• Snapchat is great for sending pictures to many people at once, but if you want to restrict who sees your story, you also have the option to make a private story on Snapchat.
• Private stories on Snapchat allow you to take more control over who sees your content, and creating them is an easy process — though it does differ slightly from the usual Snap-sending process.
• Here's how to make a private story on Snapchat, using either an iPhone or Android phone, and what happens after you post it.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Social media has a way of mixing up our social groups in a way that isn't always ideal. For example, you may not want to show the same side of yourself to a coworker that you would your lifelong best friend. 

Luckily, Snapchat lets you control who sees what.

On Snapchat you can create private stories. That way, only the people you want to see a certain story will be aware that it exists. 

Here's what you need to know to create a private story on Snapchat, and what happens after you send it.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (From $999.99 at Best Buy)

Google Pixel 3 (From $ at Best Buy)

How to make a private story on Snapchat

Creating a private Snapchat story is pretty easy, but it does differ from the typical process of sending a Snap in a few key ways. 

Here's how to make a private Snapchat story:

1. Open the Snapchat app and log in, if necessary.

2. Tap your profile icon (or bitmoji, or story thumbnail) in the top-left corner of the screen.

3. Select the button that says "+ Private Story" or "+ Custom Story" in the "Stories" section. Snapchat may ask you to confirm that you want to make a private story — just tap "Private Story" again.

4. Tap each recipient you want to be able to see your private story.

5. Take your photo or video, edit and add stickers or tags, as desired.

6. Hit the send button (it's the paper airplane icon).

Whoever you specify during the posting process will be able to see your public and private stories. Android users will see them separately, while iPhone users will see them mixed together. 

And, of course, people who don't make the send list won't know either way that you've created private stories.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to see your friends list on Snapchat on an iPhone or Android phone

• How to enable and use Snapchat filters and lenses on an iPhone or Android phone

• How to delete or deactivate your Snapchat account, which you can only do from a desktop browser

• How to delete or block friends on Snapchat on an iPhone or Android

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The incredible story behind Slack, the app that's taken over offices everywhere

• A good weekender bag carries all your belongings comfortably through a short trip. A great one, like Paravel's Main Line Duffel ($285), is also stylish, durable, and so roomy and flexible that you can bring back plenty of souvenirs. 
• Its interior is simple, with just two zippered pockets and one main compartment, making it perfect for low-maintenance storage of four to five days' worth of clothing. On the outside, the slick cotton canvas fabric repels water and dirt. 
• The elevated and sophisticated style, complete with leather trim, wraps this practicality and durability into a complete package. 

I tend to skimp on my mode of transportation when I travel. Case in point: most recently, I took a cross-country red-eye flight where I settled into a Basic Economy middle seat at the very back of the plane.

I don't skimp, however, on my travel bags. 

For me, being able to bring everything I want on the trip is more important than a few hours of discomfort (and, anyway, there are easy solutions to make a trip more comfortable, from ultra-soft clothing to supportive neck pillows). One of my favorite weekenders that lets me do this is Paravel's Main Line Duffel ($285). 

At almost $300, it's not cheap for a weekender bag. But I think the Main Line Duffel is worth it because it's at once practical and stylish.

While it's probably just as roomy, flexible, and durable as other top duffels, a simple but not unimportant distinction is that it looks a lot nicer. 

The trim and handles are made from soft yet strong leather, and it can be personalized (for $35-$75). The removable shoulder strap is made from a woven material, while the body of the bag is a slick cotton canvas. All in all, the bag looks sophisticated and makes me feel like I'm about to ride first class. 

As I quickly discovered and came to love over the course of many travels, the Main Line Duffel is also more than just a pretty bag. 

The spacious, carry-on-compliant bag measures 20 x 11 x 10 inches and can fit about four or five days' worth of clothing and toiletries, including a pair of shoes. The interior is simple, with just two zippered side pockets and the main compartment, so it's up to you to do some additional organization (like with packing cubes) if you wish. 

Although its cotton canvas construction means it's not as expandable as a nylon bag, it's also a lot more flexible and roomy than I originally expected. It's easy to tuck my belongings into every corner of the bag, and even when I think I can't possibly fit anything else in, the bag finds a way to give and accommodate my things. 

I like to bring home souvenirs or food packages from my trips, and the duffel rises up to the challenge. Whether my mom is unloading Tupperware containers of a week's worth of home-cooked meals (as moms do) on me or I decide that every person I've ever met needs a cute trinket I discovered at the local market, I don't have to sweat about my bag's ability to fit it all. 

I'll carry it a variety ways — by the two handles, using the shoulder straps, and if my arms or shoulders get tired, simply by the entire body with two hands — and each way is comfortable. I normally stray away from light-colored travel bags because I know how dirty they'll get, but the Main Line Duffel's light gray body still looks as good as new. That's because of Paravel's signature cotton canvas fabric. It repels water and dirt, and it's highly durable. If a more stubborn stain does get on it, I just use a cloth and soap to quickly remove it. 

I know that you can get other high-quality travel bags for around the same price, and their interior design is much more organized. But I've found that sometimes I just want a large and simple duffel that I can throw all my belongings in without a second thought. The Paravel Main Line Duffel fits that bill, while looking stylish and holding up to the strains of travel. 

Shop the Main Line Duffel, available in 3 colors, for $285 at Paravel

Shop all travel bags at Paravel

Join the conversation about this story »

• It may sound strange to shop for a wedding band online, but these days, there are a lot of great options. After much research, my husband and I bought our wedding bands online.
• Blue Nile is our top pick because it offers tons of traditional and modern styles in a range of budgets, and we found shopping online to be less stressful than dealing with salespeople and feeling pressured to buy a ring in the store.

A wedding band is arguably more important than an engagement ring, but in my experience, so much less stressful when it comes to shopping. It still doesn't mean it's any less sentimental or that the shopping process is completely stress-free.

My husband and I shopped for our bands online, and at a different place from where we bought my engagement ring too. The two rings don't need to match so there's no point in going back to the same store, unless there happens to be a ring that you really like. 

There are a lot of places you can get wedding bands online and a ton of styles to choose from, so it's important to find a place that has exactly what you're looking for to avoid overwhelming yourself. You'll presumably be wearing your wedding band for a long time, so it's crucial to pick a style you'll love indefinitely and not just for a few years. 

Here are the best places to buy wedding rings online:

• Best overall: Blue Nile
• Best selection of men's styles: Ritani
• Best for travel: Roq
• Best for customization: Holden 
• Best nontraditional styles: Catbird 

The best overall

Blue Nile, our pick for the best place to buy your engagement ring, is unsurprisingly also the best place to buy your wedding band. There are tons of traditional and modern styles in a range of budgets, making the shopping process less stressful. 

Blue Nile has so many styles that it's great for people who are curious about different styles and for those who are ready to buy. Styles range from the classic plain band to curved pavé bands to designer collections from Monique Lhuillier, Zac Posen, and more. It can be overwhelming but luckily, the various search functions can help narrow things down. 

You can set filters for the general style you want, check out the 10 most popular styles for men and women, or if you bought your engagement ring on Blue Nile, just look at the suggested bands that complement your ring. (Or not, there's no rule that says both rings need to match.) 

Images of the rings are zoomed in so you can see all the details, and shoppers who've bought the same ring will often attach their own photos so you can get a better sense of how the ring really looks. I found this so helpful because I was able to see just how thin or thick a certain band was on someone's hand, or how brilliant a pavé band is in natural light.

Prices are comparable to other sites in this guide, but can often be cheaper as there always seems to be a promotion running. If you have a few rings in mind, I'd suggest favoriting them so you can get email alerts when the price drops — and it will. And if you find that the ring you bought is cheaper within seven days of your purchase, you can contact customer service via the 24/7 chat box or phone for a price adjustment — which my husband and I did.  

Blue Nile also offers free shipping and returns, and has a great 30-day return policy in case the style isn't what you or your partner expected. Engraved rings can be returned, though you'll forfeit the $25 engraving fee. Rings come nicely packaged and include both a felt pouch and ring box so they're ready to be presented as soon as you open the box. 

Pros: Has a ton of styles to choose from, suggests wedding bands that complement engagement ring, shopper reviews with photos are helpful, free shipping and returns, 24/7 chat box, offers price adjustments, free resizing 

Cons: Many choices can feel overwhelming, no physical store to try on

The best selection for men

There are always more ring options for women than men, but Ritani has more than 650 styles of rings for men so they won't feel boxed into just a handful of standard designs.

Women kind of have all the fun when it comes to ring shopping — there's just so much to choose from! But Ritani has a huge selection of rings for men that even we were surprised by the amount. There are more than 650 wedding bands for men and more than 500 for women. For context, Blue Nile has more than 250 styles for men and more than 440 for women. 

All the bands are gender neutral though, so you should shop for the ring that looks good to you as opposed to conforming to a stereotype. 

Luckily, there are a ton of great designs to choose from that look great on everyone. There are classic plain comfort-fit bands, brushed and beveled bands, and even a two-tone style with a different metal inside and outside the band.  

Couples who want to see the bands in person before checking out online would also benefit from Ritani's extensive network of jewelry store partners around the US that let you preview your ring before you buy. It's a great combo that's both time-efficient and stress-free since you're only viewing the one or two rings you've picked out online. 

Ritani also offers free shipping and returns, and a 30-day return policy (thought not for engraved items).

Pros: Huge selection of styles for men and women, in-person previews at local jewelry store, free shipping and returns, 30-day return policy, financing opportunities 

Cons: Too many options can be overwhelming, might be inefficient to go to a store several times if you're indecisive 

The best for travel

The inexpensive silicone rings from Roq can come in handy for travelers and active lifestyles. The bands come in a bunch of different colors and styles, including ones that are metallic and even glittery.

Ideally, you get your wedding bands insured so they're protected against wear and tear, theft, damage, and more. But if you travel a lot, are really active, or use your hands a lot in your profession like dentists or doctors, it's understandable that you might not want to wear it all the time. That's where an inexpensive silicone ring from Roq can come in handy. 

There are flexible silicone bands for both men and women (though they all seem gender neutral to me) in a bunch of different colors and styles, including ones that are metallic, colorful, and yes, even glittery. They're cheap enough that you won't panic if you forget it at a hotel or bang your ring against a free weight at the gym.

The silicone is medical grade and hypoallergenic, so it won't irritate skin, though should you need to return it for any reason, Amazon shoppers say that customer service is pretty great. 

This is a number-one seller on Amazon with a 4.6-star rating out of 5 and more than 2,500 reviews. Shoppers say they bought the ring because they use their hands a lot and wanted something in place of a metal wedding band that could get dinged up, and that the rings are great quality. 

Pros: Inexpensive, great for travelers or active people, flexible for comfortable fit, comes in lots of different colors and styles

Cons: Can seem juvenile 

The best for customization

Customized wedding bands usually cost a lot because of the labor and time that goes into crafting a ring from scratch, but not at Holden— prices start at just $179.

If you think all wedding bands look the same and would prefer a custom one, check out Holden. It's part of a growing group of online direct-to-consumer shops that are changing how we shop for wedding bands and engagement rings, and one of the best advantages is the ability to customize your ring. 

