• Money apps can be beneficial tools for saving, budgeting, and investing your money.
• Of course, some apps may work better for you than others.
• Here, 11 financial experts reveal their favorite money apps.

There are many ways to manage your money, and money-management apps are one efficient way to do so.

"One of the smartest strategies to save is by leveraging support," Krista Neeley, managing vice president ofAppreciation Financial, a retirement services company, told Business Insider in an email. "Many apps will help you strengthen yoursavings habits through automatic deductions, budgets, organizing receipts, and tracking market growth — and they'll even text you financial reminders and/or updates on your accounts."

The best of these apps can be like having your own financial planner at your fingertips.

Here, Neeley and 10 other financial experts share their favoritemoney apps (answers have been condensed and edited for clarity):

SEE ALSO: 8 people share the best money advice they've ever received

1. Mint

My favorite money-related application isMint, as everyone can benefit from seeing where their money is being spent. Far too often, people are not aware of how much they are spending and where it is going, which can have a large impact on long-term planning.

Measuring is the first step to managing. This app helps some of my clients know where they are, so we can help them get to where they want to go.

— Joshua Mungavin, CFP and principal wealth manager atEvensky & Katz/Foldes Financial

2. Acorns

Acorns is my favorite money app, because it makes it simple and cheap to make smallinvestments. It's a great "muscle builder" for creating a habit of putting away money.

Since my wife and I started using it, we've seen a total gain over around 12%. There is no excuse not to start when you can invest just $5 to get started.

— Lance Beaudry, blogger atBudget Ninja Blog

3. Zelle

These days, fewer people carry cash, including me. Whether I owe someone money or they owe me, I find money transfer apps to be incredibly helpful. For instance, Zelle makes it fast, safe, and easy to send money from one bank account in the U.S. to another, typically within minutes when both parties are enrolled.

This is so much more convenient than trying to find an ATM (and potentially paying ATM fees), or mailing a check. You can also request money from people, taking the awkward moment out of asking someone to pay you back.

— Andrea Woroch, consumer expert

• The ketogenic diet is becoming a popular way to lose weight.
• The high-fat eating plan has been found to help manage Type 2 diabetes and epileptic seizures, and some scientists hypothesize that it could help make certain cancer treatments more effective.
• David Harper, an anatomy and physiology professor, has been on the diet for six years. Here's how it's been going.

Six years ago, David Harper considered himself relatively healthy.

The anatomy and physiology professor loved an occasional cookie, but he exercised often, cooked nutritious meals at home, and tried to stick to conventional nutrition advice: not too many calories, low amounts of fat.

But Harper started to realize that saturated fat might not be so bad, and that maybe it was the carbohydrates he ate that were causing him to pile on extra pounds and increasing inflammation.

"We've been telling people to eat the wrong diet for 40 years, and we've seen the results," Harper told Business Insider.

He is convinced that carbohydrate-heavy, low-fat diets are a major reason we're seeing high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer. That's because a diet high in sugar can quickly raise insulin levels in the body. Over time, those spikes can lead to insulin resistance and eventually to long-term health issues like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and obesity.

So years before the likes of LeBron James and the Kardashians figured out there might be some benefits to a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet, Harper gave it a try.

Read more: Silicon Valley's favorite high-fat diet is beloved by everyone from venture capitalists to LeBron James — here's how it works

Harper lost over 20 pounds on a high-fat, low-carb diet

Trained in mathematical biofluiddynamics, Harper teaches anatomy, physiology, and pathology at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada. He said that's part of the reason the keto diet made sense to him.

"It was the knowledge that I gained through my career teaching anatomy, physiology, and pathology that led me to the conclusion that this is absolutely right in terms of the way the human body works," he said.

Harper went on the diet with his wife to test what it was like for a few months.

"Over 12 weeks, I lost about 22 pounds of body fat," he said, adding that most of it was around his midsection. He wasn't a big guy before — about 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds — but today he weighs 150 or so.

The reason the keto diet is effective for weight loss and some disease control is that it fundamentally shifts the way our bodies run. On a traditional diet, our bodies automatically reach for carbohydrates to burn first, before using fats, because carbs are quicker and easier to break down.

But if no carbs are available, our bodies start burning fat as a primary fuel source and producing ketones in the liver, which the body can turn into energy. This metabolic state, called ketosis, is what happens when someone is starving. But it's also how Harper's body works every day. His system relies on fats like butter, oil, and lard as a primary energy source instead of packing them on as in-case-of-emergency poundage.

Harper said he doesn't even feel hungry if he skips a meal or two.

Harper doesn't eat tons of meat and hasn't given up wine

Harper said he often starts the day by eating high-fat yogurt topped with a few berries and some roasted nuts. Other mornings, his breakfast might be bacon and eggs with tomato and avocado.

His sweet tooth is gone, he said. Instead, he gets hankerings for fatty foods.

"What I crave is butter," he said. "I like grass-fed butter. I could eat that stuff like cheese."

If he's out and about during the day, he might order a breve latte, which is made with cream instead of milk. Most keto dieters shy away from even the fattiest milk because it contains too many carbohydrates (specifically sugar) to be ketosis-friendly. Harper keeps a stash of nuts with him at all times when he's on the go.

Read more: The tastiest, most surprising foods you can eat on the keto diet

For lunch, he often opts for a salad with chicken or fish on top. The dinners he cooks are usually pasta-style dishes, or maybe the occasional meat-and-potatoes-type meal, except he replaces any potatoes or grain-based pasta with low-carb alternatives like cauliflower or squash. Often, he tops the meal off with cheese.

He avoids beans and apples, which have too many carbs to be considered keto, but he sometimes has a glass of wine or munches on berries for a sweet treat.

"It's all real food that comes from plants, and I don't eat huge amounts of meat," Harper said.

If he does cook chicken, he keeps the fatty skin on, and the small cuts of steak he picks out are marbled with fat.

