10 Carry-On Suitcase Features to Avoid for Stress-Free Airline Travel

10 Essential Tips for Choosing the Perfect Carry-On Suitcase

Airline travel is stressful enough without worrying about your luggage. The right carry-on suitcase can make all the difference. However, not all features are equally beneficial.

Here are ten features to avoid when selecting your next travel companion:

1. Heavy Empty Weight: A carry-on that’s heavy when empty will limit how much you can pack. Opt for lightweight materials such as polycarbonate. Stay within airline size limits for overhead compartments and under-seat storage to avoid fees or last-minute checked baggage.

2. Poor Wheel Quality: Opt for durable, multi-directional spinner wheels for effortless navigation through crowded airports.

3. Organization Is Key: Balance ample space with practical pockets and dividers. Utilize packing cubes for the best of both worlds.

4. Inconvenient Handle Design: Handles should be sturdy and adjustable. Test the handle for ease of use and comfort.

5. Complicated Lock Systems: Complex locks can be a hassle during security checks. Simple, TSA-approved locks are the way to go.

6. Unreliable Zippers: Zippers are often the first thing to break. Avoid flimsy zippers and look for reinforced, self-repairing ones.

7. Color Considerations: When it comes to bright colors and patterns,  they stand out but also show dirt and wear more easily. Consider neutral colors that hide scuffs and stains.

8. Weatherproofing: Water-resistant materials shield your possessions from spills and inclement weather.

9. Function Over Flash: Avoid unnecessary gadgets, such as power banks, USB ports, and built-in scales, which add weight and complexity. Focus on essential features that enhance travel ease.

By prioritizing durability, functionality, and simplicity, you can choose a carry-on suitcase that caters to your unique travel needs and delivers a seamless, stress-free experience.

This articled is a condensed version – I do have a video where I discuss the above in detail. Please visit this video here:

How to Deal with Scam Texts | What to Do When You Receive Scam Texts

Received A Scam Text? Do This to Protect Your Bank Account | How to Spot & Stop Scam Text Messages

What is a scam text? These are innocent-looking texts you receive like, “are you there”, “sorry, can’t now”, “how are you?”, and so on. The purpose of these texts to intrigue you to start a conversation. These questions are designed in such a way that a lot of us will respond when asked.

When you reply to these texts, the first thing that happens is that your phone number gets confirmed that it’s a valid and real number (Confirmation Trap). Your number then goes to a phone database which is the scammers’ favourite and gets sold on the dark web.

Later on, you will start receiving scam calls on your phone from various scammers from different parts of the world because you have a confirmed active number.

The second thing that happens is that scammers will try to make you click on a link to take control of your phone (Phishing Links). If that happens, you can expect your bank accounts and credit cards to get drained at some point.

If you do not click on anything, the scammers will try to keep the conversation going to lure you to fall in love with them or other tactics to make you pay (Emotional Manipulation).

There are many other things that possibly can happen, but now you know the basics on how scam texts work.

So the next time you receive a scam text, the best and the only thing to do is not to reply and delete it immediately.

If you want to go one step further, you can report this text as a scam on your phone. Depending on your operating system, there is an option to report texts as scams and you should utilize that whenever necessary.

Lounge by the Sea: Soundscapes Unwind – The Best Free Relaxing Chill Radio Station to Remove Stress

I Created the Ultimate Chill Out Radio Station for You – All Free

Are you stressed? From time to time, we all are. And to transport you to a state of pure relaxation, I created a perfect Chillout Radio Station, Lounge by the Sea: Soundscapes Unwind.

This radio station is your passport to the laid-back vibes of Ibiza, Café del Mar, CocoGroove, Buddha Bar, and similar locales. Embrace the eclectic mix of world music infused with both traditional and electronic sounds.

Whether you're lounging at home, hosting a gathering with friends, unwinding on the beach or at a café, or simply looking to escape the stress of everyday life, let Lounge by the Sea: Soundscapes Unwind be your sonic sanctuary.

If you have the Autoplay feature on while playing Lounge by the Sea: Soundscapes Unwind on YouTube or YouTube Music, the AI will keep playing continuously even after you finish listening to all the music in the playlist.

Better yet, if you like and dislike some music from the playlist, the AI will recognise your preferences and will keep playing music that is more matching to your taste.

I plan to update this playlist from time to time to give you more variety and better choices to relax and unwind. Save this playlist on YouTube, YouTube Music, as simply as a bookmark on your browser to come back and listen again.

Here is the link: Lounge by the Sea: Soundscapes Unwind

How to Install an eSIM On Your Windows Laptop

How to Use an eSIM to Get Cellular Data Connection On Laptop Computers

I just bought my Surface Go 3 LTE laptop/tablet and one of its best features is the ability to use a physical SIM or eSIM to connect to cellular network and provide Internet. This feature is a life saver when you travel and especially if you are a content creator.

What I noticed in many countries is that the hotel WiFi was so slow, it was unusable except for checking email and light browsing. I was pulling my hair out using it, as I was getting behind updating my YouTube and I was unable to do any work.

An LTE laptop is capable of using a local SIM in your destination country or you can even install an eSIM before leaving for the trip in your own country. Installing an eSIM provides you Internet access right away when you land and you don’t need to search for a local SIM card. The disadvantage of this is an eSIM is always more expensive than the local SIM.

Installing an eSIM or physical SIM is not difficult at all. Search on your 4G or 5G LTE laptop and go to Cellular Settings to setup your eSIM or SIM.

There are many eSIM providers. Your laptop might even have some pre-installed by Microsoft, but I noticed their rates are horrible. The one I use is called Airalo (I am not affiliated) and I have used and tested them in several countries and it always worked for me and it is also by far the cheapest provider I came across. Regardless of which provider you go with, always do your research first for an eSIM for your destination country.

I have a video showing the full step-by-step eSIM installation process on a Windows Laptop here.

What You Must Check Before Taking A Rental Car

Simple Checks You Should Perform Before Driving Off A Rental Car | Best Car Rental Tips

Don’t rush to leave the rental car station once you get the keys. Spending 10 more minutes to do these simple checks will save you a lot of hassle and time.

I will go over some basic checks for you in this article. If you think I missed something, definitely add it to your list next time you rent a car and drive off the parking lot.

Vehicle Registration and Insurance Papers – These should be in the glove compartment, but don’t assume they are always there. Check and make sure your rental car has all the required documents you need.

Tire Pressure and Flat Tire Tool Kit - Check the tire pressure by kicking them and also make sure the trunk has a flat tire tool kit such as a jack, a wrench, and a fully-inflated spare tire. Also, ask the associate what their policy is in case of a flat tire. Some rental companies don’t allow customers to change a flat tire (you have to call their provided emergency # in that case) and some want you to try changing the tire first before calling for help.

Also, get the emergency # to call from the associate and save it on your phone.

Check & Record for Damages – Check the whole car inside and outside, including the trunk for any damages and scratches. Better yet, video (using your phone) the car as proof, which will be hard to dispute in the case of the rental company blaming you for something which was done by the previous renter. This simple video trick helped me a lot when I discovered scratches after exiting the parking lot and didn’t notice it before.

Gas Metre (Fuel Gauge) – Take a picture of the gas metre, as you will need to refuel it to the same point it was when you took the car.

A bonus tip is to check where the gas tank release button is located. It happened to me in the past that I couldn’t find the release button, as it was hidden.