No-fee ATM Debit Cards

While you can travel in many developed countries without pulling out cash, it’s tough to go even a day without banknotes in others, including where I live in Mexico. Plus you’ve got guide/bellhop tips, cash-only street food stalls, veggie stands, and pay toilets to consider. Get your cash without fees by using the right debit card. The best don’t just waive their own (like Capital One 360 does) but they’ll also reimburse what the local bank charges. I’ve personally got ones from Fidelity, Schwab, and biz fintech Novo, but many credit unions offer one without fees too.

Top Countries for Internet Connectivity

In which countries are you likely to have fast, secure, uncensored, and affordable internet no matter which device you’re on? A new report from eSIM company Saily shows the best options around the world, with the first 13 all being in Europe and then Australia, Singapore, and Canada coming next. Use the little gray scroll bar on the right of the full list to keep going and find the USA at #23 and UK at #27. Inexpensive travel/nomad destinations punching above their wealth include Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, all in the top-20. (Need an eSIM for an upcoming trip? Use our exclusive Saily code NOMADICO at checkout after choosing your destination and get 10% off.)

Best U.S. Airports for International Deals

The generically named Going.com was formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights and they know a thing or two about finding airfare bargains. They recently published their annual Flight Deal Awards for the USA and highlighted the airports that consistently see the best flight bargains. For international travel, you’re most likely to find great flight deals from large airports JFK (NYC), Logan (Boston), and Los Angeles, or smaller airports in Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and Portland. If you’re looking to cash in points instead of paying, your best bets in order are New York City (JFK again), Chicago, Boston, L.A., San Francisco, and DC.

Boring but Important: Good Socks

I once met a traveler in his late ‘60s who had just spent a week hiking around Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. I asked him if he had any advice for someone planning a trip like that. Without hesitation he said, “Invest in good socks.” I’m about to throw away a pair of hiking socks from Darn Tough Vermont that I’ve been wearing for 14 years, on probably 100 hikes. They’re my favorite brand for a good reason. When I plopped down $24 for a pair while shopping with my daughter recently she saw the total and said, “For socks?!” I told her they were worth it and that I’d still be using them a decade from now. Get them at Amazon or at most quality outdoor/travel clothing stores.

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

09/11/25