Instead of choosing from a pre-designed ring, you start with one of eight ring profiles, and then choose the metal, width, finish, and engraving. The rings start at $179 for a classic 10k yellow gold band and max out at $1,199 for a platinum multi-faceted style, and can take up to two weeks to produce — which is pretty quick for a full custom job. 

The reason Holden can keep its costs down is because there's no middleman or storefront. Instead, rings are made in-house with 3D technology and wax molds, and go directly to the consumer for a fraction of the price of traditional jewelry retail markups, which are often 8x to 10x the cost of production.

There's also a free ring-sizing kit, free engraving, free ring resizing (once per calendar year), free shipping, a lifetime warranty, and payment plans for an easier time on your wallet. But the return window is pretty short at just 14 days and doesn't apply to any ring that has been previously exchanged, altered, or resized, even if done in-house at Holden. 

Holden is definitely one of the newer startups in this guide and we get that shoppers might hesitate at drop a few hundred dollars, but since its launch in April 2018, revenue has doubled month over month and direct-to-consumer fine jewelry startups are becoming more mainstream, so it's definitely a growing company. 

Pros: Fully customized rings, easy online interface, can see rings at NYC studio by appointment, free engraving, free ring resizing (once per calendar year), free shipping, a lifetime warranty, and payment plans

Cons: Short 14-day return window, shoppers who don't live in NYC can't view rings in person, limited styles currently 

The best nontraditional styles

Brooklyn-based Catbird stocks wedding bands that are truly nontraditional yet timeless. 

It should come as no surprise that Brooklyn-based Catbird specializes in nontraditional, unique wedding bands. You won't find any plain bands here, even the most "traditional" look has a literal twist on it.

Unlike the other stores we've highlighted in this guide, Catbird also stocks rings from other fine jewelry brands like 1909 Erica Weiner, Erstwhile, WWAKE, and more. This means the designs are super unique; you're not scrolling through dozens of rings that look similar to each other. 

While the selection of styles is large, the quantity of each is much smaller than expected. Catbird even has a note on its site that some ring sizes would be made custom once an order is put in — which make it final sale and ineligible to return. It's a bet you'll have to take if you really love an item online, but one that I don't think you can go wrong with given how unique and special each design is. If you're in Brooklyn, you can make an appointment to view rings.

Pros: Unique and nontraditional designs, designs are from actual jewelry designers and brands

Cons: Can't view rings in person unless you're based in the greater New York City area 

• If you just don't have time or energy to actually cook your own meals, you might like to try a meal delivery service that sends ready-to-eat meals to your door.
• Daily Harvest is the best meal delivery service we've tried with its fresh ingredients, healthy foods, and good prices.
• We are constantly trying new meal-delivery services and revisiting existing ones, so we will be updating this guide frequently.

Meal kit services are all well and good until you make your way to the stove. Because let's face it — even if you're being provided with ingredients, recipes, and step-by-step directions, a box full of pre-cut vegetables and pre-portioned proteins does not a great chef make.

While meal kits cut down on the amount of shopping and planning you have to do for dinner, they don't actually cut down on the amount of time you have to spend in front of your burners of your oven. And that, my friends, is why I present to you not meal kits, but delivered meals.

It is a subtle difference, you see, but a key one to be sure. Meal delivery services don't send you ingredients on ice —  instead, they send you entire dinners or lunches or breakfasts on ice. And rest assured, this is not your mother's frozen TV dinner. The meal delivery services of 2019 are healthy, delicious, and surprisingly creative. So whether you're pressed for time, exhausted, or simply not a genius in the kitchen, these services may be your saving grace.

When picking your meal delivery service, you'll want to keep a few things in mind. First and foremost, what type of meals are you looking for? If you're a fan of smoothies for dinner, you may want to look to a different provider than if you tend to have your biggest meal at the end of the day.

Second, you'll want to keep any dietary restrictions in mind. Luckily, just like meal kit offerings, many meal delivery services can cater to a wide range of restrictions, whether that's vegan, paleo, or something in between.

Also, think about exactly how much effort you're willing to put into making your meal. While some services will send you microwave-ready meals, others may require a spin in the blender, or perhaps some time in boiling water. Of course, all are easy, but some are admittedly easier than others.

Finally, price points should come into consideration. There can be a pretty wide range in price tags based on ingredients, dietary restrictions, and the like, so if you're looking to save calories and money, you'll want to choose carefully.

No matter which of our favorite meal delivery services you choose, we're sure you'll have many delicious meals to look forward to.

Here are the best meal delivery services we've tried:

• Best meal delivery service overall: Daily Harvest
• Best vegan meal delivery service: Veestro
• Best complete meal delivery service: Sakara Life
• Best meal-in-a-box delivery service: Banza Mac and Cheese
• Best meal kit-adjacent meal delivery service: Hungryroot

Updated on 08/15/2019 by Les Shu: Updated prices, links, and formatting.

The best meal delivery service overall

Daily Harvest offers a wide range of meal options that are easily portable, super delicious, and extremely healthy.

For breakfast, lunch, and yes, even dinner in a cup, Daily Harvest is here to provide. The company that started out being all about smoothies, chia puddings, and soups has now expanded its reach and is offering more substantive victuals as well, what with its newly introduced harvest bowls and the occasional cookie.

No matter what you get from Daily Harvest, you'll get foods that can be easily thawed, blended, or heated in order to provide you with the superfoods and sustenance that you need to brighten up your day.

The new harvest bowls are some of my favorite additions to the mix, and as ever, they're made of plant-based ingredients including quinoa, kale, lentils, and of course, vegetables. They come in the same cup containers that you've come to know and love from Daily Harvest, and can still be prepared in a snap — if you're really in a rush, just pop the whole cup in the microwave. If you're feeling a bit less stressed for time, you could even go so far as to heat the contents of the cup on your stove (the recommended preparation) before popping it back into the original container for an on-the-go meal.

I'm particularly fond of the Brussel Sprouts + Lime Pad Thai, though the Broccoli + Cheeze (made with nutritional yeast rather than dairy) is also delicious. While you may think, at first blush, that the contents of a single Daily Harvest cup won't be enough to satiate your appetite, you may be surprised. It's true that its offerings don't look like much in terms of volume, but they are surprisingly filling.

That said, you can always supplement your cups with some additional ingredients, or even with a bed of rice or pasta. Plus, now that there are a total of 12 harvest bowl options, you could always mix and match a couple cups for a bigger meal.

Daily Harvest ingredients are picked at peak freshness and flash-frozen to preserve farm-fresh nutrient density and flavor without leaning on preservatives or added sugar. Although it's not the cheapest option in the world, it is extremely convenient, and a great favorite among folks at Business Insider.

Pros: Delicious and nutritious, wide range of flavors and options, extremely easy to prepare, portable

Cons: Not the cheapest option; smaller portion sizes  

Click here to read our full review

The best vegan meal delivery service

For the vegans among us, the best option for prepared meals decidedly come from Veestro.

Just because you're eating frozen food doesn't mean that you're heating up greasy microwave dinners as you sit in front of the television and live out every negative stereotype on the planet. Instead, live your best vegan life and make health-conscious and delicious choices with Veestro.

Veestro is a meal delivery service that makes it easy to get more plant-based foods into your diet without sacrificing taste or convenience. The company sends fully prepared 100% plant-based meals to your door.

All meals are preservative-free and organic (96% of all ingredients used), and the recipes are created by a vegan chef with 30 years of knowledge to fall back on. Don't worry about prepping ingredients — Veestro doesn't need you to do any heavy lifting. While I'd certainly recommend that you fire up your stovetop or preheat your oven for best results, you can just as easily throw these meals in the microwave if you really don't feel like cooking.

There are plenty of ways to interact with Veestro. You can pick and choose from 50 meals all priced starting at $10, like baked mac and "cheese," Tuscan calzone, portobello steak, and quinoa soup. Or, you can opt for meal packs, like an introductory starter pack, protein pack, and gluten-free option. These start at $8 per meal. Then there are also juices and various weight loss plans, all of which are 100% plant-based.

While frozen food normally incorporates artificial ingredients and preservatives, that's simply not the case with Veestro. The red curry is pretty awesome, and honestly, I could've eaten the enchiladas for days. Particularly noteworthy are the company's sauces, which look particularly unappetizing when they arrive frozen solid, but become surprisingly delicious once you drop the packages in hot water. Really, they make the meal.

At $8 to $10 per meal, Veestro is about comparable (if not cheaper) than meal kits, and you get the added convenience and freedom to concentrate on other parts of your life while still enjoying healthy, tasty food.

Pros: Healthy, extremely easy to make, 100% plant-based and a great way to get your vegetables

Cons: At the end of the day, if you're not a fan of frozen food, this may not be the meal for you

Click here to read our full review

The best complete meal delivery service

If you want breakfast, lunch, and dinner to be taken care of, Sakara is here to the rescue.

Eating like a model may not be as miserable as it sounds. Expensive? Sure. Bland? Absolutely not. That is, if you have Sakara in your kitchen.

Let's not beat around the bush here — Sakara is expensive. In some cases, prohibitively expensive. Pricing starts at $70 a day. Three days of meals will cost you at least $239, while five days jumps up to $350. Pricing is based on three meals a day, so it will vary depending on how you customize the plan. If you're already living in a big city and eating out for every meal, that may be comparable. But if you're grocery shopping, let's be honest — this is by no means saving you money.

But what Sakara is saving you is time. More importantly, this brand may just be giving you the gift of life — at least, an extended version of it. That's because all of Sakara's meals are not only delicious, but completely plant-based and packed with superfoods.

When you sign up with the service, you're effectively signing up for a whole new lifestyle. You see, Sakara isn't just sending you a frozen dinner — instead, you'll receive an entire day's (or multiple days) worth of meals, complete with drinks and snacks.

Included in your plan could be things like a Sakara Cobb Salad with coconut "bacon," which is really seed-crusted avocado; Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna; or Golden Pineapple Un-Fried Rice with tempeh and red cabbage. All entrees are nutritious and surprisingly filling thanks to their healthy servings of protein.

For breakfast, you might find a Superfood Shot Breakfast Bowl with blueberries and nuts, or a Sacha Inchi Pumpkin Scone with Apple Butter. All meals are packaged in order to stay fresh for the days in which you're meant to eat them, and do a great job of keeping the fresh vegetables crisp and vibrant.

Ultimately, if you're short on time and long on money, then Sakara is likely the best option around.

Pros: Extremely healthy, plant-based meals, surprisingly delicious food, thoughtful packaging  

Cons: Incredibly expensive

The best meal-in-a-box

If you're too tired to cook but not tired enough to just throw something in the microwave, Banza may just serve as a happy medium with its chickpea-based pasta.

If ever I'm in an anti-cooking mood, it's not the microwave I gravitate toward, but rather my boxes of macaroni and cheese. While there are plenty of brands that offer easy versions of the ultimate comfort food that will make you immediately regret your decision once you've licked the last of that fake cheese off the spoon, Banza is not one of those brands. In fact, this chickpea pasta purveyor just may be my very favorite mac and cheese brand, and I'm only too glad that I've discovered them.