The keto diet is not a diet at all

Harper doesn't think the keto diet should be tried as a quick fix, and he's not a fan of keto "cycling," a practice that involves switching back and forth between being in a state of ketosis and eating meals with more carbs.

"You need to be committed, and you need to really say, 'I've been on the wrong path for a long time, and I'm willing to give up a lot of these foods that I really love, that I'm emotionally attached to, and I'm going to change to a different diet because that's going to provide better health,'" he said.

But a few disclaimers about the keto diet are in order. It's not for everyone — people with a history of kidney or liver issues, as well as pregnant people, can put themselves in severe danger if they try the diet. The plan should not be tried without consulting a professional.

Harper also said many people might confuse going keto with having an excuse to fill up on bacon and eggs every morning, but it isn't that. A proper keto diet is about 70-80% fat, with no more than 10-15% carbs. That means most people on it try to keep their carbohydrate intake below 50 grams a day and stick to only moderate amounts of protein.

Other kinesiologists think the keto diet could have dangerous effects on athletic performance, and it's tough to know what potential side effects a long-term high-fat diet might have for a healthy person, since we don't have any solid study results yet. Low-carb diets like keto can make it easy to neglect key nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and potassium found in fresh, high-carb foods like beans, bananas, and oats.

Ketogenic diets are, however, a well-established way to help control Type 2 diabetes, and the plan has for nearly 100 years been used to reduce instances of childhood epileptic seizures. Some scientists also think the high-fat diet may hold promise for staving off Alzheimer's, and there are some early indications it might help improve certain cancer treatment outcomes when used in conjunction with drugs. (Harper is part of a research team investigating how the diet might help boost treatment among people with breast cancer.)

But Harper doesn't think keto should be considered a fad diet.

"You can't do this halfway," he said. "You have to be all in, and all in forever."

SEE ALSO: The tastiest, most surprising foods you can eat on the keto diet

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The amazing ways intermittent fasting changes your body and brain

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NOW WATCH: What happens when you sleep in your contacts

• Google is shutting down its Google+ social network.
• A software glitch exposed the private information of hundreds of thousands of Google+ users between 2015 and March 2018, when the company became aware of the breach, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal.
• Google chose not to disclose this information out of fear of regulatory pressure and bad PR, The Journal reports. 
• Many people probably aren't aware if they even have a Google+ account — here's how to check.

After the Wall Street Journal revealed that Google accidentally exposed the private information of hundreds of thousands of Google+ users over the period of three years, you might not feel so comfortable having a Google+ account anymore, even though Google plans to shut down the service. 

In March 2018, Google became aware of a security breach that had exposed user data since 2015, the Journal reports. After discovering and fixing the bug, Google ultimately decided against disclosing this information out of fear of regulatory pressure, the Journal reports. The company has said it hasn't found any evidence that the exposed data was misused or inappropriately accessed by any third party. 

Google+ was created in 2011 and never seemed to gain much traction in the social media sphere, and eventually Google turned it into the underlying account infrastructure connecting its various Google software products, so you might not even realize if you're a member. However, it's likely you are — if you have a Google account, you've probably been given a Google+ account by default.

Luckily though, if you want to jump ship before Google formally shuts down the social network, there's an easy way to check if you're signed up — and delete your account. 

First, make sure you're signed into Google, and then go to Gmail.com or the Google homepage. Next, click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the webpage.

Next, check if there's a link for "Google+ Profile" beneath your name and email address in that window. If the link shows up, you have a Google+ account. Click the link to be taken to your Google+ profile.

Once you're at your Google+ profile, click on "Settings" on the left side of the page.

• Hurricane Michael is forecast to be the most destructive storm to hit Florida's Panhandle in decades. It reached Category 2 strength on Tuesday morning.
• The storm is expected to strengthen to Category 3 before hitting Florida on Wednesday, bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge.
• Heavy rain caused by Michael killed 13 people in Central America over the weekend.
• Tens of thousands of people in Florida have been ordered to evacuate, while Florida's governor warned that the hurricane "could be devastating."

Hurricane Michael is expected to reach Category 3 strength before making landfall in Florida's Panhandle, where mandatory evacuations have already been ordered. Florida's governor has said it could be the most destructive storm there in decades.

The storm reached Category 2 strength on Tuesday morning, prompting warnings about threats to life and the introduction of mandatory evacuations in coastal counties.

Torrential downpours and flash flooding caused by Michael over the weekend resulted in 13 deaths in Central America after the storm formed off the coast of northern Honduras, Reuters reported.

This GIF from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Michael moving toward the Florida Panhandle on Monday.

Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in 35 Florida counties. In a press conference on Monday, he said Hurricane Michael was a "massive storm."

"We haven't seen anything like this in the Panhandle in decades," he said.

Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate in Wakulla, Gulf and Bay counties, Reuters reported.

Scott tweeted on Tuesday that the storm was dangerous. "The window of time to prepare is closing," he wrote. "This is a serious and life-threatening situation- don't take any chances. If you have been told to evacuate, leave."

Scott said that 1,250 National Guard troops had been activated, with more than 4,000 others on standby.

Warnings are in place for more than 300 miles of coastline.

These include warnings for life-threatening storm surge, which the National Weather Service forecasts will reach 12 feet in some places. The NWS also warned of life-threatening winds along the Florida Gulf Coast.

As of 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday, the hurricane was 365 miles away from Apalachicola, Florida. It had maximum sustained winds of nearly 100 mph, with some higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm would be the first major hurricane to hit the Panhandle since Hurricane Dennis in 2005, according to the center.

While the NWS says Hurricane Michael will make landfall in Florida as a "major hurricane," it also predicts it will weaken as it moves through the Southeast on Wednesday night and Thursday.

