Get a 4-pack of AirTag trackers for an all-time-low $70 — or something even better for less?

The AirTags deal is excellent, but don't sleep on another 4-pack of trackers that's almost half the price.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included herein are affiliate links (usually those in bold blue type), meaning if you make a purchase via one of them, I may get a small commission. I promise you, now and forever, that I won’t choose deals based on whether there’s an affiliate option available.

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SPONSORED

Get a pair of these for just $20.

Every car needs a phone holder, but I’m not a fan of windshield ones (they always come loose) or vent-mount ones (they block the air). A potentially better option: a cup-holder holder, one that grips the phone securely, charges it, and pivots easily so your passenger can program the map app. (You would never do that while driving, right?)

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Meh has a 2-pack of universal cup-holder phone mounts with wireless charging (!) for just $20. A similar item at Amazon would run you around $74 for two.

Shipping adds $6, but that’s mostly offset with this exclusive coupon code: DSQI. Apply that at checkout (click “Got a coupon code?”) to take $5 off your order.

This comes courtesy of Meh, a company I’ve worked with for years and wholeheartedly recommend. (Plus I’ve always loved the tongue-in-cheek name and hilarious product write-ups.)

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SO LONG, 2024!

Well, friends, this will wrap things up for 2024 — I’m about to step away from the keyboard until the clock strikes January. Thanks for being patient with me during my “book-writing hiatus” this year, and thanks as well for all the kind words and coffees bought.

What book? Oh, right, some of you are new here. I wrote a half-memoir, half-ode to the sport that changed my life: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned Playing Pickleball. Makes a great gift, yada-yada… 😜 I swear this is the last time I’ll shamelessly plug it! (In 2024.)

Anyway, here’s wishing you a safe and happy holiday. My gentle annual reminder: We’re all on the same team — the human team. Let’s treat each other accordingly.

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QUICK HITS

🎧 Want to treat yourself to a premium pair of headphones without paying a premium price? For a limited time, and while supplies last, BuyDig via eBay has the top-rated Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones for $168.30. That’s after applying promo code LASTMINUTEGIFTS. Originally $350, this is the lowest price I can recall seeing. The XM4s, as they’re generally known, are hugely popular, and for good reason; they’re just about perfect. Oh, and they’re new, not refurbished.

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🔦 Need a stocking stuffer? If you have Amazon Prime, you might be able to get this gem delivered in time. It’s a telescoping magnetic flashlight for just $9.99. A must-have for every toolbox, this is the thing you reach for when a screw or washer has fallen out of reach. It has three bright LEDs attached to a bendable magnetic head, with a telescoping arm that can extend nearly two feet. Ten bucks! No-brainer. A lot of similar ones sell for $18+.

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Tired of losing your stuff? Here are 3 tracker deals you shouldn’t miss

A few weeks back I shared a (now-expired) deal on the SwitchBot Wallet Finder Card, which I think many of you jumped at. It was great if you wanted a tracker that could slip inside your wallet, but what about a keychain option?

Here’s one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Apple AirTag 4-pack is down to $70 — only the second time it’s ever been that low. (Reg. $99.) That works out to $17.50 apiece, quite a savings over the $29 price for a single AirTag.

I like AirTags, especially with the new Share Item Location feature that just rolled out. It leverages Apple’s Find My network, the value of which can’t be underestimated.

I don’t like that you have to buy a keychain clip or similar accessory if you actually want to attach an AirTag to something. (At least they’re cheap; here’s a 4-pack of AirTag keyring holders for just $9.)

Another option: trackers that have a keyring hole built in. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon Prime subscribers can get the Eufy SmartTrack Link 4-pack for just $39. That’s less than $10 per.

But, wait, there’s more: The Link trackers are compatible with Find My, same as AirTags. Similarly, they can use the aforementioned new Share Item Location feature. But like the SwitchBot cards, they also support two-way tracking. That means you can double-press the Link and it’ll make your phone ring (if it’s within Bluetooth range), even when set to silent.

That’s a super-useful feature. AirTags don’t have it.

Yeah, the Links feel a little cheap and plastic-y, but I’ve tested one and it performed well. Bluetooth trackers don’t work miracles, but they’re better than nothing and awfully affordable.

Stick your AirTag somewhere useful and then forget about it for 10 years.

Finally, swinging back to AirTags for a moment, I can’t decide if this is genius or ludicrous: The Elevation Lab TimeCapsule replaces the standard AirTag CR2032 battery — which is good for about a year — with a pair of AAs, which the company says can last up to 10 years.

Basically it retrofits the tracker into an elongated waterproof case powered by those batteries. Obviously this isn’t suited for keychains, but you could put it someplace like a glove box, suitcase, etc. and then enjoy a decade without ever running out of tracker juice.

The TimeCapsule sells for $20. Leave a comment letting me know if you think it’s worth it.

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PLAYLIST

The best “friends” ensemble since that other one…

📺 Recently I rewatched a few episodes of Friends From College, newly returned to Netflix (but not with new seasons, alas), and was reminded what a gem it is. Sure, it’s a Friends clone, but a smart, funny, grown-up one. These aren’t just cutout characters who exist to deliver jokes; they feel like real versions of people you know (or knew). Consequently, the humor seems organic. I don’t understand why FFC didn’t catch on in a big way; it lasted just two seasons. But those 20 episodes are gold. Rick’s Rating: A

📺 While we’re on the subject of criminally overlooked TV series, I will once again make a plea for you to watch Travelers. It’s a great concept — operatives from a dystopian future download into the bodies of those about to die in the present, all so they can help save that future — elevated by smart writing and some genuinely great performances. (If you only knew Eric McCormack from Will & Grace, prepare for a surprise.) It’s sci-fi, which may not appeal to everyone, but very character-driven — and you can’t help but love these characters. Rick’s Rating: A

Clunky writing and cardboard-cutout characters kill the buzz of Carry-On.

🍿 I’d been hearing lots of positive buzz about the new Netflix movie Carry-On, which was described as “Die Hard in an airport.” (Wait, they already made that; it was called Die Hard 2.) So, yeah, imagine that movie, but with a bland leading man surrounded by some genuinely bad supporting actors. (The girlfriend is, just, ugh.) Jason Bateman (as the villain!) almost saves it, delivering just the right measure of dispassionate menace. This is okay if you want to turn your brain off — and I’ll admit I’ve seen worse action flicks — but I wish it had been more fun. Rick’s Rating: C

📖 I devoured and adored Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s debut novel, Fleishman is in Trouble. Her second, Long Island Compromise, suffers from a bit of sophomore slump; it’s funny and insightful in places and almost deliberately off-putting in others. (There’s a heavy dose of BDSM early on that I could have done without.) Still, I couldn’t tear myself away from the train wreck that is the Fletcher family. (There’s a sequence involving one character’s drug-fueled Hollywood tailspin that was maybe the most gripping 30 pages I read all year.) Rick’s Rating: B

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Thanks for reading Deal Secrets! Questions? Comments? Shoot me an e-mail. I’ll do my best to respond to all inquiries! Want to show your support? Buy me a coffee!

There's also my book: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned Playing Pickleball. And check out my curated book list at Bookshop.org, which donates to local bookstores with every purchase.