All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life

#262: Learn how to navigate major changes in points and miles while maximizing travel rewards in 2026. Chris and Brian M cover Bilt 2.0, the Mesa card shutdown, how to evaluate annual fees, find award availability, and what’s likely (and unlikely) to change this year. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/latest-on-points-miles-january-2026 Partner Deals Trust & Will: Get 20% off personalized, legally binding estate plans MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Bilt World Elite Mastercard® (Rates and fees here) Bilt 2.0 Bilt Blue Card (Rates and fees here) Bilt Obsidian Card (Rates and fees here) Bilt Palladium Card (Rates and fees here) Rove Miles Silo Markets Rakuten ($50 bonus here) Kalshi Prediction Market Alila Ventana Big Sur The Big A## Calendar Award Search Tools Award Wallet Points Path Chrome Extension Google Flights AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS) Expert Flyer ATH Podcast Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:27) Reactions to Bilt’s New Card Lineup (04:08) Breakdown of the 3 New Bilt Cards (05:14) Should You Convert, Apply Fresh, Or Keep the Wells Fargo Card? (08:16) Questions Around Bilt Cash (09:50) The Bilt Card Chris Is Leaning Towards (15:03) Why Bilt's New Earnings Might Be Better Than It Looks (20:03) Mesa's Overnight Shutdown (24:25) Silo Markets Brokerage Bonus (29:54) What’s Coming Up in 2026 For Points, Loyalty, And Cards (32:25) Thoughts on the Southwest Companion Pass (35:26) Implications of the Proposed 10% Interest Rate Cap on Credit Cards (38:19) Will Points Tools Get Better in 2026? (40:02) Why 2026 Might Be Quiet on Major Credit Card Changes (43:18)  How Brian Decides Whether an Annual Fee Card is Worth Keeping (46:50) Chris’ Order of Operations For Analyzing Cards (51:42) Ways to Plan A Trip Using Points (57:49) How Brian Leverages Flexibility for Travel (01:00:04) Strategies for Booking Flights (01:03:23) The Best Award Flight Search Tools (01:04:58) Booking Hotels With Points (01:09:38) Timeshares: When They Make Sense (and When They Don’t) (01:11:51) Using Alerts to Monitor Award Availability (01:13:12) Changing the Connecting City After Booking a Flight (01:15:14) Business Cards for Personal Spend (and Vice Versa) (01:17:09) What to Do When You Stop Getting Approved for Cards 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

#261: Chris and Kevin reflect on 2025’s biggest wins and lessons, then dive into how they're planning 2026. They share their goals, the tools they're using, and why they're designing a year that’s easier, not just more optimized. Kevin Rose is the host of Diggnation and a partner at True Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that has invested over $4 billion in a portfolio of over 400+ founders. Kevin previously founded Zero and Oak, and was a partner at Google Ventures. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/reflecting-and-planning-2026 Partner Deals Wispr Flow: Try effortless voice dictation for free LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix Copilot Money: Free 2 months access to my favorite personal finance app with code HACKS2 Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your family Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Kevin Rose: Diggnation | Newsletter Books The Wealth Ladder by Nick Maggiulli Rework by Jason Fried Fizzy Jesse Itzler: Plan An Incredible 2026 In 12 Minutes Podcasts The Daily Churn New Modern Mom: Do you need a house manager? Duolingo Games Magazine Subscription Bram Cohen Puzzles The Big A## Calendar ATH Podcast Newsletter Chris’ Card Optimizer Tool Ep #99: 7 Questions to Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet Ep #213: The 5 Types of Wealth with Sahil Bloom Ep #259: Choosing the Problems Worth Struggling For with Mark Manson Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (00:45) Kevin's 2025 Goals & How They Came to Fruition (04:34) Chris's Challenging End to 2025 (06:53) How Chris is Approaching Optimization in 2026 (09:33) Stepping Up Your Ability to Spend Money (15:55) What Chris and Kevin Changed Their Minds About in 2025 (20:11) The Many Different Uses of AI (29:16) Chris's Energy Generators and Drainers (33:40) Kevin's Energy Generators and Drainers (36:56) Decluttering for A Peace of Mind (41:09) How To Identify The Boat Anchors in Your Life (49:18) Chris's Hits and Misses in 2025 (52:10) Kevin's Hits and Misses for 2025 (54:19) How Kevin Plans His Year Ahead (57:53) Outsourcing to Make Things Easier (01:05:12) Focus on Making Lasting Memories (01:06:34) Ways to Pick Up New Skills (01:09:36) The Life Blender Concept 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

