Southwest officially started its sad decline yesterday, with the free checked bags eligibility moving from “everyone” to “almost nobody.” (Unless you have their credit card.) They also announced that you can’t put phone chargers in the overhead bin. United is telling passengers to get to the airport earlier or possibly be denied boarding, even if flying domestic with just a carry-on. Then the TSA made a public announcement that we shouldn't trust the USB chargers that the airports are in charge of because of potential malware. (Apparently they haven't heard of charging-only cords that can't transmit data.)

Portugal Tops a “Where I Want to Move to” Survey

Mexico is the top country for US and American expats who have moved abroad, but according to this survey from a moving consulting company, Portugal tops the list for those who haven’t pulled the trigger yet. It was no small sample size: 116,363 Americans through the whole year of 2024. Others on the list included Costa Rica and Mexico, but 6 of the top 10 were in Europe.

Water Bottle Sling

I’ve used a ChicoBag water bottle sling for a decade probably, made from post-consumer recycled plastic. Our team member and Recomendo contributor Claudia mentioned it recently there so I’ll just use her quote: “For walks and short hikes, I’ve been leaving my daypack behind in favor of this ChicoBag water bottle sling. It’s convenient and comfortable to wear, and it even has a large pocket for my phone and keys. It folds up and takes up no space, so I just carry it with me at all times.”

Bilt Rewards for Points on Rent

I haven’t used this because I’m a homeowner, but if you pay rent each month, you could be getting something extra from that big expense by signing up with Biltrewards.com and running your rent through there. The points you build up can be transferred to airline and hotel programs at a 1:1 ratio like you can from Amex or Chase Sapphire. They also have neighborhood-focused deals at restaurants and gyms. There’s no fee if you pay with ACH, an automated check system, or Bilt’s own credit card.

Correction: A few readers dug deeper into the fine print than I did for last week’s product keepyourhomeip.com. Turns out there is a mandatory $8+ monthly support fee after you buy the equipment and set up the system.

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.