Hurricane conditions, including heavy rainfall and flash flooding, are expected to lash Cuba on Tuesday, according to the NWS.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Medical breakthroughs we will see in the next 50 years

• The battle over impeaching Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is beginning.
• Democrats are split on strategy.
• Republicans plan on making the push to impeach the new justice a major campaign issue over the next month.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the court over the weekend after one of the most bitter confirmation battles in US history, setting up the next major political brawl: over his impeachment.

For many Democrats, Kavanaugh's confirmation meant that a man accused of sexual assault who appeared to lie before the Senate Judiciary Committee and made highly partisan comments unworthy of a judge was placed on the Supreme Court. For many Republicans, Kavanaugh's confirmation came despite what they described as the left's "disgusting" tactics and attempts to ruin his life to prevent him from tipping the balance of the court in conservatives' favor.

Liberals are acting on those feelings by pushing to either impeach the justice or at least further investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against him. On the right, prominent politicians and strategists — including President Donald Trump — have highlighted the push to impeach him in hopes of further driving GOP turnout at the polls in November.

"I think it's an insult to the American public," Trump told reporters Monday of the push to impeach Kavanaugh.

On the flip side, Democratic leaders have expressed wariness:

• Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a central figure in the process, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that it was "premature" to push for Kavanaugh's impeachment.
• Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii brushed aside the question on CNN's "State of the Union."
• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi — the most likely next House speaker if Democrats regain control in November — told members in a memo over the weekend that she would file a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain and release records regarding the brief FBI investigation and Republicans' involvement. She did not mention impeachment.

First, another investigation

Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee — the committee that could begin impeachment proceedings against Kavanaugh — said he was open to investigating allegations of perjury "and other things that haven't been properly looked into before."

Some Democrats have said they would favor impeachment if that investigation were to find that Kavanaugh did perjure himself under oath.

Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Julie Swetnick, who has said Kavanaugh was at a 1980s party where she was "gang raped," told Business Insider on Monday that Democrats needed to continue pushing for "a full and complete FBI investigation into the allegations."

"All of the allegations," he said, adding that his client's accusation wasn't a part of the FBI's recent weeklong investigation.

"They should also be demanding full access to all of the communications that took place between the leadership in the Senate and the White House as it related to curtailing the FBI investigation," Avenatti added. "And if it is ultimately found that Brett Kavanaugh perjured himself, or is more likely than not guilty of committing these acts, then he should be impeached."

Avenatti pointed to a weekend New York Times report saying Trump was dissuaded by the White House counsel, Donald McGahn, from having the FBI conduct a wide-ranging investigation into the allegations because such an inquiry could prove "disastrous" for Kavanaugh.

"I found that to be pretty illuminating," Avenatti said. "Because of course that investigation would've included an investigation into my client's allegations."

Avenatti, who has flirted with a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said that he wasn't sure whether Democrats should turn impeaching Kavanaugh into a rallying cry on the campaign trail but that they should make it a priority to continue investigating him if they regain control of the House this fall.

Progressives have been much more forward than the party establishment about pushing to impeach the justice as soon as possible. Already, a petition to impeach Kavanaugh has gathered more than 125,000 signatures.

"Brett Kavanaugh is a predator, and the American public knows it," Sean McElwee, a progressive activist who founded the think tank Data for Progress, told Business Insider. "His appointment is a lifetime appointment only if progressives give up the fight."

McElwee said progressives who spend millions on Senate seats should be willing to spend "even more on Supreme Court seats."

"Pretend Kavanaugh is up for reelection every day of his life," he said. "Disrupt his life, poll his approval, run ads attacking his record. Dig up opposition research and keep it in the media."

Even if Democrats were to regain control of the House, removing Kavanaugh from the bench would be virtually impossible. For him to be kicked off the court, two-thirds of the Senate would need to vote to do so, and Democrats have no shot of gaining such a Senate majority this fall.

Nineteen federal officials— one senator, one Cabinet secretary, two presidents, and 15 judges— have been impeached in US history. Only eight were convicted and removed by the Senate. The last Supreme Court justice to be impeached was Samuel Chase in 1804, and he was ultimately acquitted by the Senate and remained on the bench.

'Republicans are still angry'

Republicans plan to make the fight over impeaching Kavanaugh a major issue in the closing month of the 2018 campaign while conservative anger over the confirmation process remains hot.

Andy Surabian, a Republican strategist and former Trump White House official, told Business Insider that "talk of impeaching Kavanaugh is a direct adrenaline shot into the veins of Republican voters."

"Republicans are still angry — they are still angry that this fight happened," said Surabian, now an adviser to Donald Trump Jr. "This fight woke up thousands, and probably hundreds of thousands and maybe millions, of previously sleepwalking Republicans."

Surabian pointed to the disconnect between establishment Democratic politicians and progressive activists in the impeachment fight, saying the Democratic political class "might know it's bad politically, but you can't control what your base actually wants."

He said the current fury on the left reminded him of the conservative base expecting that Obamacare would be repealed after Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. Because Republicans could not make that happen, some conservatives didn't turn out for the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, as a result. Surabian said Democrats risked "a similar phenomenon" moving forward.

On the Republican side, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told "Fox News Sunday" that he would carry that battle "to the streets" and "the ballot box," saying every Democrat running in swing districts should be asked about impeaching the newest Supreme Court justice.

Trump Jr. summed up the Republican countereffort in one tweet, saying "the fight isn't over."

"You better believe that Democrats are going to do everything in their power to impeach Kavanaugh from the Supreme Court if they take control of Congress in November," he said. "This is war. Time to fight. Vote on Nov 6 to protect the Supreme Court!"

SEE ALSO: Democrats zero in on New York Times investigation into Trump's wealth and once again push for his tax returns

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

• Kanye West is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump and Jared Kushner at the White House on Thursday.
• They are expected to have lunch and discuss topics including gang violence, manufacturing, and prison reform, an issue that parallels Kushner's sentencing-reform initiative.
• West is an avid Trump supporter. The artist wore one of Trump's Make America Great Again hats last week while performing on "Saturday Night Live," and he has publicly expressed admiration for Trump since the 2016 election.
• In June, Trump granted clemency to a woman serving a life sentence for nonviolent drug offenses after West's wife, Kim Kardashian West, lobbied him to do so.

