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Apr 2025
1h 17m

The Ultimate Guide to Smarter Living: Al...

James Altucher
About this episode

A Note from James:

Jay, remind me, I've gotta send this episode to my kids because I cannot believe what that guy just told us. Chris Hutchins, he has the "All the Hacks" podcast and so many interesting things at his website, allthehacks.com. But I don't like the word life hack. A lot of that stuff is just BS.

But this was legit—from buying gold bars at Costco to making money off gift cards. He has so many weird, interesting financial and life hacks that can genuinely help you make a living and improve your life. It seemed like he was doing great with all this stuff. What you're about to hear is weird, interesting, and potentially financially lucrative—or at least thought-provoking.

Let's start the episode.


Episode Description:

In this episode, James Altucher sits down with Chris Hutchins, host of the podcast "All the Hacks," to uncover some surprising yet practical ways to enhance your financial life. Chris shares actionable tips that can genuinely increase your income, cut down costs, and shift your mindset around everyday decisions—without resorting to gimmicks. From arbitraging Costco gold bars and credit card rewards to smart relationship strategies and travel tricks, Chris offers practical solutions that anyone can start using immediately.


What You'll Learn:

  • How to make money arbitraging gold bars from Costco.
  • Simple mindset shifts to improve your eating habits without feeling deprived.
  • Why you should never pay full price at major retailers and how to consistently save money.
  • How to efficiently leverage credit card rewards and cashback offers.
  • A strategy to reduce relationship stress by changing how you "keep score" with your partner.


Chapters:

  • 00:00 Introduction and Credit Card Insights
  • 01:06 Life Hacks and Personal Stories
  • 02:24 Mindset Shifts for a Better Life
  • 04:47 Travel Hacks and Airbnb Experiences
  • 06:16 Gold Arbitrage and Financial Strategies
  • 21:54 Gift Card Arbitrage and Credit Card Rewards
  • 36:55 Credit Card Strategies and Limits
  • 37:23 Creative Uses of Credit Cards and Points
  • 38:23 Gift Card Arbitrage and Business Ideas
  • 39:13 Early Entrepreneurial Ventures
  • 41:09 Career Shifts and Financial Hacks
  • 45:54 Unclaimed Money and Privacy Concerns
  • 52:42 Podcast and Newsletter Business
  • 01:01:05 Travel Agency Ventures
  • 01:05:49 Book Publishing Advice
  • 01:10:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts


Additional Resources:


This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/james

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