Chickpea pasta may not be in everyone's pantry (yet), but it really ought to be. Not only is this pasta for the gluten-intolerant among us, but it's also high in fiber and high in protein, making it more filling than the regular wheat-based stuff. While you could always make your classic pasta preparations with Banza pasta, one of the best (and easiest) in my book comes in the form of the brand's mac and cheese offering.

Making this dish is about as easy as it gets. If you can boil water, you can make yourself a delicious and nutritious meal. Simply pour the box of pasta into a box of boiling water, wait a few minutes until the shells reach your desired level of al dente doneness, and then mix in the cheese flavoring with salt and pepper to taste, as well as some milk. And voila — you're ready to go.

The chickpea pasta doesn't taste any different from the elbow pasta you grew up loving, but is certainly healthier. And I'm a huge fan of the cheese sauce, too.

Banza also offers a wide range of other pasta options for quick and easy weeknight meals, all of which are extremely affordable. So if you're not interested in pulling out all the stops but still want to spend some time in your kitchen, this mac and cheese may just be the way to go.

Banza isn't a meal-delivery service like the others listed here, however, you can sign up for automatic replenishment through Amazon's Subscribe & Save option. 

Pros: Delicious and nutritious, affordable, extremely easy to make, easy to dress up

Cons: Some customers aren't a fan of chickpea pasta's texture  

Click here to read our full review

The best meal kit delivery service

If you're not so sure about meal delivery services but are in love with meal kits, the offerings from Hungryroot may just be the first step you need to become a convert.   

There's something beguiling about meal kits. What with their pre-portioned vegetables, their well-sized proteins, and their packaged sauces, it's almost like having a sous chef backstage. Of course, it makes cooking a breeze, too, even if you don't generally consider yourself a chef. But as wonderful as meal kits are, they still require some amount of preparation, some amount of standing over a stove, or some amount of preheating an oven. That is, unless you have Hungryroot.

I like to think of Hungryroot as inhabiting the space somewhere between a meal kit and a meal delivery service. The subscription-based company sends healthy, almost-ready meals to your door. All you need to do is heat things up and mix them together. That means that instead of having dinner ready in 25 minutes, as you might with a meal kit, you can have dinner ready in about five minutes (if you're super efficient). With servings costing around $6 to $7, this is also a pretty budget-friendly option.

All of Hungryroot's options are 100% vegan and gluten-free, making them perfect for just about any dietary restriction. But don't worry, meat eaters -- even though these meals are appropriate for herbivores, they're still delicious enough to fool even the most dedicated carnivore. Plus, thanks to the cornucopia of nutrients, complex carbohydrates (like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, quinoa, beans, and oats), and healthy fats (like olive oil, coconut oil, cashews, almonds, and avocados), you'll stay full for quite a long time.

Your menu could include things like Southwestern Quinoa Tofu Scramble, Green Goddess Lentil Salad, Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Tagine, Kohlrabi Peanut Takeout Noodles, Pad Thai Fried Rice, and desserts like Black Bean Brownie Batter or Almond Chickpea Cookie Dough. All are surprisingly easy to make, and if you really want to include some meat, you can always swap out the included proteins for your own. While servings may seem small at first blush, I was pleasantly surprised to find how filling they really were (not to mention how tasty).

Even if you have just 10 minutes to spare every night, you can still make yourself a delicious almost-homemade meal.

Pros: Easy to prepare (without depending on a microwave), delicious, plant-based and healthy, wide selection of meals

Cons: Some folks may want larger portions or meatier proteins

Click here to read our full review

• There is an entire community on YouTube of "underwater treasure hunters," who earn revenue from Google AdSense on YouTube by filming themselves searching waterways for "lost treasure."
• These creators clean up waterways for a living, using scuba diving gear and metal detectors to search through rivers and oceans.
• Jake Koehler, who goes by DALLMYD online, is a successful underwater treasure hunter who has gained 8.7 million subscribers on YouTube.
• Koehler spoke to Business Insider about the success he's had since starting his YouTube channel, and how he's turned his passion of filming videos for YouTube into a lucrative career – hiring his mom and friends to help him run his business. 
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

There's a whole community of creators on YouTube who film themselves diving underwater in rivers and oceans for "lost treasure." But the money they make from Google can be far greater than the value of what they find.

Some of these "underwater treasure hunters" film themselves cleaning up waterways full time and will often reunite owners with lost valuables, like iPhones and engagement rings.

Jake Koehler, who goes by DALLMYD online, has amassed 8.7 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.3 million followers on Facebook as an underwater treasure hunter.

He spoke to Business Insider about how he's turned his passion of filming videos for YouTube into a lucrative career and what he's found underwater — from human remains, to phones, to guns.

From gaming channel to real-life adventure

DALLMYD started off as a gaming channel. Koehler would post videos of himself playing video games like "Call of Duty" and "Grand Theft Auto." 

The 27-year-old told Business Insider that, growing up in California, he participated in a variety of water sports. Once his family moved to Georgia, he began free diving, which eventually turned into scuba diving. 

His first time "searching for treasure" happened by accident, he said. While he was scuba diving, Koehler came across a working GoPro in the water. He decided he would film his next "search" as a video for his YouTube channel. 

In 2015, he uploaded his first treasure hunting video, titled, "SEARCHING FOR RIVER TREASURE." At the time, he had just under 200,000 subscribers on YouTube. From there, he began filming more videos about his adventures finding river treasure and fewer videos with him playing video games.

Discovering guns, wedding rings, and human remains

Throughout the years, Koehler has discovered some interesting items.

Along with functional iPhones and many guns, Koehler said the strangest thing he's found was a "box of human remains."

At the time of discovery, Koehler didn't realize they were ashes, but after working with the police, he ultimately decided to rebury the box, he said. 

Koehler has worked with the police many times, he said, and reports every gun he finds. Collectively, he's found around 20 guns, and sometimes the police will update him on whether the weapon is linked back to a crime.

Koehler documented his first time finding a gun in the video titled, "Found a possible murder weapon underwater in a river (Police called)," which quickly gained traction online. That is what made him decide to officially switch his to treasure-specific content, he said.

At the time of writing, the video has 20.9 million views.

"I think that's what ultimately changed my life and allowed me to take this career," he said. "It was something new that no one really saw before, and there was something genuine and intriguing about handing stuff back."

Koehler scuba dives at least once a day and has reunited owners with GoPros and iPhones with lost photos, he said. 

Fans from around the world contact him everyday on Facebook, he said, requesting his help in finding their lost valuables. His favorite search was the time a couple in his area contacted him to find their lost wedding ring.

"It was like I was a CSI agent or something, looking through all of the cracks and trying to figure it out," he said. "Being able to reunite a lost wedding ring to someone means more than what it costs."

After three days of searching, Koehler found the ring stuck wedged between two steps. Koehler said he doesn't charge people for searches or sell any of the items he finds.

Backend of business 

The DALLMYD YouTube videos are his main source of income, he said, and his videos don't get demonetized by YouTube often, but if he mentions words like "police called," or "gun," in the title, the video won't earn any money. 

Koehler said he earns almost as much as he does from YouTube on Facebook through advertising. He signed with the entertainment company and digital network Fullscreen in 2017 and the company helps manage the backend of his business, brand sponsorships, and his Facebook page.

Koehler declined to detail exactly how much money he's made off a video, but said he's "extremely grateful" for the success he's had. 

His two best friends, who he met one day by the lake he frequently searches, are now his business partners and are often featured in his videos. And he also hired his mom as a full-time employee early into his YouTube success, he said. 

With the money Koehler has made, he's been able to pay off his bills and purchase his "dream apartment," he said.

Koehler used the GoPro he found during his first underwater hunt to film his videos, and once he gained 500,000 subscribers, he purchased a camera, he said.

When he first started off, Koehler would keep his scuba finds in a box under his bed. Now, he keeps the "treasure" in his garage, and among the things he's found are roughly 100 iPhones and 50 GoPros, he said.

Koehler said he holds onto everything he finds because he hopes to someday display it all somewhere for his fans to see.

Along with the items being interesting to look at, Koehler said that a big part of why he keeps the stuff is to show people just how much trash is left at the bottom of the ocean, river, or lake. 

"I've gone to schools and events where people can see all of the trash," he said. "The ultimate goal is to have a place where people can come and look at everything in the future."

For more on the business of being an influencer, and a breakdown of how YouTube creators make their money, check out these Business Insider Prime stories below: 

The financial adviser to the world's top-earning YouTube star shares the tips he gives clients to kickstart their businesses

A top talent manager breaks down the big trends in how YouTube stars are making money in 2019

YouTube star Shelby Church breaks down how much money a video with 1 million views makes her

SEE ALSO: YouTube creator Preston Arsement on how he built a 24-person business using game development and merchandise

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Pixar has a secret formula for making perfect films. Here are 5 rules that make its movies so special.

• It's not always easy to tell if someone has blocked you on Snapchat, since you won't receive any sort of notification.
• When someone blocks you on Snapchat, you'll no longer be able to see that person's snaps or talk to them via the app.
• Still, if you suspect that you've been blocked by a friend on Snapchat, there are ways to figure out if your assumption is correct.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When someone blocks you on Snapchat, you're no longer able to see their stories or snaps, and you can't send them snaps or chats. 

But how do you know if they blocked you in the first place when, on your end, you don't get a notification about being blocked?

If you stop getting notifications via the iPhone or Android app from their account, you may be blocked. That's pretty difficult to realize, though, unless it's someone who frequently uses the app or frequently chats with you via the app. 

But if you've begun to suspect that someone's blocked you on Snapchat, there are ways to confirm your assumption.

Here's what you'll need to know to figure it out.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (From $999.99 at Best Buy)

Google Pixel 3 (From $799.99 at Best Buy)

How to tell if someone blocked you on Snapchat

Here are the various steps involved in confirming whether or not you've been blocked on the app:

1. Open the Snapchat app and swipe from left to right across the screen to get to your friends list.

2. If someone you were friends with no longer shows up there, that's a good sign that you may have been blocked — but it isn't confirmation. You'll have to do a bit more digging to officially confirm your suspicion.

3. Tap the search icon (the magnifying glass) at the top of the screen and search for their name or username. If they blocked you, they won't show up here. However, it isn't confirmation in itself. Not seeing their profile within the search function could also be result of them deleting their account.

4. To make sure that the cause of being unable to locate their account is a block, you can ask a friend to search for their name or username and confirm that they still have a Snapchat account. (Of course, keep in mind that if your friend has also been blocked by that same user, they won't see the account show up either.)

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to change your Snapchat display name - since you can't change your username

• How to find and add someone on Snapchat on iPhone or Android, in 3 different ways

• How to delete or deactivate your Snapchat account, which you can only do from a desktop browser

• How to delete or block friends on Snapchat on an iPhone or Android

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The incredible story behind Slack, the app that's taken over offices everywhere

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on Embark dog DNA kits, clothing at Club Monaco, Nike sneakers at Nordstrom Rack, and Leesa Mattresses. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

1.Save up to 40% on top brands at Moosejaw

If you're shopping for outdoor gear or clothing, you'll want to head to Moosejaw. Now through September 2, you can save up to 40% on top brands on sale, and take 20% off one full-price item by using the promo code "HOTDOG" at checkout. The sale includes gear from The North Face, Moosejaw, Mountain Hardwear, PrAna, Marmot, Columbia, and Arctery'x. Visit Business Insider Coupons to potentially save more at Moosejaw.