Kanye West is scheduled to visit the White House to meet with President Donald Trump and Jared Kushner on Thursday to talk about gang violence and prison reform.

West, a vocal Trump supporter, is expected to have lunch with Trump and meet with Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, to discuss topics including "manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence, and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago," the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said on Tuesday.

Sanders' statement confirmed a report in The New York Times that said West was planning to meet with Trump and Kushner.

West plans to talk about bringing more manufacturing jobs to his hometown of Chicago, the newspaper said.

The rapper, producer, and designer has been a vocal supporter of Trump since the 2016 election, and he wore a Make America Great Again hat last week while performing on "Saturday Night Live."

West has received strong criticism in some circles for his unabashed support of the president.

It is unclear whether Trump and West's discussion will change the administration's course on criminal justice, as Attorney General Jeff Sessions has staked his claim on mandatory minimum sentences and similar tough-on-crime policies that are at odds with those advocating prison reform.

Kushner is leading a sentencing-reform project and met with West's wife, Kim Kardashian West, along with Trump at the White House earlier this year.

She successfully lobbied for clemency on behalf of Alice Johnson, a grandmother who had been serving a life sentence for nonviolent drug offenses. Trump granted the clemency request in June.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

• Marillyn Hewson has been CEO of Lockheed Martin since 2013.
• This year, Fortune selected her as number one in their list of the world's most powerful women.
• Hewson got her start at the aerospace and defense company in 1983 as a senior industrial engineer.

Marillyn Hewson is the most powerful woman in the world right now.

At least, that's what Fortune magazine has dubbed the Lockheed Martin CEO and chairman. The magazine credited Hewson with having placed the aerospace and defense company in "the sweet spot to cater to the modern military's needs" and with "leading the charge to develop hypersonic weapons."

And Hewson is compensated in the millions for her efforts. The CEO's total net worth isn't immediately clear, but according to the Washington Business Journal, her total compensation in 2017 was $22.87 million. That's an 11.15% increase from her overall compensation in 2016, which was reported at $20.57 million.

Here's a look at Hewson's life and career:

SEE ALSO: A day in the life of Sheryl Sandberg, who uses an old-school notebook, likes 'bad TV,' and goes to bed before 10

DON'T MISS: 29 photos of Princess Diana that show the lasting impact she had on our world

SEE ALSO: Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, is worth $21.3 billion — take a look at how the philanthropist spends her fortune, from a $16.5 million home in San Francisco to a multimillion-dollar yacht

Hewson was born and raised in Junction City, Kansas. When Hewson was just nine years old, her father, Warren Adams, died of a heart attack.

Source: Politico

Her mother Mary was left to care for five kids. Hewson wrote in Politico that her mother's resilience "taught me everything I needed to know about leadership."

Source: Politico

Hewson wrote that she grew up helping to care for her younger siblings, doing odd jobs in their apartment building, and grocery shopping for their mom.

Source: Politico

• I recently visited an Amazon warehouse in Kent, Washington, about 20 miles south of Seattle.
• The fulfillment center is just under 1 million square feet, and it contains 18 miles of conveyor belts and lots of robots.
• Amazon has come under fire recently over its treatment of its warehouse workers, with some describing job metrics that are "brutally aggressive."
• The employees I saw during my tour appeared to be working steadily and methodically, but no one appeared to be rushing around the facility to complete their tasks. I didn't see anyone stopping to take a break, but I didn't notice anyone visibly upset or stressed either.

About 20 miles south of downtown Seattle sits one of Amazon's many fulfillment centers.

The looming, beige facility feels removed from the shiny, glamorous headquarters that Amazon is still building in the center of the city to house its corporate employees. Large open fields stretch in one direction, and suburban houses are in the other. In the distance, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier.

The setting is almost picturesque — until you remember that before you is an Amazon fulfillment center that spans nearly 1 million square feet. Inside, Amazon workers spend 10 hours a day, four days a week, ensuring your order gets to you on time.

It's the core of Amazon's business, and also one of the most controversial. Current and former employees have told horror stories of a workplace that's so fast-paced and strenuous that workers don't even have time to use the bathroom. The fulfillment centers recently became a target for Sen. Bernie Sanders, who called on Amazon to pay its workers more and even sponsored a bill with the acronym BEZOS, after Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos.

In response to mounting criticism, Amazon announced last week that it would raise its minimum wage to $15, a change it says will affect more than 250,000 full- and part-time US employees, plus more than 100,000 seasonal staff members who work for Amazon over the holiday season.

I visited the Kent fulfillment center one day after Amazon's biggest hardware event of the year, as part of an Amazon-sponsored tour. The company shuttled journalists from across the globe to the facility, where we caught a sanitized glimpse into the world of Amazon.

Ahead of my visit, I was given several rules: no loose-fitting clothes, no recordings, no straying from the tour, and absolutely no speaking to fulfillment-center employees. A legion of Amazon corporate employees attended, for seemingly no other reason than to keep members of the media in line.

Still, there was plenty to see and hear during my visit. Here's what it was like.

SEE ALSO: I visited the Amazon Spheres, an indoor rainforest in the heart of Seattle. Here's what it's like.

One of the first things you see when you enter the Kent fulfillment center are these robots hanging from the ceiling — they're the robots that move inventory around the facility. This particular set, now in retirement, was signed by day-one employees.

The facility is vast — just under 1 million square feet — and contains 18 miles of conveyor belts.

The Kent fulfillment center runs 22 hours a day, 363 days a year.

• Parenting is a challenge, and new parents are especially susceptible to common parenting mistakes.
• Here, author Nicole Rollender details five things she “self-corrected” on after the birth of her first child.

Many new parents wish their child came with a manual, and I was no different.

