Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026

Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026

Author: Chris Hutchins February 25, 2026 Duration: 1:14:45
#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: podcast@chrishutchins.com 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

Ever feel like there's a smarter, more efficient way to navigate your finances, your travels, and your daily routines? That's the core question driving All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life. Hosted by Chris Hutchins, this podcast is built on a simple, powerful idea: maximizing value doesn't mean sacrificing enjoyment. Instead, it's about the strategic choices that free up resources-both money and time-for what truly matters. Chris approaches life as a series of systems to be optimized, drawing from his own experience saving millions through meticulous analysis. The conversations here are practical and wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from credit card points strategies and investment philosophies to the less tangible hacks for personal fulfillment. You'll hear from a diverse roster of experts and icons, including Tim Ferriss, Tony Hawk, Codie Sanchez, and Gary Vaynerchuk, who all bring their unique perspectives on building wealth and designing a compelling life. Each episode feels like a focused workshop, offering actionable advice you can use immediately, whether it's planning a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost or rethinking your approach to career and leisure. This isn't just about frugality; it's about unlocking freedom and excitement through smarter decisions. Tune in for a consistently insightful blend of tactical moves and deeper conversations that challenge the conventional trade-offs between spending, saving, and living well.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
Deep Dive on Bilt Rewards and New Bilt 2.0 Cards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:43
#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…
How to Earn Millions of Points and More Listener Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:43
#263: Chris breaks down exactly how he’s earned millions of points and miles, and why simplicity matters more than optimization. He covers signup bonuses, spending strategies, credit score impacts, business cards, cash-b…
Goals, Tools, and Mindset Shifts for a Better 2026 with Kevin Rose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:45
#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 o…
Top 10 Takeaways from 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:24
#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: h…
Choosing the Problems Worth Struggling For with Mark Manson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:44
#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 friendship…
My Top 5 Mistakes with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:54
#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 va…
End of Year Checklist for Your Taxes, Points and Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:17
#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 ho…
2025 Holiday Gift Guide and Top Ways to Save This Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:30
#255: Here are 100+ holiday gift ideas across tech, kitchen, home, clothing, fitness, kids, and games. I’ll also share tools and tactics to help you find deals and spend less this holiday season. For all the products, li…