If your passwords are simple enough to remember then they are probably not safe at all. The only exceptions is if you have a brilliant photographic memory, which most people don't, or if you have a very small number of passwords to remember.
I've tried a few different things but ended up using RoboForm. There is a free version that will save only 10 passwords, but for about $24 you get unlimited. The coolest thing about this app is that it sits in your system tray (in Windows), you click on the icon, and then click on the site you want login to then opens a browser window or tab, navigates to the site, logs in and then submits the login form. It's the coolest thing ever. Plus it has a form filler for personal information that i uncanny in the way it interprets so many forms so accuratly, and you can have multiple identities (like i have one for work and one for personal) for filling in forms. I would HIGHLY recommend this. roboform.com Jay
Usually memory is sufficient, but this has failed me as I cannot remember my paypal password. Luckily Firefox remembers the password for me