When my first baby said, “Hello, world!” on New Year’s Eve in 2008, it wasn’t the typical movie-scene birth, with a tired but happy-looking mother holding her baby in a bed surrounded by helium balloons and flowers.

That’s why I was even more susceptible to making common parenting mistakes.

At 36 weeks, my daughter was born at a mere three pounds, about the size of a 30-weeker — she was severely intrauterine growth restricted due to an abrupted placenta. She spent more than three weeks in the hospital NICU, undergoing a battery of tests before she came home.

The good news is that I self-corrected several mistakes when my son came along four years later, and I felt like a more seasoned, in-control parent.

Here are five mistakes I made when I had my first kid that I’ll never make again.

SEE ALSO: 30 mistakes every parent makes

1. I always assumed the worst

Like lots of babies, my daughter had eczema all over her body — some days her skin was red and white from face to feet, even after I used the cream her pediatrician prescribed. She also had cradle cap, a scalp skin condition.

Some days, my daughter’s eczema was so bad the marks looked like burns, and she’d scratch her skin and cry. And then I’d cry, thinking her eczema would develop into a chronic, untreatable condition.

These head-to-toe skin conditions weren’t pretty, but my pediatrician was right: Skin issues are common in babies and after a few months, they cleared up completely.

Now, if either of my kids gets sick outside a regular cold or develops a strange skin rash or a high fever, I call my pediatrician. There’s always a doctor or nurse to answer questions 24 hours a day, and they can be very reassuring.

2. I compared my kid to everyone else’s

For the first two years of my daughter’s life, as is common in babies with SIUGR, she was a finicky eater and didn’t grow quickly. We had to take her for weekly and then monthly weigh-ins to make sure she was thriving.

Because my daughter was born so tiny and stayed smaller than other kids, I constantly asked other mothers with kids the same age how tall they were or how much they weighed.

At her well visit right after her second birthday, my daughter’s pediatrician said she wasn’t concerned about her weight anymore, even though she was still tiny.

Today, at age 9, she’s 50 lbs., whip thin, but a total firecracker. My 5-year-old son is the same weight as her, and they’re both right where they should be.

3. I put too much importance on milestones

Like many other new parents, I constantly tracked my daughter’s milestones, against online data and other kids. I worried when another baby crawled or walked first, or started stringing together sentences on his first birthday.

Ultimately, my daughter crawled, walked and talked, and then ran, jumped, and starting turning cartwheels.

Babies all develop at their own pace. A good pediatrician, like ours, monitors your child’s growth and development at every visit, and will honestly tell you if there’s a need for testing or early intervention.

I decided to stop obsessively tracking milestones with my second child. Funnily enough, my son, who was born nine weeks premature, did lots of things earlier than my daughter, like saying his first word (bottle) at 9 months old.

• In March I left New York to travel around the world as Business Insider's international correspondent. Over the course of more than six months, I have so far visited 12 countries.
• While I've had some epic adventures, not everything lived up to the hype. Some bucket-list attractions were overpriced, uninspiring, overcrowded, or just plain boring.
• Among the offending attractions: the "most dangerous hike in the world" in China, the Marina Bay Sands mega-hotel featured in "Crazy Rich Asians," and the Greek isle of Mykonos.
• I thought it might be helpful to share which of my recent adventures weren't worth the trouble.
• If you're looking for the things you should do, I have a list of those too.

Let's be honest, some things simply don't live up to the hype.

There's a temptation when going on a big trip abroad to come back singing the praises of everything you did and saw, whether it's a mediocre, all-inclusive island resort or an adrenaline-pumping off-road trip through the desert.

But that muddies the waters. Sometimes, you get to a place, attraction, or activity only to find it overpriced, uninspiring, overcrowded, or just plain boring. If you don't call that out, how do you know some experience you've had really was life-altering?

When I left to travel as Business Insider's international correspondent in March, I knew there would be amazing adventures along the way. I also knew there would be more than a few duds. Among them: the "most dangerous hike in the world" in China, the Marina Bay Sands mega-hotel featured in "Crazy Rich Asians," and the Greek isle of Mykonos.

With 12 countries and six months checked off on the trip so far, I decided it was time to pinpoint my least favorite adventures. Perhaps it'll help you reevaluate an upcoming trip, adjust your expectations for a bucket-list location, or feel less pressure to go see or do that thing that everyone is telling you that you must do.

Here's they are:

SEE ALSO: From off-roading in China to 22 hours of sunlight in Moscow: the one thing you have to do in 12 countries around the world

In China, I headed to Mount Hua, or Huashan, considered to be one of China's five sacred mountains and one of the most popular tourist attractions and pilgrimage sites for Chinese people. The mountain actually has five main peaks — a North, South, East, West, and Center.

While breathtaking, it's considered to be one of the world's most dangerous places to hike, due in large part to the infamous plank walk located on the mountain's highest peak, South, which has a height of 7,070 feet.

Unfortunately, I never got to the plank walk. The easiest way to get to the mountain's peaks is by cable car. The line was insanely long. You can't even see the cable car in this picture.

• The world's ultra-wealthy spend money on things that most people can't even fathom buying.
• One tech billionaire bought his own Hawaiian island, and a hedge fund manager spent at least $8 million on a 14-foot preserved shark.
• From private islands to dinosaur fossils and tickets to outer space, here are 10 things you'd only buy if you had more money than you'd ever need.

When you have more money than you know what to do with, it might not seem like a big deal to spend $8 million on a preserved shark, $2.2 million on a gold bathtub, or millions more on luxurious superyachts and private islands.

Business Insider previously calculated that the typical billionaire can afford to spend $80 million a year.

Here are 10 outrageously expensive things millionaires and billionaires spend their money on.

SEE ALSO: This $446 million mansion in Hong Kong could break the record as the most expensive home ever sold in the world's most expensive housing market — and it's surprisingly modest

1. Tickets to outer space

Celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Katy Perry are among those who have reportedly bought tickets for a space tour aboard Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spacecraft.

