5 Tips to Help Keep Your Personal Information Safe

Most of us moms are pretty savvy when it comes to scoring a 6 pack of Lysol for $1.99.  But, at times we forget to apply this same savoir faire when it comes to giving out our personal information online.

Follow these 5 simple steps to shield your information from prying eyes.

1. Use common sense. It doesn’t matter where you read it or who told you about it, if the offer doesn’t make sense to you, skip it. Compromising your private information isn’t worth a free sample of perfume.
2. Set up a “junk” email address. Keep your personal email from being flooded with spam by using your junk email account for promotional offers. Yahoo, Hotmail and Gmail offer free accounts and set-ups are easy and quick.
3. Opt for a disposable email address. This option provides the most security because it allows you to remain anonymous.  Mailinator and GuerrillaMail are just two of many providers that allow you to pick up mail at their site; this means there’s never a connection to you! Registration is not required and depending on the provider you choose, the email address you receive remains active anywhere from 10 minutes to 72 hours or more.
4. Never give out your personal phone numbers. This includes cell numbers. In most situations it’s not necessary for a product sponsor to have your phone number. If you need or want to provide a contact number, services like iNumbr provide virtual numbers for a small monthly fee.  Virtual phone numbers are also handy for public posting sites like Craigslist. Additional numbers to keep private include birth dates and social security numbers.
5. Consider setting up a PO Box. Mail Box Etc, UPS Stores and your local Post Office all rent mailboxes at affordable rates. Mailbox Etc rentals even come with real street addresses.

Remember, you are the best guardian of your private information. Use these tips to help keep your personal information spam and hacker free. Remember, “Stranger Danger” isn’t just something we made-up to scare our kids. Have fun on the www, and stay safe!

We are pleased to feature this guest post by Nikola Hartmann. Nikola is a blogger, freelance writer and artist who enjoys helping women find their inner “thrifty chicas.” Visit her blog, Live Well for Less