers:
step 1: choose a number of flowers or flower phrases from easy to hard, use camel case for phrases:
Rose
Daisy
Orchid
Marigolds
Dandelions
Chrysanthemums
StopToSmellTheRoses
Step2 Leet the vowels and special character some letters
I think Anton Frattaroli and Michiel Hendriks have it covered well. But I'll add my two cents anyways. I don't use a PW manager because I don't trust them ... eggs in one basket and maybe the basket, etc.
My technique is modelled after the security ring system. I have several levels of password from easy / non secure to hard (hopefully very secure). The one or two easy rings never change and they are used for things like newsletter / website subscriptions and blog posts. From there I use a system. I change the system every 3-6 mos. The most secure ring is email and the next secure is banking and credit cards.
For example, a system could be based on flowers:
step 1: choose a number of flowers or flower phrases from easy to hard, use camel case for phrases:
Rose
Daisy
Orchid
Marigolds
Dandelions
Chrysanthemums
StopToSmellTheRoses
Step2 Leet the vowels and special character some letters
R0$e
D41$y
0r(h1d
M4r1g0ld$
D4nd3l10n$
Chry$4nth3mum$
$t0pT0$m3llTh3R0$3$
Step3 - append or prepend the name or abbreviation of each website:
So, for Amazon which would be a banking / credit card site:
Chry$4nth3mum$-Amazon becomes Chry$4nth3mum$-4m4z0n
Then every so often change the formula ... cars, animals, mineral names, state capitals, cities in Europe, etc.