Shop the Moosejaw sale now. 

2. Save $20 on Dog Breed + Health Kits at Embark

For mixed-breed dog owners, knowing your best friend's genetic makeup has several benefits. It'll give you the answer to the question you get asked regularly at the dog park, and it can help you better understand their health and how to care for them over time. Now through August 31, you can get $20 off the Embark Breed + Health DNA Kit by using the promo code "AUGUST20" at checkout. Insider Picks reporter Mara Leighton used the kit to learn the breed of her family's rescue dog. Read her full review here.

Embark Breed + Health Kit, $179 (Originally $199) [You save $20]

3. Save up to 65% on select styles at Club Monaco

Club Monaco is having a sale on some of its best summer styles for men and women. Now through August 25, you can save up to 65% on select styles for men and women. No promo code is necessary, so it's easy to save. With a great selection of casual and business casual pieces, you'll definitely find something worth adding to your closet.

Shop the Club Monaco sale now. 

4. Save 30% sitewide at Milani Cosmetics

Milani Cosmetics has a full range of makeup for all skin tones, plus all the tools and brushes you'll need to complete your look. Now through August 18, you can save 30% sitewide and get free shipping by using the promo code "INSIDERFAM19" at checkout. If you're into makeup, this is a good opportunity to stock up on essentials for less.

Shop the Milani Cosmetics sale now. 

5. Save 25% on Nike sneakers at Nordstrom Rack

Nordstrom Rack is home to thousands of great deals on all the brands you love, but one of the best sales currently running is on Nike products. For a limited time, you can save 25% on select Nike sneakers for men, women, and kids. If you need new sneakers for the gym or you're doing back-to-school shopping for the kids, you'll find the right pairs here. Visit Business Insider Coupons for more deals at Nordstrom Rack. 

Shop the Nike sale at Nordstrom Rack now.  

6. Save 50% on sale styles at O.N.S Clothing

Emerging direct-to-consumer menswear brand O.N.S Clothing caters to the ethos of city living with stylish and comfortable casual apparel. Right now, you can save 50% on the entire spring/summer 2019 collection. You can also get free standard shipping on all orders of $150 more and free worldwide shipping on all orders of $300 or more. Whether you're shopping for clothes to wear in or out of the office, you'll find plenty of high-quality options here.

Shop the O.N.S Clothing sale now. 

7. Save up to 40% on sofas and sectionals at West Elm

If you're shopping furniture to spruce up your home but don't want to spend an astronomical amount of money, West Elm is one of the first places you should look. Right now, the brand is having a sale with up to 40% off sofas, sectionals, and chairs. Visit Business Insider Coupons for more deals and savings at West Elm.

Shop the West Elm sale now.

8. Save up to $225 on Leesa mattresses

Online mattress startup Leesa is having a big sale to end the summer. For a very limited time, you can save $175 on the Leesa Mattress and $225 on the Leesa Hybrid Mattress. If buying a mattress online concerns you, know that you can try it out for 100 nights free of risk. If it's not the best sleep you've ever had, you can return it hassle-free. Visit Business Insider Coupons for more the most up-to-date deals at Leesa.

Shop the Leesa sale now.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Waterpik is best known for being the company behind Amazon's best-selling water flosser.
• Recently, Waterpik combined its original water flosser with an electric toothbrush to make a single machine that can do both brushing and flossing at the push of a button, together or alone.
• I tried the new combination machine, and the bottom line is that it's good for some people, but the original Waterpik Water Flosser ($69.99) paired with another electric toothbrush is going to be the best value for most people. 

Based on how often dentists tentatively, accusingly, or wryly ask "have you been flossing?", it seems fewer of us are fully committing to oral hygiene than we'd care to admit. Working a tough string through every gap individually doesn't have the mass appeal that brushing does. 

That might help explain how the $70 electronic Waterpik water flosser was able to reach the kind of online fame typically reserved for $12 clay masks that outperform $80 luxury options. Beyond helping those with braces or bonds, it makes flossing easier to do and the habit thereby easier to pick up. The company also offers studies that show it to be 51% more effective than dental floss for reducing gingivitis, two times as effective as dental floss at reducing gingival bleeding, and 29% more effective as dental floss at removing plaque. And it doesn't hurt that it's ADA-accepted. 

But the water flosser didn't solve all the inconveniences of flossing. For one thing, it is still a separate step from brushing, and the model takes up a lot of countertop space. Plus, it's expensive at $70 upfront — though there is the argument that you're saving money on future dentist bills.

In order to streamline the process further, Waterpik released the Waterpik Electric Toothbrush & Water Flosser Combo. In one device, Waterpik combined an electric toothbrush and a water flosser. You can use the water stream to floss without brushing or brush without the water stream, or you can combine them for a fast, effective session. 

I reviewed the Waterpik Water Flosser ($69.99) in the past, and the company sent me the new Waterpik Electric Toothbrush & Water Flosser Combo ($169.99) to test as well. 

My experience

The package comes with two brush heads, the electronic toothbrush, and the main machine with the water tank. Altogether, it takes under a minute to set up. After filling the water tank and plugging it in, I'd recommend facing the brush into the sink, turning the water pressure dial on a low setting, and pressing the floss button so the first slightly wonky stream goes into your sink and not in your mouth. After the first stream, you're good to go.

You can use the brush as just a toothbrush or as a combined toothbrush and water flosser seamlessly. All you have to do is press the floss button on the toothbrush. If you want different water pressure, you can turn the dial higher or lower.  

Like the original Waterpik water flosser, this combo model definitely gave me a more effective clean than just brushing my teeth when I also used the flossing setting. My mouth felt noticeably clean — the sort of lick-your-teeth sensation associated with just having braces removed. And it did improve my own consistency; I flossed every night and morning because it didn't require any more effort or time. But the toothbrush head was soft and would be underwhelming to someone looking for traditional bristles. It's not really a direct replacement for an electric toothbrush. If you're looking for more vigorous and traditional brushing, I'd recommend picking up the cheaper original Waterpik Water Flosser and getting the Quip toothbrush or another electric toothbrush to fill the void. 

It's also important to note that it sounds like a muffled drill while it works, so you'll probably want to use it before your partner goes to sleep if the walls are thin. And as with the original Waterpik Flosser, this new combo machine will take up a decent amount of countertop space — though it's less than what's required by separate machines, and this matters more in a small New York apartment than it does in the suburbs. But that means you probably won't use it while traveling. 

Bottom line

If you like a vigorous tooth-brushing experience, have the space, and you can trust yourself to be consistent with flossing even if it's another step, then you're probably better off saving $100 and getting the original Waterpik Water Flosser and a Quip ($40) or Oral-B Pro 1000 ($40). The brush head is very soft, and there are plenty of great electronic toothbrushes out there for less than $100.

If you don't have space, need a soft brush head, and want to make flossing as convenient as possible, then this may be ideal for you.

No matter which one you choose, Waterpik water flossers are, in my experience, a great way to pick up the flossing habit and get a more effective, easier clean. If the combo isn't a good match for you, I still suggest checking out the original.

Waterpik Electric Toothbrush & Water Flosser Combo, $169.99, at Amazon

Waterpik Original Electric Water Flosser, $69.99, at Amazon

Join the conversation about this story »

• You can embed YouTube videos in a PowerPoint presentation using the Video button in the Insert tab of the program's ribbon. 
• The embedding process is slightly different depending on which version of PowerPoint you have.
• For the latest version of PowerPoint, you need the YouTube video's URL. For older versions, you need to copy the "iframe" embed code. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Visually enriching a PowerPoint slideshow with charts, images, and video can make any presentation more engaging. 

You can embed a locally stored video file in PowerPoint, but that makes the PowerPoint file very large and can cause performance problems. A much better approach: Embed a link to a YouTube video instead. 

The exact process depends on which version of PowerPoint you have. 

How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint 365

1. Find the video you want to embed on YouTube, and copy the entire URL from the web browser's address bar. 

2. In PowerPoint, click the "Insert" tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.

3. Click "Video," and in the drop-down, choose "Online video…"

4. In the Online Video dialog box, paste the URL of the YouTube video.

You can apply a variety of effects to the video preview using the options in the Video Format tab in the ribbon. These options affect the video preview that appears in your slide before the video plays — they do not affect the video when it plays. 

How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint 2016

If you have Office 2016, the Online Video dialog box looks a little different, and you need to embed the video differently.

1. Find the video you want to embed on YouTube and copy the embed code that begins with "<iframe." To find that, click "Share," below the video's title, and then click "Embed." Copy the full Embed Video link. 

2. In PowerPoint, click the "Insert" tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.

3. Click "Video," and in the drop-down, choose "Online video…"

4. In the Online Video dialog box, paste the embed code into the From a Video Embed Code field.

You can also use the Search YouTube search box to find a video to embed directly from PowerPoint.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to delete your own YouTube videos on a computer or mobile device

• How to block or unblock someone on Twitter on a computer or mobile device

• How to convert PDFs into Word files and edit them on a Mac computer

• How to temporarily hide or permanently delete your YouTube account, and erase any trace of yourself from the site

SEE ALSO: The best laptops you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: All the ways Amazon is taking over your house

• Birth control delivery startup Pill Club is battling with health giant CVS Caremark over how much it gets paid for prescriptions.
• Pill Club has taken the feud to the public, posting a plea on its website titled "CVS, don't take away access to birth control."
• The hashtag #CVSDeniesCare also went viral on Twitter on Thursday morning and a second hashtag, #BoycottCVS, emerged later in the day. 
• Pill Club patients who get prescriptions covered through CVS Caremark are an important part of the startup's business. If reimbursement rates are cut there's a "chance that Pill Club can't work with CVS Caremark," a spokeswoman for Pill Club said. 
• No other birth control delivery startups contacted by Business Insider early Thursday could confirm that they were also affected, and CVS had no immediate comment.
• The episode shows how public outrage could become a new tool in health startups' contract negotiations with established healthcare companies.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Birth-control-delivery startup Pill Club is taking a clash with health giant CVS Caremark to the public arena.

Pill Club and CVS Caremark are feuding over how much CVS pays Pill Club to send prescriptions to its customers. The startup posted a plea on its website to CVS, titled "Don't take away access to birth control," and the issue began trending on Twitter on Thursday morning, under the hashtag #CVSDeniesCare. A second hashtag, #BoycottCVS, began to trend on Thursday afternoon. 

And with that, a feud between corporations over reimbursement rates turned into a battle over hot button issues like access to contraception and women's rights. The American Civil Liberties Union weighed in, as did the president of pro-choice advocacy group NARAL. 

A spokeswoman for Pill Club said that the company sent an email Thursday morning to its users and "alerted its partner organizations and friends close to the company about the situation." The spokeswoman said that the company didn't launch the viral Twitter campaign. 