Source: Business Insider

Kutcher put down a $20,000 deposit for his $200,000 ticket in 2012.

Source: Business Insider

Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in the US, second only to heart disease.

It fundamentally affects the way our cells grow and divide, changing them in perverse ways. All cancer is a result of damage or genetic mutations in our DNA. The nasty, debilitating class of diseases spreads through a body like an invading army, as toxic cells grow relentlessly into unruly tumors.

Some cases of cancer are out of our control, determined by genetic defects and predispositions passed down from one generation to the next, or spurred by genetic changes we undergo through our lifetime.

But we also know that breathing in certain substances, eating specific things, and even using some kinds of plastics ups the risk of developing some deadly cancers.

Here are some known carcinogens (cancer-causers), as well as a few more things scientists are zeroing in on as prime suspects.

SEE ALSO: A study of more than 100,000 people has found that one food group is closely linked with cancer

Sugar

Scientists now know that eating too much sweet stuff can not only lead to diabetes, but actively damage your cells and increase your risk of developing cancer.

But that's not all.

New research suggests that sugar may fuel tumor growth in the body — because cancer loves to use sugar as fuel.

"The hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth" Johan Thevelein, a Belgian molecular biologist, said in October after the release of his study.

Scientists say that the groundbreaking research gives us a better understanding of how sugar and cancer interact and that it could one day help create targeted diet strategies for patients.

Processed foods

Any food that comes in a crinkly plastic wrapper, is industrially sealed, and is designed to last for months without spoiling may be a quick on-the-go fix for a hunger pang, but it's also most likely increasing your risk of cancer.

Scientists in France recently zeroed in on a link between people who eat more processed foods and those who develop cancer.

They're not sure yet whether the problem is the shelf-stabilizing ingredients, the plastic packaging, or some combination of the two. And because their study was correlative, it's possible there's some other hidden factor at work.

Smoking

Though the tobacco industry tried to cover this one up, we've known for years that tobacco smoke has at least 70 cancer-causing chemicals inside.

And it's not just smokers who are affected — people who inhale secondhand smoke can develop deadly forms of cancer too.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: "Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20-30%."

People who chew their tobacco are at increased risk too.

The average American home has 300,000 items in it.

That's a lot of stuff, most of which we probably don't use very often. This stuff piles up, leading to clutter, disorganization, and stress. It's gotten to the point where we are being physically and mentally weighed down by our things.

Our obligations are no different. Commitments to this streaming service or that phone contract aren't helping because they cause unnecessary anxiety about being locked into something. SIMPLE Mobile doesn't think you should be tied down by anything, and offers no-contract service plans that can help you live more freely — at least when it comes to your phone service plan.

Here are some things that you should definitely toss out, so you can simplify your life.

1. Hotel toiletries.

It's become almost ritualistic to snag a shampoo (or three) when checking out of a hotel room. But more often than not, these toiletries you that thought you'd definitely use end up sitting around for months and years on end in a dark corner of your cabinet. Consider donating these items to a local shelter instead of hoarding them for your nonuse.

2. That T-shirt you've had since middle school.

Really, any of the old T-shirts you still have lying around should be donated or put in the trash. While a few of them can make for excellent pajamas, you don't need 50 T-shirts to take up valuable space in your dresser. A good rule of thumb: If it's got a hole, it's got to go.

3. College textbooks.

Speaking of old school stuff, here's a reality check for all the recent and not-so-recent postgrads: You're never going to need that Calculus 301 textbook ever again. Consider selling them or donating to students who will actually use them.

4. Old devices.

Hey, 2003 is calling and wants its flip phone back. Old devices have no business occupying space in your life anymore. Take them to your local office supplies store to recycle. And if you're using an older device, consider recycling it and replacing it with one of the latest devices at affordable prices with a SIMPLE Mobile service plan. That goes double for chargers and cords.

5. Corporate swag.

We all have a stack of free swag we've acquired from conferences and conventions hanging around — from tote bags to mugs to pens. Take honest stock of the items you actually use and part with the rest of it.

6. Plastic cutlery.

Plastic cutlery can bend and break, and the unnecessary packaging it comes in makes it difficult to keep your kitchen drawer organized. Do the planet and yourself a favor by asking your local takeout spot to nix it from your next order and start phasing out plastic cutlery from your life.

7. Shoeboxes.

Many people keep shoeboxes "just in case" they need a free storage box — but the truth is you never need it and it ends up crowding your closet. Next time you get shoes, break down the box, put it in the recycling bin, and spare yourself the trouble of being hit in the face with a mountain of just-in-cases.

8. Tupperware that's missing its lid.

If you haven't found the lid in a few years, chances are you're not going to find it today. Toss that container from your life and focus on the good, complete sets you do have.

See how SIMPLE Mobile can help you ditch the clutter and stick with the simple.

This post is sponsored by SIMPLE Mobile.

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• Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, lavished praise on President Donald Trump's family while announcing her departure from the administration. 
• Haley called Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, one of his senior advisers, "a hidden genius that no one understands."
• She pointed to his work on the reconfigured NAFTA deal and the ongoing development of a Middle East peace plan. 

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, lavished praise on President Donald Trump's family during a Tuesday appearance announcing her departure from the administration, calling particular attention to Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, whom she called a "hidden genius." 

Haley pointed to Kushner's work on the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a reconfiguration of the 25-year old North American Free trade Agreement (NAFTA) and on the development of a new Middle East peace plan, which Haley called "so unbelievably well done." 

"Jared is such a hidden genius that no one understands," Haley said of the White House adviser.

Haley also called the president's eldest daughter and top adviser Ivanka Trump a "great friend" and thanked first lady Melania Trump for being "nothing but very, very kind to me." 

"It's not just the president I want to thank — it's the family in general," she said. "I can't say enough good things about Jared and Ivanka ... they do a lot of good things behind the scenes that I wish more people knew about, because we're a better country because they're in this administration." 