#260: Chris distills the most powerful lessons from over 50 episodes in 2025 into 10 actionable takeaways that changed how he thinks about money, time, health, relationships, purpose, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-takeaways-2025-optimize-money-travel-life Partner Deals Gusto: Free 3-month trial of the #1 payroll software Notion: Try Notion Agent free to automate tedious tasks and streamline your work Superhuman: Free month of the fastest and best email with code ALLTHEHACKS DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life ATH Podcast Ep #91: Die With Zero: Net Fulfillment Over Net Worth with Bill Perkins Ep #213: The 5 Types of Wealth with Sahil Bloom Ep #215: Medical Travel: Better Care and Lower Costs for Surgery, IVF, Dental, Advanced Screenings and More with Josef Woodman Ep #217: Top AI Tools, Insurance Planning for Fires and More Listener Q&A with Kevin Rose Ep #230: The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life with Nick Maggiulli Ep #233: Money: What Each Generation Gets Right (& Wrong) with Ben Carlson Ep #239: Mini Retirements: How to Take a Break Sooner That Could Also Boost Your Career and Income with Jillian Johnsrud Ep #248: How to Stop Over-Optimizing and Focus on What Matters with Tim Ferriss Ep #249: Earn More Points in Multiplayer Mode with Kai Ep #251: How to Focus on What Matters and Let Go of the Rest with Ryan Holiday Ep #252: Family Travel on Points: Tips, Tricks and Tactics with Nick Reyes Ep #254: The Cost of Always Optimizing with Chris and Amy Ep #256: The Easy Way to Build and Maintain Meaningful Relationships with Nick Gray Ep #259: Choosing the Problems Worth Struggling For with Mark Manson Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:24) #1: True Wealth Is Multidimensional (03:13) #2: Focus on What Moves the Needle (10:24) #3: Build a Portfolio That Can Weather Any Storm (13:40) #4: Scale Horizontally, Not Vertically (17:04) #5: Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time (22:38) #6: Scale Yourself With Technology (25:36) #7: You Need to Be the CEO of Your Own Health (29:54) #8: Prioritize Friendship Like You Prioritize Your Health (33:25) #9: Your Purpose Is Already Here, You’re Just Too Close to See It (36:13) #10: The Ultimate Optimization Is Knowing When to Stop (38:44) Bonus: Optimize for What Matters 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

#259: Learn how to pick the challenges in life that actually matter. We break down how to stop optimizing for the wrong things, why values trump goals in decision-making, practical strategies for building real friendships, and more. Mark Manson is the bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (20M+ copies sold). He hosts the Solved podcast, writes the newsletter Your Next Breakthrough, and co-founded Purpose, an AI tool for exploring purpose and values. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/mark-manson-purpose-and-meaning Partner Deals Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your family Copilot Money: Get 26% off my favorite personal finance app Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Mark: Website | Newsletter | X The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Solved Podcast Making Friends as an Adult, Solved Your Values, Solved Purpose App Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (00:47) What Most People Get Wrong About Living a Good Life (01:13) Why Struggle Is Inevitable and Necessary (02:18) Why Purpose Is Revealed, Not Found (04:34) Choosing the Right Metric To Optimize Your Life (06:26) The Three Ingredients of Meaningful Purpose (08:32) Why Purpose Doesn’t Require Changing the World (12:33) Radical Honesty as the Starting Point for Meaning (14:32) What Happens After You Achieve Everything You Wanted (17:48) Why Other People Can See Your Purpose Before You Do (21:06) Why Honest Conversations Are So Hard (and So Necessary) (28:41) Why Adult Friendship Is Uniquely Difficult (32:29) How Work, Kids, and Technology Changed Friendship (33:27) Why “Shared Stakes” Matter More Than Shared Spaces in Adult Friendships (37:02) When Life Feels Hard and Why That’s Normal (42:21) Making Better Decisions by Clarifying Your Values (43:57) How To Check In on Your Life Without Obsessing Over Goals (46:57) When Quitting a Goal Is the Right Decision (50:48) Why We Rarely Talk About Meaning With Friends (53:30) Building an AI To Ask Better Life Questions (55:04) How AI and Therapy Can Work Together (57:52) Is It Okay If Your Job Is Not Your Purpose? (01:00:07) The First Step Toward a More Meaningful Life (01:01:06) How To Define Value Beyond Status (01:02:08) Where To Find More From Mark 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

#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys value. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-5-points-and-miles-mistakes Partner Deals Superhuman: Free month of the fastest and best email with code ALLTHEHACKS DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Chris' Presentation Slides Credit Cards US Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card Robinhood Gold Card The Atmos™ Rewards Visa Summit Card Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® Award Search Tools Gondola (Get $50 here) Points Path Chrome Extension ATH Podcast Ep #245: How Much Are Points and Miles Worth in 2025? Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (00:28) Mistake #1: Not Valuing My Time (02:09) Setting a Personal Minimum Hourly Rate (03:51) Step Back and Ask “Is This Worth It?” (04:23) The Hidden Cost of Mental Overhead (05:48) Using Daily and Weekly Priorities to Stay Focused (07:00) Mistake #2: Not Considering the Opportunity Cost (11:34) Mistake #3: Chasing Status (16:56) Airline by Airline: The Value of Status in Real Life (20:52) Reframing the Cost of Status (24:09) When Milestone Benefits Change the Math (28:33) Chris’s Status Plan Going Forward (31:52) How to Decide Whether Status Is Worth Chasing (32:50) Mistake #4: Overvaluing Points (34:20) What the Data Actually Shows (35:43) Why “Retail Value” Is Misleading (41:22) When Paying Cash Can Be the Better Value (46:03) Mistake #5: Not Cashing Out Points (49:27) Chris's Plan for 2026 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