Pill Club patients who get prescriptions covered through CVS Caremark are an important part of the startup's business, the spokeswoman said, though she did not comment on the specific amount.

"If we cannot convince CVS to change course in the next few weeks, we will have no choice but to stop serving people with CVS Caremark pharmacy benefits," Pill Club said on its website.

One early #CVSDeniesCare tweet came from Gianna Fine, a marketing coordinator living in South Carolina, on Wednesday night. 

Fine has gotten birth control through Pill Club for a few months now, and has found the "best birth control I've used" through the service, she told Business Insider by phone.

She said that she found out about the CVS issue when logging into her Pill Club account, and then began communicating with the startup on Instagram. Fine said she had not been paid by Pill Club to post about the issue. 

A new group of online healthcare startups

Pill Club is one of a crop of new startups like Nurx and Hers that prescribe birth control online and ship it to the customer's door, and viral social media posts have suggested that the CVS Caremark change could affect other birth control delivery startups as well. No other birth control delivery startups contacted by Business Insider on Thursday could confirm that they were also affected.

Joel Wishkovsky, the CEO of Simple Health, a startup that also provides birth control online, said his company is on a similar contract to Pill Club. He said Simple Health won't turn away CareMark patients even if CVS pays his company less.

A CVS spokesman had no immediate comment.

Pill Club has also sought to portray CVS as hostile to women's health issues. In an email to Business Insider, a Pill Club spokeswoman wrote that "CVS clearly doesn't see women's health as a priority," citing the health giant's connections to the Trump administration and its majority-male board of directors. The language used by Pill Club also closely mirrors that used by some people on social media.

Read:A feud between Amazon's pharmacy and the healthcare industry exemplifies just how disruptive the tech giant could be

The Pill Club model

Pill Club works like this: Customers who go online can say what their birth control preference is, and list out any health concerns that might be relevant.

One of the company's physicians then reviews that information, and decides whether to write a prescription. Pill Club's pharmacies send those pills, or other birth control, to a customer's front door, where it comes in a "care package" that also includes goodies like sweets and stickers. 

Companies like Pill Club are part of a new trend towards more convenient, online models for prescription medications. These new startups typically combine a virtual doctor's visit with medication shipped directly to the customer.

Pill Club is one of a handful of these companies that fills prescriptions through a patient's health insurance. That's where companies like CVS Caremark, termed "pharmacy-benefit managers," come in. They agree to pay a certain amount of money per prescription to pharmacies. 

This isn't the first time online startups have taken disputes with PBMs public. In 2016, now-Amazon-owned online pharmacy PillPack got into a public argument with Express Scripts that almost resulted in PillPack getting cut from the PBM's massive network.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This summer may be hotter than you expect. Here's how hot it will get in every state.

• Americans older than age 65 spend one-third more time a day on their screens than Americans aged 18 to 34 do, reported The Economist.
• Nielsen data reveals that TV is responsible for the difference — seniors have more interest in TV, spending about four hours more a day with the television on than younger cohorts do.
• But when used with moderation and self-control, watching TV isn't a bad thing, according to psychologist Leora Trub. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

American millennials and Gen Z may have a reputation for being the tech-savvy and tech-addicted generations — but it's America's elderly who actually spend the most time on their screens.

Americans aged 65 and older spend one-third more a day on screen-time than Americans aged 18 to 34 do, reported The Economist, citing data from market-research firm Nielsen. The data shows that the elderly spend nearly 10 hours a day on their televisions, computers, or smartphones, while younger Americans spend about seven hours doing so.

According to The Economist, TV is responsible for the difference. Nielsen's data revealed that while seniors spend an average of seven-and-a-half hours with the TV on, younger generations have less interest in TV — they spend about four hours less in front of the TV.

It's worth noting that this includes having background TV on while engaging in other activities, and that seniors have more time on their hands — 75% of the seniors in Nielsen's data are retired.

Read more: Millennials are turning to Netflix to cope with burnout, and it highlights the similarities between technology addiction and food cravings

While younger generations spend more time on their smartphones than seniors — three-and-a-half hours compared to two hours — it doesn't make up for the gap in TV use. Both age groups have seen an increase in mobile device use over the past four years.

Regardless of age, there's always the risk of technology addiction.

In fact, the addiction criteria usually used for drugs and alcohol is now being used for technology, Leora Trub, Ph.D., who leads Pace University's Digital Media and Psychology Lab, previously told Business Insider.

She likens a technology addiction, specifically, to food addiction. Technology, she noted, is "... out there for everyone, everyone needs to use it to some extent for their daily lives. It's an alluring and compelling thing."

But when used with moderation and self-control, watching TV isn't a bad thing, as it can offer both distraction and entertainment as a coping mechanism for burnout or stress, Trub said: "Everyone should get to have their own vices and TV is a fine one."

SEE ALSO: 17 ways life is different for millennials than for baby boomers, from crushing student loans to a disappearing middle class

DON'T MISS: 7 ways life is more expensive today for American millennials than previous generations

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Area 51 became the center of alien conspiracy theories

• New York City no longer appears to be one of the favored cities for millennials to move to.
• SmartAsset recently tracked which cities the most millennials were settling in, and the results are surprising.
• The Big Apple didn't even make the top 25, but three cities on the West Coast made the top 10.

Is the Big Apple losing its allure?

With a long history of attracting young professionals, New York City has long been known as a "must move to" hot spot.

But in a July 2019 SmartAsset report tracking the top cities millennials were settling in, New York didn't even make the top 25.

SmartAsset ranked the list according to net migration data from the US Census Bureau. It subtracted the number of people ages 20 to 34 who moved out of the city from the number of people in the same age range who moved into the same city in 2017.

The southern portion of the United States dominated, with five cities making the top 10.

Perhaps part of the enticement of these cities is that living expenses are less than in traditionally popular places like San Francisco or New York.

Keep reading to see the top 10 cities millennials are moving to, ranked in order of ascending net migration.

SEE ALSO: 9 US cities that are paying people thousands of dollars to move there

DON'T MISS: Here's how much it costs to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the 49 largest US cities

10. Henderson, Nevada

Number of millennials that moved in: 4,957

Number of millennials that moved out: 1,929

Net migration: 3,028

9. Clarksville, Tennessee

Number of millennials that moved in: 9,740

Number of millennials that moved out: 6,410

Net migration: 3,330

8. San Diego, California

Number of millennials that moved in: 36,145

Number of millennials that moved out: 32,803

Net migration: 3,342

7. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Number of millennials that moved in: 16,279

Number of millennials that moved out: 12,911

Net migration: 3,368

6. Charlotte, North Carolina

Number of millennials that moved in: 22,496

Number of millennials that moved out: 17,436

Net migration: 5,060

5. Norfolk, Virginia

Number of millennials that moved in: 18,998

Number of millennials that moved out: 13,568

Net migration: 5,430

4. Columbia, South Carolina

Number of millennials that moved in: 12,838

Number of millennials that moved out: 6,284

Net migration: 6,554

3. Portland, Oregon

Number of millennials that moved in: 25,405

Number of millennials that moved out: 18,819

Net migration: 6,586

2. Seattle, Washington

Number of millennials that moved in: 33,989

Number of millennials that moved out: 25,982

Net migration: 8,007

1. Dallas, Texas

Number of millennials that moved in: 43,159

Number of millennials that moved out: 32,788

Net migration: 10,371

• The keto diet limit's a person's carbohydrate intake to about 5% of daily calories. Dieters load up on anywhere from 70-90% fats.
• Keto dieters can gorge on all kinds of fat. Foods heavy in unsaturated fat include avocados, olive oil, and fish, while there are more saturated fats in butter, bacon, and cream.
• There's evidence that diets high in saturated fat (often from animal sources) are really bad for people, and for the planet, too.
• Long-term studies of the effects of keto diets on overall health are scarce.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The world cannot run on bacon and butter.

Aside from the fact that there are not enough pigs and cows on the Earth to feed every person in such a high-fat way, this kind of meaty diet is dangerous for both human health and our planet's future.

That doesn't stop people from trying.

"Eating a keto diet that's especially high in red meat will be undermining the sustainability of the climate," Harvard nutrition professor Dr. Walter Willett told Business Insider. "It's bad for the person eating it, but also really bad for our children and our grandchildren, so that's something I think we should totally, strongly advise against. It's — in fact — irresponsible." 

Keto diets run on all different kinds of fat

Trendy keto diets are designed to make people run on fat, strictly limiting a person's carbohydrates,so that the body switches into a fat-burning state called "ketosis." In practice, this usually means no sugar, no wheat, no beans, and very little alcohol. Sometimes, it also means a lot of red meat. 

But there isn't a lot of evidence about whether fueling up on more saturated fats — bacon, butter, and cream are traditionally linked to health conditions like heart disease and higher cholesterol— might harm the long-term health of keto dieters. (That hasn't stopped the keto diet market from exploding: annual keto-friendly food sales are projected to skyrocket to a $12.35 billion market worldwide by 2024, and butter sales, especially of fancy versions like those from grass-fed cows, are on the rise too.)

Willett says he thinks people can be healthy on a keto diet, and that one of the best ways to go high fat may be to model the Greeks. 

"It's pretty easy when you're in some place like Israel or Greece with so many good vegetables and healthy oils and fish to have a pretty healthy low carbohydrate diet," he said. 

Beef consumption isn't good for the Earth

Both keto aficionados and Willett agree: there's something wrong with the way most people are eating. We could all stand to replace refined carbohydrates like white bread, snack cakes, and sugary drinks with more good fats and fresh produce.

But replacing carbs with more saturated fats doesn't always align with a planet-friendly way of eating.

Unlike olive oil, many fat sources that are solid at room temperature, like bacon fat, butter, and beef tallow, come from animals, not plants. To cultivate those fat sources, farmers need a fair amount of real estate for cows and pigs to roam.

A United Nations report released just last week suggests the world's beef-heavy consumption patterns are taking a serious toll on the health of our planet: food systems are now responsible for 37% of greenhouse gas emissions, and cow manure is a major part of that equation, as it releases large amounts of climate-changing nitrous oxide and methane into the air.

"Diets that are rich in plant-based food emit lower greenhouse-gas emissions than diets that are very heavy in red meat consumption," UN report co-author Cynthia Rosenzweig said during a press conference.

There are things eaters can do to change that. A report Willett himself authored for the EAT Lancet commission earlier this year suggested that people around the globe should double their intake of "fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes " while cutting red meat and sugar intake by at least 50% in order for the globe to remain healthy and well-fed. 

Willett doesn't suggest that meat eaters must quit eating animals cold turkey. Even some of his own recipes, which include a mushroom meatloaf with beef and turkey, feature small amounts of red meats. But he does recommend people consume less farm-fresh cow. 

"We're racing down a path that is going to lead to destruction of viable environments over the next hundred years or so, and we have to get off that path," Willett said. "That means limiting substantially — not totally eliminating — but greatly reducing our consumption of red meat and dairy foods." 

Earlier this month, scientists calculated that if everyone in the US stopped eating beef completely, the carbon footprint benefit would be equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road.

"Today, with the state of the earth in dangerous shape, we do have look at virtually everything we do from an environmental health lens, as well as a direct human health lens," Willett said. "Because humans can't be healthy if we don't have a healthy environment."

