Recently, I have 3 flights with AA, and I hand carried my luggage, likewise my parents.  So, 3 of us, 3 flights, if all of us check in our baggages for all 3 flights, it would be RM180(pre-booked) or RM270 (at the airport)!

To avoid the hand carry luggage being weighed, and to use one piece of hand carry, and not exceeding the 7kg limit, this is what we did:
- use the light weight "soft" bag (the "overnight" bag) and not the cabin-sized luggage.  Chances are the AA staff are more likely to weigh the "bigger looking" cabin-sized luggage bag.  Besides, those luggage bag on itself when empty carries some weight (might be +/-1kg).

- do not carry handbag, sling bag, waist pouch etc, but use a small backpack(I keep my waist pouch in the backpack).  Some of the "heavy weight" small items can be put into the backpack, thus lighten the hand carry luggage.  (I carried 1kg of dried shrimp in my backpack) If carry handbag etc, the backpack might be considered as the second piece of hand carry..  Also, I do not put clothing items in the backpack - this will make it like another hand carry luggage, just in case they check.