All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life

#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

#257: We break down essential tax and financial decisions to make before year-end. Learn how to maximize deductions, optimize charitable giving, manage investment gains and losses, and take advantage of retirement and home-improvement credits. We also run through all the credit card, points and miles deadlines to hit before 12/31. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/end-of-year-financial-checklist-2025 Partner Deals Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off Aura Frames: $35 off the best digital frames with code ALLTHEHACKS DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your family Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth Daffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choice For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Chris' End of Year Checklist for Taxes, Points & Miles Carry Solo 401k Kick (20% off your first year of bookkeeping with code CHRIS20) Invest America Kids Savings & Investment Accounts Hotel Mattress Run CardPointers Pro (50% off here) Use Your Credits ATH Podcast Chris’ Best Cards Page Ep 144: Leveraging Tax-Advantaged Accounts to Maximize Your Wealth with Katie Gatti Tassin Ep 243: Smarter Strategies for Retirement, Wealth Building, and Taxes with Michael Kitces Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:03) Standard Deduction vs. Itemizing (03:02) The New SALT Cap & Property Tax Strategy (05:02) Pass-Through Entity Taxes for Business Owners (06:07) Smart Charitable Giving Strategies (07:07) Donating Appreciated Assets (09:18) Using Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) (14:16) Why 25-26 Changes Matter for Charitable Giving (16:14) New Car Loan Interest Deduction (18:19) Deduction for Qualified Tips & Overtime (18:34) New Senior Deduction (19:12) Shifting Income to Optimize Your Tax Bracket (20:48) Capital Gains: Loss & Gain Harvesting (22:02) Understanding the Wash Sale Rule (25:11) Advanced Tax Moves to Ask Your CPA (25:42) Key Retirement Deadlines & Contribution Limits (31:01) Roth IRA & Traditional IRA Rules (34:18) Backdoor & Mega Backdoor Roth Contributions (35:18) ISOs & Alternative Minimum Tax (36:16) FSA Essentials: Use It or Lose It (38:57) HSA Strategy & Triple-Tax Advantage (42:13) Home Efficiency & Solar Credits for 2025 (43:14) 529 Plans, Gifting Rules & Education Savings (47:37) The New “Trump Account” for Kids (48:14) Funding a Child’s Roth IRA Through Earned Income (50:29) EOY Tax Moves for Business Owners (55:51) EOY Checklist for Points & Miles (01:00:32) Credit Card Annual Credits & Benefit Resets (01:03:57) Calendar-Year Credits to Use Before January (01:14:55) Final EOY Checks for Airlines, Hotels & Credit 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

#256: We break down the simplest, most effective ways to build stronger friendships and stay connected as an adult. Plus, learn how to build a personal website, host better events, send a friends newsletter, book a cruise on a budget, and so much more. Nick Gray is an entrepreneur and author who built and sold two successful companies, Flight Display Systems and Museum Hack. His YouTube and short-form videos have reached over 55 million views. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/build-meaningful-relationships-nick-gray/ Partner Deals Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth Daffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choice Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent Storyworth: Share your family stories in a custom book (+ $10 off) 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 Nick: X | Website | Friends Newsletter PersonalWebsite.org November 2025 Asset Allocation Personal Website Checklist The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings RSVP Tracking Partiful Luma Mixily Free Amazon Fulfillment Center Tours Animal Spirits Podcast Rippner Tennis Cruises Below Deck Frequent Miler’s Casino Status Strategy for Free Cruises CruiseSheet Personal Domain Services CloudFare Registrar Google Domains Hover Carrd Gemini Nano Banana WordPress ATH Podcast Best Credit Cards Membership Newsletter Ep #68: Hosting Cocktail Parties, Building Relationships, Museum Strategies and Friends Newsletters with Nick Gray Ep #146: This Episode Changed My Perspective on Cruises with Emma Le Teace Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:00) How Nick Builds and Maintains Strong Relationships (01:49) What Most People Get Wrong About Staying in Touch (02:49) Why Making New Friends as an Adult Is So Hard (05:49) Nick’s Simple Formula for Hosting a Great Cocktail Party (07:25) Chris’s Holiday Cookie Party (09:10) Better Ways to Handle Introductions and RSVPs (13:26) Using a "Friends Newsletter" to Stay Connected (14:47) What to Include in a Great Newsletter (19:18) How to Send Your First Newsletter (Without Overthinking It) (20:38) An Amazing Opportunity Nick Got from His Newsletter (21:28) Easy Content Ideas: Purchases, Apps, Shows, and More (24:33) Chris’ Attempt to Get on Below Deck (31:04) What Excites Chris About Cruises (33:19) Nick’s Take on Cruises (and the “Life-Plus” Mindset) (36:11) Hacking Cruises and Cheap Cruise Strategies (40:21) Why Everyone Needs a Personal Website (43:06) Buying a Domain and Setting Up a Simple Homepage (45:31) Getting Google to Notice Your Website (49:06) When to Upgrade and What Content Belongs on Your Website (52:17) Nick's Service for Building and Maintaining Your Website (52:52) Nick’s Asset Allocation Post and the Value of Transparency (53:46) Removing the Stigma Around Money With Friends (59:21) Using AI for Doctor Appointments 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