Trump confirmed to reporters he'd accepted Haley's resignation and said she's expected to leave the administration "at the end of the year" — a planned "break" from government service. He added he'll announce a replacement for Haley within the next two to three weeks.

The president emphasized that he remains on good terms with the outgoing ambassador, and said Haley has done a "fantastic job" at the UN and that she's "very special" to him.

"She's somebody that gets it," Trump said. 

Meanwhile, Haley told reporters she has no plans to run for office in 2020, rejecting speculation that emerged almost instantly on social media. She instead suggested that she had reached a self-imposed term limit, arguing that, "it's very important for government officials to understand when it's time to step aside."

"I've given everything I've got these last eight years," Haley said, referring to her six years as governor of South Carolina. She added that it has been "the honor of a lifetime" to serve in the Trump administration and said that the US is "respected" and "strong again" because of the president's leadership on the world stage. 

SEE ALSO: 7 Democratic women to watch in 2020

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• President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday.
• Trump is set to announce earlier in the day a change to national fuel standards that would give a boost to Iowa corn farmers.
• The Trump administration is expected to allow the expanded use of E15, a fuel that contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. Currently, most fuel is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline.
• Farmers in the state are being battered by the international response to Trump's tariffs.

President Donald Trump is set to try to make an appeal to one of the states hit hardest by his administration's tariffs by offering a policy tweak long sought by Iowa's farming industry.

Trump on Tuesday will head to Council Bluffs in Iowa, which has been rocked by retaliatory tariffs in response to the US's trade restrictions.

"Will be going to Iowa tonight for Rally, and more!" Trump tweeted. "The Farmers (and all) are very happy with USMCA!"

The "and more" could be a reference to a new policy the White House is expected to announce on Tuesday designed to provide a boost to Iowa farmers and fulfill a longtime promise from the president.

Trump is set to unveil an expansion of the use of E15, a fuel mixture of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol, a corn-based fuel. Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency bans the use of E15 during the summer because of smog concerns. The changes are expected to lift that ban by next summer.

The year-round use of E15 has long been a goal for Midwestern politicians and Iowa's farming industry, particularly the state's Republican senators, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. Trump promised in the run-up to the 2016 election to expand E15 use.

"He thinks that it's good to have domestically produced energy here, and he thinks it will be good for the agriculture industry as well as the economy overall," a senior administration official told reporters Monday.

The move is likely to set off a fight with the oil industry, which opposes the shift to a higher percentage of biofuels, and could prompt backlash from oil-state politicians, such as GOP Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas. Most fuel is 10% ethanol, and the oil industry argues that higher levels of ethanol can be harmful to car engines, though the EPA has approved the use of E15 in all light-duty cars since 2001.

In an attempt to assuage the industry, the Trump administration is also expected to propose changes to a system of credits that allow oil refiners to get around certain ethanol obligations.

While the move is a big win for farmers in the Midwest, it may also be an effort to soften the blow from Trump's intensifying trade war with China and other nations. Iowa, in particular, is expected to take a significant hit from the trade disputes.

According to the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development at Iowa State University, Iowa's gross state product could take a hit of $1 billion to $2 billion from Trump's trade fights. Similarly, the US Chamber of Commerce has estimated that $1.4 billion worth of Iowa exports are subject to retaliatory tariffs from China, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union.

The move follows other efforts from the Trump administration to soften the blow of retaliatory tariffs, including $4.7 billion in aid to farmers from the Department of Agriculture.

It also carries a political benefit for the GOP, which is fighting to keep the governor's mansion in Iowa. According to the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls, the Democrat Fred Hubbell is up 3.5 percentage points over the Republican incumbent, Kim Reynolds, who took over as governor in 2017 after Terry Branstad became Trump's ambassador to China.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. David Young, from Iowa's 3rd District — which includes Council Bluffs — is facing a tough challenge from the Democrat Cindy Axne.

SEE ALSO: Trump's favorite report card for the trade war keeps getting uglier

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

• Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, shot down speculations of a possible presidential run while announcing her resignation on Tuesday.
• "For all of you who are going to ask about 2020, no, I am not running for 2020. What I can say is I will be campaigning for this one," Haley said while pointing to President Donald Trump.
• Haley, a rising star in the Republican Party, first made national headlines in 2015 as South Carolina's governor with her decision to take down the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations and a rising star in the Republican Party, on Tuesday shot down speculations of a possible presidential run while announcing her resignation from her position in President Donald Trump's Cabinet. 

"For all of you who are going to ask about 2020, no, I am not running for 2020. What I can say is I will be campaigning for this one," Haley said, pointing to Trump while the two discussed her resignation and took questions from reporters in the Oval Office. 

Haley was widely considered to be one of the more moderate members of Trump's Cabinet, supporting a strong US presence and involvement the world stage. That stands in contrast to hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, who opposes the US's engagement in international institutions like the UN.

Haley said serving as UN ambassador was "the honor of a lifetime," adding that she didn't "have anything set" for her next career move. 

Before joining the Trump administration, Haley was the first female and Indian-American Governor of South Carolina. She made national headlines in 2015 for her decision to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse in the wake of a mass shooting at an African-American church in Charleston. 

She was also chosen by the party to deliver the Republican rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in 2016.

Trump praised Haley for doing a "fantastic job" while announcing her departure, calling her "very special" to him and assuring her she would be welcome back in the administration at any time.

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

• The 2018 US Senate elections are full of tight races, polling shows.
• Entering the midterms, Republicans hold a 51-to-49 seat majority in the upper chamber of Congress.
• A few seats changing hands could flip the body to Democratic control.
• But Democrats are faced with a challenging map.

The battle for control of the Senate is as tight as can be, RealClearPolitics polling averages show. 

This week, Republicans continued to build separation from a Democratic incumbent in North Dakota while Democrats built on what was a shrinking lead in New Jersey.

As of Tuesday, candidates are separated by 3 points or less in six races.

