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

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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

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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.
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#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

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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

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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.
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#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

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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

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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.
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#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

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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.
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#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

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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