SEE ALSO: What a husband and wife who've been on the keto diet for 6 years keep in their kitchen

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A dietitian explains which non-dairy milk is best for you

• YouTube auto-generates three thumbnails you can choose from when you upload a video, but you can also make a thumbnail yourself for any YouTube video you upload.
• YouTube provides no tools for making thumbnails, which means you'll have to use another program or website.
• The easiest way to make a thumbnail is to capture a screenshot with the Snipping tool and save it to your computer. Then you can choose "Custom thumbnail" in YouTube Studio, or when uploading a video.  
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Your YouTube video's thumbnail is like the cover of a book — while you shouldn't judge the contents by it, people do anyway. That's why the thumbnail should represent the video and look as good as possible. 

When you upload a video to YouTube, you can choose from among several pre-selected thumbnails, or make your own. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

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How to select an auto-generated thumbnail for your YouTube video

You can choose a video thumbnail when you initially upload the video, or later, when the video has been processed. You can even change it after it's published. 

If you are uploading the video, you should see three thumbnail options appear at the bottom of the upload screen while the video is uploading and processing. To choose one, simply click it. 

If you want to create your own thumbnail, see the section "How to make a custom thumbnail for your YouTube video" below. 

If the video has already processed or been published, you can set or change the thumbnail from YouTube Studio. 

1. From the YouTube homepage, click your avatar at the top right of the screen and choose "YouTube Studio (beta)."

2. In the pane on the left, click "Videos."

3. Click the title of the video you want to change.

4. On the Basic Details page, you should see three auto-generated thumbnails. Choose the one you want to use and then click "Save."

How to make a custom thumbnail for your YouTube video and upload it

If none of the auto-generated thumbnails suit you, you can create your own, but YouTube doesn't have any tool for doing this. The easiest way to create a thumbnail is to use a screenshot utility like Snipping Tool on a Windows computer, or any of the various screenshot methods on a Mac computer. 

Here's how you can do it on a PC or a Mac. 

1. Open the video on your computer in any media player.

2. Pause the video at the point that you want to create the thumbnail.

3. Start the Snipping Tool from the Start menu on Windows, or press Command + Shift + 4 on a Mac to enter screenshot mode. If using Snipping Tool, click "Mode" and choose "Rectangular Snip."

4. Click in the upper left corner of the video and drag the rectangle to the lower right corner. Be careful to capture as close to exactly the video window as possible. 

5. The screenshot will appear in the Snapping Tool. Click "File" and then click "Save As." Name the thumbnail image and save it. If using a Mac, the photo will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and will disappear in a few seconds. Once it disappears, it has been saved.

6. Return to the video in YouTube and, beside the auto-generated thumbnails, click "Custom thumbnail." 

7. Choose the file you just saved. 

Many creators also use programs like Adobe Photoshop to design their custom thumbnails. If you want a thumbnail that's not just a frame from your video, consider designing your own.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Apple's Mac Pro 'trash can' was a colossal failure

• Plenty of investors are betting on plants as the future of our flawed global food system, which relies on unsustainable farming methods and contributes large amounts of greenhouse gas to our environment. 
• PowerPlant Ventures is one of the firms that's looking to use their capital to do better for the planet and the animals by investing in a portfolio of plant-centric companies finding innovative ways to reshape the food system. 
• From brands like Beyond Meat that make meat out of plants to companies like Thrive Market that make healthy eating more accessible, keep reading to check out the innovative brands PowerPlant Ventures is betting on.

When it comes to choosing what we want to eat, a few obvious factors come into play. Most of us consider taste, personal dietary preferences, and prices when it's time to fill our plate. But, have you ever started the day with a little examination of the environmental impact of your breakfast? 

If you're like the majority of Americans, the answer is probably not. While three-quarters of Americans admit they're concerned about the environment, only one in five Americans say they actually make an effort to live an environmentally conscious life all the time. Yet, being more conscious consumers — particularly when it comes to choosing what we eat— could make a big impact on our rapidly changing climate. 

Our food system as it stands today is not sustainable in the long term. When you factor in all the land and resources required to raise animals, grow crops, package and transport food, this industry accounts for 37% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. Our food system contributes to global warming, yet in a catch-22, it's also vulnerable to the whims of a volatile environment caused by rising temperatures and high CO2 emissions.

As individuals, we have the power to make a more positive impact with every dollar we spend. So, where should we start?

PowerPlant Ventures is a growth equity fund with a desire to fix our global food system, and they're investing serious capital into the plant-centric food and beverage companies changing the way we produce, distribute, and consume food. The mission is multi-faceted: the goals are to advance innovative food brands to ultimately tackle the environmental inefficiency of our food system, protect our planet and our people from climate change, and improve animal welfare. To do this, they're looking toward plant-centric brands— ones creating more sustainable and ethical ways to fuel our bodies, by focusing (mostly) on plant-based nutrition.

Since its founding in 2015, PowerPlant Ventures has been investing in a slew of disruptive brands poised to change our food system for the better. The brands in their portfolio run the gamut from consumer-packaged goods to full-fledged fast casual chains. 

Keep reading to discover the five innovative brands PowerPlant Ventures is betting on to build a better food system.

Beyond Meat

Get Beyond Meat burgers, sausages, and more at Amazon

Weaning carnivores off the juicy goodness of hamburgers is a tough feat. Beyond Meat wants to give meat eaters all the things they love about classic burger (or any meat product, for that matter) in a better-for-you-and-the-planet package.

The company is on a mission to create better protein, made wholly from plant-based ingredients. Don't expect your average black bean and quinoa burger here. Beyond Meat has taken the blueprint of what makes meat what it is (protein, fat, trace minerals, water) and found plant-based alternatives to create burgers, sausages, and ground meats that look and cook just like the real deal.

Beyond Meat has been buzzing since going public this past May. The brands' faux meats are popping up everywhere, with sausage patties in breakfast sandwiches at Dunkin' Donuts to burgers on menus at Bareburger and BurgerFi. 

Beanfields

Buy Beanfields Bean Chips at Amazon and Thrive Market

Beanfields wants to prove you can get all the crunch and flavor of old fashioned tortilla chips with a host of more nutritious ingredients. As the name suggests, beans are the hero ingredient here — they provide more protein, fiber, and less fat than your traditional corn, wheat, or potato chip.

Beans need little to no fertilizer to grow, which helps prevent the pollution runoff that occurs when farming corn (which needs a lot of fertilizer). As a certified B Corporation, Beanfields is committed to using their business to make a positive societal and environmental impact. The brand works with Homeboy Industries— an organization that provides programs that help high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with rehab and re-entry into public and private life — employing graduates of the program, and donating a portion of their sales to the group. On top of all the good they're doing, these non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher chips are certified delicious — the products are flush with five-star reviews on Amazon. 

JUST

Shop JUST eggs, mayo and more at Amazon

Computational biologists, food engineers, and chefs make up the team at JUST, where they're on a mission to find delicious plant-based alternatives that can recreate some of our favorite decadent foods like mayonnaise, cookie dough, and eggs.

The brand first came onto the food scene with JUST Mayo, an alternative to your typical combination of eggs and oil that uses yellow split peas to create a creamy texture. JUST has branched out into the world of dressings (you can find classics like Caesar and ranch), cookie doughs that are totally safe to eat raw, and the highly-anticipated eggless eggs.

It took six years for JUST to find a plant-based formula that mimicked the texture, flavor, color, and scramble-ability of eggs. While it may not taste exactly like an egg to omnivores, dress it up in a breakfast sandwich and you won't be able to tell the difference. Canadian chain Tim Hortons is testing menu items featuring JUST Egg, which is made from mung bean protein, oil, and turmeric, among other ingredients. 

Thrive Market

Get your grocery shopping done at Thrive Market

Thrive Market may not be a totally plant-based platform, but it's reinventing the way we access healthy foods. We're told buying organic, non-GMO, and all-natural is better for us, but it's not possible for many. Organic food tends to be more expensive — they don't call Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" for nothing. Yet, many consumers still want access to these high-quality products, whether to support fair-trade purveyors for ethical reasons or buy more natural foods for health purposes.

Thrive Market wants to make grocery shopping simpler and more affordable for everyone by providing transparent labeling and wholesale prices. Every product on the website is GMO-free and Thrive lets you shop by diet and values, whether that's keto, raw, or Fair-Trade Certified. Pick the products you want and Thrive will deliver them right to your door, a particularly great convenience if you don't live near an organic market or grocery store. It's a membership service that costs $59.95 a year, which comes down to just $5 a month. Once a member, you can shop your favorite healthy brands at a fraction of the price. If you grocery shop often, or have a big family to feed, you'll likely make up the yearly membership fee in savings from your first two orders.

Additionally, Thrive is extending its mission to make healthy eating more affordable and accessible with its Thrive Gives memberships. When you buy a membership to Thrive Market, Thrive will donate a membership to a low-income family, along with educational content and grocery stipends. If you're on the fence, you can try a 30-day membership totally free.

Ripple

Shop Ripple plant milks and more at Amazon and Thrive Market

Milk made out of peas? Yes, it exists, and Ripple is leading the charge. There are plenty of dairy-free milks out there, but pea milk is becoming increasingly popular for it's high protein and low sugar content, especially when compared to cow's milk.

Founders Neil Renninger and Adam Lowry both have backgrounds working for environmentally conscious brands and causes. They chose peas for their small environmental footprint — yellow peas need little or no irrigation, so less water is needed to help them grow. Ripple bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, which makes it easily recyclable, too.

Ripple milks are vegan, lactose-intolerant, nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and gmo-free — so they really appeal to just about everyone. Since releasing their milks, Ripple has also released half and half, barista style foams and froths, protein shakes, and kids' beverages. 

• Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate and accused madam Ghislaine Maxwell has seemingly vanished — and no one knows where she is.
• Maxwell has faced heightened scrutiny after Epstein's apparent suicide last Saturday, and federal prosecutors have said they're still investigating Epstein's alleged conspiracy to traffic minors.
• Rumors have popped up that Maxwell could be living as close as Massachusetts, or as far away as France, but nothing has been proven.
• One expert told INSIDER that authorities could bring in US Customs and Border Protection officials or even Interpol to track her down, if they intend to prosecute her.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When Jeffrey Epstein died by apparent suicide on Saturday, attention turned to one woman: Ghislaine Maxwell.

But Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate and accused madam, has reportedly not been seen publicly in three years. And efforts to track her down have mysteriously eluded both authorities and the media thus far.

The heiress was one of the central figures in the convicted sex offender's inner circle, and women and girls have accused her of facilitating Epstein's sexual abuse.

US Attorney Geoffrey Berman gave a nod to Epstein's accusers in a statement following his death in his Manhattan jail cell on August 10, assuring victims that "our investigation of the conduct charged in the indictment — which included a conspiracy count — remains ongoing."

The statement was widely interpreted as an acknowledgment that investigators are actively looking into those accused of helping Epstein traffic minors.

Where she could have gone

On Wednesday, rumor had it that Maxwell was staying at a $3 million mansion in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. But its owner, the tech CEO Scott Borgerson, told Business Insider's Paige Leskin that Maxwell wasn't staying there.

