All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life

#268: Learn why setting big goals might actually be holding you back and what to do instead. Chris and Anne-Laure explore how to replace goal-setting with tiny, low-risk experiments that lead to more growth, more joy, and less burnout. Anne-Laure Le Cunff is a neuroscientist, writer, and founder of Ness Labs, a learning community at the intersection of science and self-development. She is the author of Tiny Experiments and publishes a weekly newsletter on mindful productivity, creativity, and growth. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/tiny-experiments-anne-laure-le-cunff/ Partner Deals Shopify: $1/month trial for the easiest e-commerce platform DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth Green Chef: 50% off on your first box + 20% off for two months with code 50ALLTHEHACKS Superhuman: Free month of the fastest and best email with code ALLTHEHACKS For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: ⁠chrishutchins.com/deals⁠ Resources Mentioned Anne-Laure: Website | Newsletter | Instagram Tiny Experiments Ness Labs ATH Podcast Ep #256: The Easy Way to Build and Maintain Meaningful Relationships with Nick Gray Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:01) The Problem with Setting Big Goals (02:42) When Goal Setting Becomes Counterproductive (03:41) Why Tiny Experiments Beat Goals (06:07) The Missing Ingredients That Make Experiments Actually Work (08:29) How an Experimental Mindset Rewires Your Brain (10:11) How Anne-Laure Adopted an Experimental Mindset (13:38) What Happened When Anne-Laure Redefined Success (16:29) How to Run a Tiny Experiment (18:22) Real-World Examples You Can Try Immediately (20:10) Why Smaller Is Always Better When Starting Out (22:28) How to Experiment Without Burning Out (25:05) Tracking Both External Results and Internal Signals (30:10) The Simple Weekly Review That Keeps Experiments on Track (32:18) Balancing Experimentation With Actually Living Your Life (35:45) Applying Experimentation to Financial Security (39:33) The Real Reason We Over-Optimize (42:15) When Optimizing Is Actually the Right Move (46:09) Balancing Excitement With Long-Term Priorities (50:12) Measuring Time Differently (52:20) Simple Rituals for Getting Present (53:25) Why Experimenting Publicly Accelerates Growth (57:26) How to Run Your Very First Experiment (59:26) Where to Find Anne-Laure and Her Work Connect with Chris ⁠Newsletter⁠ | ⁠Membership⁠ | ⁠X⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he uses to stay on top of it all. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/whats-in-my-wallet-2026/ Link to Cards Mentioned: https://chrishutchins.com/blog/whats-in-my-wallet-for-2026/ Partner Deals MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off Wispr Flow: Try effortless voice dictation for free Mercury: Manage, move, and grow your money Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned CardTool App (Free access here) ⁠Credit Card Holder Wallet⁠ 1Password Blog Posts Premium Card Worksheet How to maximize your Hilton cards 6 reasons to avoid booking through an online travel agency Existing Bank of America relationship customers to keep status longer Credit Card Trackers CardPointers Pro (30% off here and 50% off here) CardRight Travel Freely ATH Podcast Best Cards Page CardTool App Membership Chris’s Card Optimization Spreadsheet AMA: Submit A Question Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:42) 3 Key Reasons to Get A Credit Card (05:23) Chris' Credit Card Goals for 2026 (08:31) Evaluating The Net Annual Fee of A Card (12:56) The Amex Card Stack (23:19) Co-Branded Marriott Cards (25:32) Co-Branded Hilton Cards (27:00) Co-Branded Delta Cards (28:12) The Amex Blue Card (30:34) A Popular Bank's Cards (33:10) World of Hyatt Business Card (33:30) Co-Branded Southwest & United Cards (40:41) More Cards From The Popular Bank (42:11) Capital One Venture Cards (45:17) Bank of America Card Stack (51:09) Alaska Atmos Cards (53:24) US Bank Cards (55:22) Citi Bank Cards (56:56) Wells Fargo Autograph Card (57:43) The Bilt Palladium Card (59:25) Assessing The Major Spending Categories (01:06:32) Cards for Amazon & Costco (01:07:13) The Best "Everything Else" Card (01:08:47) Chris's Takeaway on Credit Card Spending Categories (01:09:26) The Best Card Combos (01:13:00) Credit Card Trackers Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#266: Chris and Maya break down the science-backed tools that make change easier and more intentional. They explore why most people misunderstand change, how to anchor your identity to your deeper “why,” and practical tools to break out of rumination and navigate uncertainty. Maya Shankar is the bestselling author of The Other Side of Change, and hosts the podcast A Slight Change of Plans. She previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and led the White House Behavioral Science Team. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/navigating-change-maya-shankar Partner Deals Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift Gusto: Free 3-month trial of the #1 payroll software Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your family For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Maya: Website | Instagram Book: The Other Side of Change Podcast: A Slight Change of Plans Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke Deep Personality Assessment ATH Podcast Ep #81: Making Smarter Decisions and Knowing When to Walk Away with Annie Duke Ep #265: I Built an AI Assistant That Works While I Sleep Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (00:38) What People Get Wrong About Change (05:14) The Antidote That Makes Change Easier (12:11) Past Change vs. Intentional Change (16:02) Maximisers vs. Satisficers (19:10) Anchor Your Identity to Your Why (23:15) How to Discover Your Why (25:03) Navigating Change With a Very Different Partner (29:17) Breaking the Rumination Cycle (29:58) Mental Time Travel (31:55) Affect Labeling (32:39) Tools for Better Self-Understanding (36:01) AI as a Conversational Partner (39:43) Tactics For Thinking Through Big Changes (42:01) Moral Elevation (43:36) Why Reading Fiction Matters (44:29) Repurposing Your Experience (45:34) The First Step When Everything Changes (47:31) Where to Find More From Maya Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#265: Chris explores how modern AI tools have eliminated the barriers to building software, why planning matters more than coding skill, how anyone can turn a simple problem into a working app faster and cheaper than ever before, and how he built a personal AI assistant that's already started to run his life behind the scenes. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/how-to-build-with-ai-tools Partner Deals Green Chef: 50% off on your first box + 20% off for two months with code 50ALLTHEHACKS Mercury: Help your business grow with simplified finances NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth Trust & Will: Get 20% off personalized, legally binding estate plans For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned AI Models & Assistants ChatGPT OpenClaw Gemini Claude AI Coding & Building Tools Replit Lovable Cursor Codex Productivity & Automation Tools Wispr Flow Zapier Nimble Links Tampermonkey Developer Infrastructure Clerk Supabase GitHub FinTech: Plaid How to Run OpenClaw as your Virtual EA Blogs Doctor of Credit Frequent Miler The Points Guy Deep Personality Credit Cards American Express® Gold Card Citi Strata Elite℠ Card Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Bilt 2.0 ATH Podcast Ep #263: How to Earn Millions of Points and More Listener Q&A Chris’ Card Optimizer Tool Ask Chris Anything! Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:41) Why This Is the Best Time Ever to Build Software (04:14) How to Build Almost Anything with AI (13:53) Why Context Is the Real Superpower (15:58) Using Planning Mode Instead of Guessing (16:41) Which AI Tool Should You Start With? (17:53) Building a Real Credit Card Optimizer from Scratch (28:48) What It Actually Costs to Build with AI (32:38) The Real AI Learning Curve (33:38) Moving from Cursor to Claude Code (36:17) Why You Should Try Building Something (Even If You're Not a Coder) (37:00) How OpenClaw Changes the Game (38:57) Why Security Still Matters (42:25) A Conversation with Ted, Chris' AI Assistant (44:07) Letting AI Work While You Sleep (49:41) Learning to Be Clear, Specific, and Intentional (50:03) Start with a Real Problem (50:39) Breaking Projects into Small, Winnable Pieces (50:58) What Would You Build If Building Were Easy? (51:59) Keeping Track of Cost and Budget Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#264: Learn how the Bilt ecosystem works, from earning Bilt Rewards to the new cards, transfer partners, perks, and where the real value is. Whether you’re new or already earning, this is a practical guide to using Bilt strategically and avoiding common mistakes. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/bilt-ecosystem-explained Partner Deals DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web Copilot Money: Free 2 months access to my favorite personal finance app with code HACKS2 Shopify: $1/month trial for the easiest e-commerce platform Superhuman: Free month of the fastest and best email with code ALLTHEHACKS Wispr Flow: Try effortless voice dictation for free For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Bilt 2.0 Bilt Blue Card (Rates and fees here) Bilt Obsidian Card (Rates and fees here) Bilt Palladium Card (Rates and fees here) Bilt Cash Bilt Travel Portal Bilt Dining Bilt Home Design Collection Complimentary BLADE airport flight Mastercard World Elite Benefits Guide Award Search Tools Award Wallet point.me (20% off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS20) Gopuff BevMo! Rakuten ($50 bonus here) Robinhood Gold Card Frequent Miler Article: Bilt Housing Payments ATH Podcast Luxury Hotel Upgrade Program Ask Chris Anything! Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:28) What Makes Bilt Rewards Different (07:03) How to Earn Bilt Points Without a Credit Card (13:52) Referral Bonuses and Earning Limits (14:17) How Rent and Mortgage Payments Work (16:06) Earning Through the Bilt Neighborhood Network (17:16) Earning Without a Card: The Real Tradeoffs (17:46) How Bilt Point Redemptions Actually Work (21:39) Transfer Partners and When Bonuses Matter (24:18) How Bilt Status and Elite Tiers Work (25:32) What Each Bilt Status Level Unlocks (31:49) A Major Caveat With the New Bilt Cards (34:36) Breaking Down the Current Bilt Card Lineup (35:33) Bilt Blue Card (37:34) Bilt Obsidian Card (41:19) Bilt Palladium Card (48:59) Housing Payments and What Changed (50:16) Earning Based on Billing-Cycle Spend (55:18) The Original Fee-Free Model (59:26) Cash-Out and Statement Credit Options (01:08:44) Simplifying the New Bilt Choices (01:14:21) The Bilt Silver Lining Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices