Identity Theft Prevention Tips

There are more than 799  victims per hour of identity theft. Will you be one of those people this hour? The number of victims grows each year.

Spoiler Alert:

Don't allow your computer and passwords to help a thief!

Identity theft prevention bonus tips:

• Store your computer passwords where they cannot be easily found.
• Don't store passwords on a document kept on a computer.
• Use long passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, characters.
• Never use the same password for more than one website!

Identity theft thieves steal wallets, browse through garbage, and look for documents to provide them with additional information.

Identity Theft Thief

Using reliable antivirus and spyware software is essential in order to protect yourself against the most savvy identity theft crooks.

Shredders are inexpensive and a must-have for every household and business.

Identity theft prevention tips - easy steps:

• Shred credit cards and documents containing sensitive information.
• Use protective antivirus and spyware software.
• Minimize use of mail to send and receive sensitive information.
• Buy only from reputable sites using encryption to protect your data.
• Track your wallet / handbag to guard your credit cards and ID.
• Never carry your social security card, until you absolutely need it.
• Avoid opening potential phishing and spoof emails.
• Go paperless to reduce personal information moved through mail.
• Use credit card opt-out to reduce pre-approved applications in mail.
• Request your free credit reports annually to monitor your credit.

Protecting yourself against identity theft begins with the use of some basic tips and knowledge to increase your shield against it.

You will find this information helpful in this identity theft prevention tips video below.

Be sure to watch the entire video to become aware of some important steps to immediately implement if you become a victim of identity theft.

Now if only we could get our government to step up to the plate regarding the publishing of our personal information online!

Visit our additional articles in the links below video.


Additional resources from Money Illusions:
Use credit card opt-out service.

Track your credit by requesting your free credit reports every 12 months.

Budgeting Tip - A Sixty Forty Solution

The most difficult part of creating a budget is determining what the foundation of the plan should be in order to make it work.

What can you use as a budgeting foundation?

You could build it upon the 60-40 Solution!

This budgeting tip is sometimes referred to as: 'The 60% Solution', but I like to think of this as the 'Sixty - Forty Solution'. It just seems to be a easier way for me to remember the phrase for the way my mind thinks.

The strategy is based on using 60% of your budget for the essentials such as housing, food, clothing etc.

60%-40% Solution

Then you use the remaining 40% to split up for emergency funds, play money, long term rainy day funds, and your investments for retirement.

We all need a safety-net!

If you have children, when you plan your budget don't forget to set aside some funds for their *allowance commission, and each time they earn their *allowance commission, give them a budgeting lesson at the same time - following the sixty forty solution - of course!

Budgeting doesn't come easy for many, and to make matters worse it doesn't seem to be taught in school (well at least not when I was there).

Just think of how rich your children could be by the time they retire if they follow and stick with the 60% budgeting solution!

*In a recent article I shared the idea of paying kids commission for chores, instead of paying an allowance! Read my article to learn why!