• Polling shows Republican candidate, Rep. Kevin Cramer building his lead over a Democratic incumbent, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, in North Dakota. In Missouri, Republican Josh Hawley holds a slim lead over another Democratic incumbent, Sen. Claire McCaskill.
• Meanwhile, Democratic candidates Kyrsten Sinema and Jacky Rosen hold slim leads for seats currently under GOP control in Arizona and Nevada.
• In five states won by President Donald Trump in 2016, Democratic incumbents hold substantial leads over their opponents: Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Entering the midterms, Republicans hold a 51-to-49 seat majority in the upper chamber of Congress.

Election Day is November 6. We'll continue to update this map in the weeks leading up to it.

SEE ALSO: Insiders are buzzing that northern Virginia could soon be awarded Amazon's HQ2 as Jeff Bezos makes a high-profile visit to Washington, DC

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• A New York City health center offers a $10,000 physical exam catered to CEOs, athletes, and celebrities in a luxurious, spa-like facility.
• The exam at The Elitra Health Manhattan Center for Life and Longevity is designed for the most discerning clients who want a high-end private experience, according to COO Ari Cukier.
• The six-hour "white-glove" checkup includes extensive screenings, advanced blood work, cardiac imaging, full-body scans for cancer and aneurysms, and more.
• Patients also get breakfast and lunch and a 20-minute massage.

You probably don't consider your yearly physical exam a luxurious, and relaxing "white glove" experience, but a New York City medical center promises just that.

The Elitra Health Manhattan Center for Life and Longevity offers a thorough, "five-star" physical examination in a luxurious, spa-like facility in downtown Manhattan— and it costs $10,000. The six-hour checkup at the 15,000 square foot health center caters to C-level executives, athletes, and celebrities. It's designed for "the most discerning men and women" who want the highest-quality private experience, according to a representative for the clinic.

"Most of our clients are high net worth and high earners who want more from an exam, more time with specialists and a clinical team, and an overall 5-star customer experience," Ari Cukier, chief operating officer at Elitra Health, told Business Insider.

Many of Elitra's patients are senior executives, small business owners, and high net worth international patients from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other countries, he said. Athletes and celebrities are also among their clients, including former NFL player Boomer Esiason, who talked about his Elitra exam in an interview.

"You end up meeting with about 10 different people, from a nutritionist to a heart specialist, [you get] an echocardiogram," Esiason said. "You do all these different things and tests. It was a long time, but it didn't feel like a long time because the place is first class."

The personalized exam takes between five and six hours and is designed to uncover any underlying health issues. It includes extensive screenings, advanced blood work, onsite cardiac imaging and calcium scoring, full-body scans for cancer and aneurysms, a nutritional analysis and fitness assessment, and more. Breakfast and lunch are included, and the exam wraps up with a 20-minute massage in a quiet room.

There's also a women's and a men's lounge where patients can relax.

"Most patients comment that it is more like a hotel [or] spa than a medical center and that they have never experienced anything medical like this," Cukier said.

What makes Elitra unique, according to Cukier, is that all services are completed at one location on the same day. Patients also get their results on the same day so they can sit down with a doctor and ask any questions they have.

Elitra's doctors only see two to three patients per day, which almost every patient takes advantage of by sitting with the doctor for at least two hours, according to Cukier. Elitra has an alliance with Mount Sinai Hospital, where they can coordinate priority scheduling and access to top specialists.

The health center also partners with corporate clients in industries that include law, banking, finance, accounting, consulting, and energy, Cukier said.

"Corporations that work with us with typically cover this for their highest level employees — C-suite and/or managing director, or partners," he said.

Their patient population is split 60/40 between individuals who book with Elitra directly (60%) and senior executives whose companies pay for the program (40%), according to Cukier.

The exam is not covered by traditional health plans, but payment can be made via FSA or HSA plans and Elitra accepts the Armada plan.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 10 richest billionaires in healthcare, whose ranks include a doctor and heirs to pharmaceutical empires

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• Iconic toy brand FAO Schwarz is opening a store in Rockefeller Plaza on November 16.
• The brand was known for its famous flagship store on 5th Avenue, which closed in 2015.
• The new store is being developed by Threesixty Group, a product developer and distributor, which purchased the brand from Toys R Us in 2016.

FAO Schwarz is coming back to Manhattan.

The iconic toy store brand, known for interactive displays like its famous giant piano, is opening up a new store in Rockefeller Plaza. The store is opening November 16 and will be ready for the holiday rush, the company announced on Tuesday.

FAO Schwarz was originally known for its iconic store on Fifth Avenue. The new store is about five blocks south of the old one.

The store is being developed by Threesixty Group, a product developer and distributor, which purchased the entire FAO Schwarz brand from Toys R Us in 2016. Threesixty did not disclose the terms of the store's lease of the 20,000 square feet of prime tourist-friendly real estate, but it was previously reported to be long-term.

The store will be experiential, featuring FAO's iconic life-size piano, magic shows, a baby adoption center, a grocery-shopping area for kids, and a station to construct a remote-controlled car.

The new FAO Schwarz store has a chance to capture some of the sales and glitz of its former parent company, Toys R Us, which liquidated all of its US stores earlier this year. 

Toys R Us was also known for its high-profile Manhattan stores, like its enormous location in Times Square, which was a destination for holiday shopping and wish-list making.

The Rockefeller Plaza location is planned to be just the first in a string of FAO Schwarz stores to revive the brand. The brand is also planning to open a smaller location in LaGuardia Airport this year, the Wall Street Journal reported in August.

It's also planning to open pop-up shops in department stores around the world, including Hudson's Bay in Canada, Selfridges in the UK, Myer Australia in Australia, and El Corte Ingles in Spain. 

Another full store, this one 27,000 square feet, will open in Beijing, China, in 2019 in partnership with Kidsland China.

SEE ALSO: If you shopped at these 16 stores in the last year, your data might have been stolen

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