He called Maxwell a "former friend" and did not clarify whether Maxwell had stayed at his home previously.

Read more: What to know about British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam who could become the new focus of his conspiracy case

This isn't the first time Maxwell has seemingly vanished without a trace.

The socialite used to live in a townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where she moved after her father's 1991 death and rubbed elbows with some of New York City's most prominent figures.

But in 2016, Maxwell's townhouse was sold, and she vanished from the city's party scene.

The next year, facing multiple lawsuits, Maxwell couldn't be found when her lawyers represented her in court. Her lawyers told a judge she was in London, but that they didn't know the precise address, according to The New York Times.

She likely has considerable assets at her disposal. According to a New York Post story from 2000, she had a $100,000 a year trust fund from her father.

Read more: Epstein files unsealed: Thousands of accusers' documents have been released from the defamation suit against his ex-girlfriend and alleged 'madam'

How authorities might be tracking down Maxwell's whereabouts

David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida, told INSIDER that authorities can leverage a number of different tactics to hunt down where Maxwell is currently living.

Firstly, if Maxwell did indeed leave the United States, authorities would likely start working with Customs and Border Protection officials to find records of when she last entered or exited the country.

"If someone is checking in through a port of entry where you're required to check in — meaning an airport or sea port — they've got records of it. When she came and when she went, when was her last entry, and when was her last exit," Weinstein said.

Authorities can also work with foreign governments to track Maxwell's entries and exits to different countries, provided those governments are willing to work with the US, Weinstein said.

A last resort could also be relying on Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to hunt her down using a "red notice" often used to arrest fugitives in foreign countries. That would likely come after prosecutors charged her with a crime.

On Wednesday, The Daily Beast reported that Maxwell was lying low in France, citing unnamed friends who said they themselves had not been able to make contact.

"She isn't responding to even her closest friends' calls," one person told The Beast.

• Read more:
• Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam, lived in a $5 million NYC mansion with ties to Epstein and ran a mysterious private foundation. Here's what we know about the British socialite's finances and assets.
• A look inside Jeffrey Epstein's real-estate portfolio, from the Florida and NYC mansions where sex trafficking reportedly took place to the private island in the Caribbean that was raided by the FBI
• Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam, donated money to a charity for sex trafficking victims in 2008
• Epstein's accusers say now that he's dead the government should rescind the generous 2007 plea deal that protected any accomplices

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Nxivm leader Keith Raniere has been convicted. Here's what happened inside his sex-slave ring that recruited actresses and two billionaire heiresses.

• The ultra-rich are investing more in travel as a way to show off their wealth, and that includes everything from sabbaticals to brief vacations.
• We teamed up with luxury travel agency Original Travel to find the hottest spots billionaires are heading to this year.
• A few classics like Great Britain made the list, but many billionaires are seeking adventure, from Rwanda to Bhutan.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Investing in travel is becoming an increasingly popular way for the ultra-rich to signify their status— and they're extending it far beyond the classic idea of a vacation. 

Nowadays, the super-rich are taking months-long, multimillion-dollar trips to recharge or reconnect with family because they're often burnt out, Business Insider's Katie Warren previously reported. That can take shape in the form of extreme adventures, luxurious getaways, and educational excursions.

But just where are these billionaires headed?

Business Insider teamed up with boutique luxury travel agency Original Travel, which plans trips for high-net-worth individuals, to find out the hottest spots the elite are spending their money on in 2019. They based this ranking on the number of bookings and performance; the latter was assessed by feedback, their expertise, and client inquiries.

Turns out, billionaires have a taste for adventure in 2019. While a few classics made the list, such as Britain and France, far-flung countries — from Rwanda to Myanmar — made an appearance on the list, too.

Keep reading to see where the rich are getting their passports stamped this year.

SEE ALSO: What a $1 million vacation looks like in Mykonos, Greece, where you'll fly in on a private jet, sleep in an ocean-view villa, and cruise the seas in a yacht

DON'T MISS: Billionaires' vacation perks range from Ferrari-driving lessons to after-hours tours away from the crowds — here's what it's really like to travel while rich

15. Montenegro

Lesser-known than neighbors Croatia and Greece, the tiny slice of Adriatic coastline that is Montenegro has previously lacked high-quality accommodation (other than the Aman network) to rival its fjord landscapes, Tom Barber, co-founder of Original Travel, told Business Insider.

"Montenegro is set for a luxury upgrade in 2019 with the Chedi Lustica Bay newly opened and One & Only opening its first resort in Europe next year with Portonovi in Boka Bay," he said.

14. Oman

Business Insider previously reported that Oman is the next big destination for luxury travelers. Its peak travel season runs from October to April.

"Luxury brands like Anantara Hotels, which has already opened two resorts there, are claiming the country's culture and unique topography are a huge draw for travelers," reported Sarah Jacobs.

13. France

Champagne, in particular, is France's hottest destination right now, according to Barber. Belmond's new Pivoine Champagne barge launched in 2018, and the recent opening of The Royal Champagne Hotel "injected a much-needed shot of luxury and style to the hotel offerings of the region," he said.

He added: "From barge or hotel, we recommend arranging a private vineyard tour and tastings including a backstage at Bollinger experience, along with a make-your-own Champagne lesson and treehouse Champagne bar experience for a comprehensive immersion in the region."

12. Great Britain

From the countryside to the city, there's plenty on offer for a luxury holiday in Great Britain. Original Travel has been working on developing a network of tailor-made itineraries around the British Isles, beginning with London. The city is home to a number of luxury hotels including Claridge's, The Connaught, and The Dorchester.

11. India

"India has always been one of our favorite destinations for an authentic travel experience, but in 2019 we're honing in on the country's spiritual specialism," Barber said.

From January 15 to March 4, the ancient city of Haridwar in northern India played host to Ardh Kumbh Mela, the UNESCO-recognized largest spiritual festival in the world where Hindu devotees come to wash away their sins in the river's holy water, Barber said. With Kumbh Mela festivals happening on rotation between four cities over the course of 12 years, 2019 started off strong for luxury travel to India.

10. Chile

Chile is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and scenic landscapes. It's also a perfect spot for luxury seekers: Business Insider's David Slotnick stayed at Easter Island's primary all-inclusive luxury hotel, Explora Rapa Nui, and found his stay to be "phenomenal."

"Less traditional luxury — no white tablecloth breakfasts served on your private balcony overlooking the ocean — Explora offers the luxury of being able to let go of planning and logistics without sacrificing choice or personalization," he wrote.

9. Turkey

The gateway to the Turkish Riviera was recently reopened after British Airways resumed its direct route to Dalaman, according to Barber.

"With the Turkish lira having dropped in value, new hotel openings, and things stabilizing a little politically, the Turquoise Coast of Turkey has never looked more appealing," he said. "With the Turkish Aegean back on the map, its turquoise seas, secret beaches, and exclusive bars and clubs are peaking the interests of glamorous beach-goers usually resigned to the same old European break."

Barber called the south-westerly beach town of Kaplankaya a "place to watch," as well as the Bodrum peninsula, which has an array of new hotel offerings.

Read more: Forget Bali and Mykonos: An ancient port city in Turkey is the under-the-radar luxury hotspot to visit in 2019

8. The Seychelles

The dozens of islands across the Indian Ocean known as the Seychelles are one of the most requested spots in Original Travel's diving division.

Seychelles' North Island, in particular, is a luxurious getaway. "Set in the middle of the Indian Ocean, this ultra-exclusive hideaway attracts A-listers and royals," wrote Maxine Albert.

7. Myanmar

Historic Myanmar offers plenty for a luxury holiday — several luxurious boat trips along the Irrawaddy between Yangon and Bagan as well as Ngapali Beach, an elite beach retreat, according to Original Travel. 

Yangon's highlight is the Schwedagon Pagoda, where Original Travel arranges for visitors to take part in a robe-offering ceremony with the temple's monks.

6. Rwanda

Rwanda was named a new African luxury destination to watch in 2018 by Luxury Travel Mag. The destination is all about nature and wildlife, home to three national parks: Akagera, Nyungwe, and the Volcanoes National Park.

The latter is the perfect spot — and one of the few remaining places — to see mountain gorillas in the wild, according to Original Travel.

5. Bhutan

Unspoiled Bhutan is ideal for the adventurous luxury traveler — the country is made for trekking, according to Original Travel. The company has arranged for treks to many of Bhutan's monasteries, mountain-biking along 12,000-foot mountain passes, and participation in archery tournaments.

4. Colombia

As of March 2019, Original Travel has already received the amount of Colombia bookings that they received for all of 2018.

"Experiencing a renaissance in luxury travel, Colombia’s breathtaking jungle landscapes and colonial cities deserve more recognition," Barber said.

"Opening this November is the brand new and exclusive Corocora Camp, located inside a remote private reserve on the vast plains of the Llanos Orientales region, a two-hour drive (or 30-minute helicopter ride) from Yopal," he added. "This is the first camp of its kind in Colombia with safari-style tents and a wildlife-focused camping experience."

3. Iceland

Original Travel's 2019 Iceland bookings are set to double their 2018 rate. That's not surprising, considering it was previously named one of the top places to travel in 2017 by Insider.

Many visitors travel to the island to see the Northern Lights. The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Iceland's Golden Circle was specifically designed for optimal Aurora Borealis viewing. Beyond that, there are "Crystal Caves," massive waterfalls, Icelandic horses, and black sand beaches to explore.

2. Japan

Japan's main island, Honshu, offers several luxury travel highlights, from bathing hot spring snow monkeys to skiing in Nagano, according to Original Travel.

There are also plenty of ways to enjoy luxury travel in Japan by train — like The Twilight Express Mizukaze with a top room that costs $22,000 for a two-night, three-day trip or the Skiki-Shima train that boasts glass ceilings and suites.

Read more: What it's like to visit the 'Aspen of Japan,' where billionaires and actors dine on sushi in ski lodges and relax in natural hot springs on the side of an active volcano

1. Egypt

Original Travel's 2019 bookings for Egypt are set to triple last year's bookings. According to Barber, there are two primary attractions fueling this trend.

The first is Steam Ship Sudan, a cruise that glides down the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, stopping at archaeological sites, temples, and tombs along the way.

The second is the Grand Egyptian Museum, relocated and newly built overlooking the pyramids of Giza. "The museum will house over 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts, many of which have never previously been shown in public and includes King Tutankhamun's complete collection of over 50,000 artifacts," Barber said. "Once complete, the museum will be the largest in the world devoted to a single civilization."

• I never knew I needed a travel pillow until I found the $20 Travelon Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Pillow.
• The pillow wraps around your neck to keep your head secure while sleeping. 
• The filling inside of the pillow is firm enough to be supportive and plush enough to be comfortable.

As a restless sleeper, it's hard for me to fall asleep and stay asleep, but I can never fall asleep anywhere as easily as I can on the plane. For some reason, the movement of the plane and the soothing sounds of the engine never fail to lull me to sleep. While there are a number of problems that come with sleeping in a fairly upright seat surrounded by hundreds of strangers, the biggest problem I've encountered was not being able to keep my head from swaying and falling. 

On average, I normally fly at least 25 times a year, but I had never used a travel pillow until last year. I needed something to support my head so I wouldn't experience neck pains or awkwardly hit the person sitting next to me with my head (which I have admittedly done before), so I figured it was time to start looking for a travel pillow to provide me with support and comfort while sleeping.

My search began by testing out some of the classic, U-shaped travel pillows that many people use. The very first classic travel pillow I tried on a two-hour flight seemed promising as it kept my head supported during a short nap. I used the pillow again on an much longer flight from Los Angeles to London, but was baffled when I experienced intense neck pain the first two days of my trip; it was almost as if I had never used a travel pillow to begin with. I knew the pillow was a bit too big for me, but I didn't realize that the size would be an issue until I slept on the plane on a longer, international flight. I realized that my head was still swaying and falling because there was too much space between my neck and the pillow. Not only was there too much space in some areas, but because of its U-shape there is a complete lack of chin support, so my head had free reign to go wherever it wanted for a longer amount of time. 

I needed to find a more secure and supportive travel pillow than the classic travel pillows I was using, one to accommodate my smaller frame and restless sleep. A few days before another flight from Los Angeles to Europe, I found what I had been looking for all along just in time for the long flight: Travelon's Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Pillow. 

Read more:The best travel pillows you can buy

As the name suggests, the Travelon Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Pillow wraps around the entirety of your neck providing full support for it. The wrap style is more customizable to optimally fit each person compared to classic travel pillows — you can decide how tight or loose you want it to be around your neck. I was able to wrap the pillow snuggly around my neck to keep my neck and chin cradled comfortably for hours. When worn, the pillow vaguely resembles a stuffed scarf, but I'll take comfort over style.

The filling in the pillow is firm enough to be supportive and plush enough to be held almost like a stuffed animal — something that I did on a shorter flight when I was too tired to actually wrap the travel pillow around my neck. At only $20, cheaper than most other travel pillows that wrap around your neck, I would consider this to be a worthwhile purchase. 

Not unlike a mattress or the pillows on your bed, finding the best travel pillow to fit your needs might be a matter of trial and error until you land on the one that's perfect for you. I'm so relieved that I finally found Travelon's Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Pillow — and surely anyone who has ever sat next to me on a plane is as well. 

Buy the Travelon Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Pillow from Amazon for $20

Join the conversation about this story »

• Burning Man is an annual, nine-day gathering in the Nevada desert.
• It's held the week prior to and including Labor Day weekend each year and includes artistic performances, installations, music, and a lot of partying.
• No money is exchanged at Burning Man, so participants are expected to bring food, supplies, shelter, and anything else they might need.
• The cost of tickets in 2019 ranged from $425 to $1,400.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In order to truly understand Burning Man, the annual summer event held in the middle of the Nevada desert, you probably just have to go. 

The nine-day gathering of more than 70,000 people includes wild costumes, art installations, spontaneous musical performances, and lots of partying. 

Burning Man 2018 closed with the burning of the Temple Galaxia, a 65-foot wooden structure that symbolizes how the fabric of the universe connects all living beings. For the burning of the temple, people created memorials for deceased loved ones and past relationships, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

With Burning Man 2019 starting on August 25, Business Insider has compiled answers to some of your most burning questions about Burning Man.

SEE ALSO: Surreal photos from Burning Man take you deep inside the madness

DON'T MISS: Here's what the inside of a 'fancy celebrity camp' at Burning Man looks like

What is Burning Man?

Burning Man is an annual, nine-day gathering in the desert that includes artistic performances, installations, and music — but don't call it a festival.

"Burning Man is not a festival. Burning Man is a community. A temporary city. A global cultural movement based on 10 practical principles," the official website reads.

A few of these principles include radical inclusion ("Anyone may be a part of Burning Man"), gifting, decommodification (no money passes hands at the festival), radical self-reliance and self-expression, leaving no trace (" We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather"), and participation.

Burning Man is organized by a non-profit organization called the Burning Man Project.

When is Burning Man?

The end-of-summer event takes place each year during the week leading up to and including Labor Day weekend, according to the official website.

The 2019 dates are August 25 through September 2.

Where does Burning Man take place?

The event is held at a temporary metropolis called Black Rock City in the remote Black Rock Desert — called "the playa" — in Nevada.

Black Rock City is made up of tents and RVs brought by participants. 

What happens at Burning Man?

Burning Man does not book any entertainment for the event, but instead encourages participants to perform for the community free of charge. 

People wander around the camps on foot, bicycles, and scooters, cook together, dance, drink, make art, and generally just party, according to INSIDER reporter Aly Weisman, who attended the event in 2013 and 2016.

Because no money changes hands, you can participate in activities such as wine tastings, zip lining, and massages — all given out by various attendees for free.

"While drugs are technically illegal, they are easier to find than candy on Halloween," Nick Bilton wrote of Burning Man in The New York Times.

Many people even get married at Burning Man, Weisman reported.

The name "Burning Man" comes from the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden sculpture ("the Man") that usually takes place on the Saturday evening of the event. 

How many people attend Burning Man?

More than 70,000 people went to Burning Man in 2018, according to the Black Rock City census project.

Those who attend Burning Man, called "Burners," include celebrities and wealthy tech CEOs.

First-time participants reportedly have to roll around in the dust upon arrival.

If you want to go, you shouldn't wait to get a ticket, as the event typically sells out quickly. In 2018, 26,000 tickets sold in the first half hour, according to USA Today.

Who goes to Burning Man?

Burning Man might have a reputation for being full of "hippies," but some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley have reportedly attended the event.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, went on more than one occasion, Business Insider previously reported.

"If you haven't been, you just don't get it," Musk said of the event, according to The New York Times.

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook reportedly dropped in to Black Rock City by helicopter for just one day to serve grilled cheese sandwiches to participants, and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin went disguised in full spandex body suits.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has also been a Burner, according to The Times.

What is 'Billionaires Row' at Burning Man?

The wealthiest Burning Man attendees set up exclusive luxury camps with staffs of bodyguards and cooks, Recode reported in 2014, calling the area "Billionaire's Row."

One man who attended Burning Man with a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs told The New York Times that they used to come with "R.V.s and precooked meals."

"Now, we have the craziest chefs in the world and people who build yurts for us that have beds and air-conditioning," he said. "Yes, air-conditioning in the middle of the desert!"

Some have complained that these camps are destroying the spirit of the event and breaking the rule of no commodification, Recode reported.

"We're not going to judge people in terms of the amount of wealth they bring to the event," Burning Man founder Larry Harvey told The Guardian in 2015 in response to such complaints.

He did admit that these luxury campers were violating Burning Man's community spirit by isolating themselves from their neighbors on the playa.

How much does it cost to go?

Although you won't need to spend any money once you get there, Burning Man definitely isn't free — or cheap.

Most tickets sell for $425, according to the event's official website, and you'll also have to purchase a $100 vehicle pass for each car you drive in. Approximately 4,000 pre-sale tickets are available starting in mid-March, at $1,400 each.

Kids 12 and under can go to Burning Man for free.

In 2016, CNBC estimated that the total cost of attending the event could range from $1,300 to $20,000, including transportation, food, camp fees, costumes, and gifts.

What do you need to bring to Burning Man?

Burning Man participants bring everything they need with them — and then pack it out with them afterward.

The only things you can buy there are coffee and ice.

That means attendees must bring their own shelter, food, water, sunscreen, and whatever else you might want or need. The website suggests participants bring a bicycle to get around and "toys or costumes with which you can express your creative spirit."

What kind of outfits do people wear?

Burners go all-out in "expressing their creative spirits" with their costumes. 

People often wear extravagant, creative outfits with plenty of color and embellishments such as feathers, glitter, and beads. Many wear fancy hats or headpieces. 

You might see Burners wearing long golden capes, giant wings, unicorn horns, feathered mohawks, or stilts. 

Basically, the wilder the outfit, the better.

How long does it take to drive there?

The nearest large city to Black Rock City is Reno, about a 2.5-hour drive away, according to Google Maps.

From San Jose, it's about 6.5 to 7 hours, and between 6 and 7.5 hours from San Francisco, depending on the route. If you're coming from Los Angeles, the drive will take you at least 9.5 hours. 

You can find detailed driving instructions on Burning Man's website.

What's the theme of Burning Man?

Each year's festival is given a theme. In 2019, the theme is Metamorphoses, as "a celebration of change, and an exploration of uncertainty," according to the website.

In 2018, the theme was deemed "I, Robot," based on author Isaac Asimov's collection of short science fiction stories.

The theme of 2017 was "Radical Ritual," and other recent past themes include "Da Vinci's Workshop," "Carnival of Mirrors," and "Caravansary."

• When Business Insider spoke to three climate scientists about their retirement plans, it quickly became clear where they wouldn't invest: waterfront property.
• They said they probably wouldn't buy waterfront property, and cite future sea level rise as a big part of that choice. 
• That's not to say they're against waterfront property for short-term enjoyment; but they wouldn't buy it as an investment, or as an asset to pass down through generations.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Waterfront property might seem like the ultimate luxury; an asset to pass down for generations to enjoy.

Climate change experts don't agree.

When Business Insider asked three experts about how their retirement plans are affected by their knowledge about climate change, it quickly became clear they agree on a long-term investment they'll skip: that house on the beach.

As Business Insider's Aria Bendix reports, sea level rise is threatening $1.5 billion worth of property in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina has already seen homes drop about $266 million in value since 2005. And across the world, cities are poised on the brink of temperature increases and flooding. 

"Climate change is going to show up everywhere," says Heidi Roop, lead scientist for science communication at University of Washington.

For her and her husband, a glaciologist, climate change is a big part of the discussion on where they'd want to buy a home or live in the future. 

And their work has given them a clear list of where they don't want to buy. "You don't want to live in a floodplain, and you can live on the coast in the near term, but that's maybe not a long-term investment," she tells Business Insider. 

And, "I probably wouldn't move to Miami," she says. The Florida city will likely be seeing even bigger impacts of sea level rise in the future — the city already has a flooding problem even on days with no rain, as Business Insider previously reported. 

For Roop and her family, it comes down to finding the safest place. "Where are we going to be able to be least exposed to some of the harms that we will face from climate change, from those bigger impacts like sea level rise and extreme heat?" she asks.

Ian Miller, a coastal hazards scientist at the Washington Sea Grant, thinks a coastal property might not be the best investment long term, either.

"I don't think that I would buy shoreline property with the expectation that it's an investment that I would be passing down to my kids or grandkids," says Miller. But, he says it might be viable for short-term buyers. 

"We're not talking about permanent inundation for most of these properties until quite a ways into the future," he says, referring to coastal communities near his base in Port Angeles, Washington. 

And for communities on the west coast, Miller says there are more problems than sea level rise alone. "A lot of our waterfront property is exposed to tsunamis to some extent. That exposure lessens as you move into Puget sound, but it's an important thing to be aware of as a shoreline property owner," he says. 

"I've never been in a position to buy waterfront property," he continues. "But, I'm assuming when you walk into that, there's a variety of factors that you're weighing. And this is just another factor."

• