SIMS 3: Save sim family to install on another laptop?

The USB is the way to go. What you want to do is go to your start button on your computer and go to all programs, locate the EA folder where your Sims program is located. Insert the USB drive into the USB port and wait for the option to "view contents of folder" have that window handy. Go back to the EA folder and locate your Sims 3 folder and there is where your saves and family information should be. Right click on this folder and select "copy". Once done with that click on the USB folder again which should be empty because the Sims 3 file information is probably large, right click the empty space and select the option "paste" this should paste your copy of your Sims 3 folder onto the USB. Safely remove the USB and then plug it into the USB port on your new laptop. Go to the EA folder and the Sims 3 section on your new laptop and copy and paste your family information into that folder. Once you load up the Sims 3 your family information should be there!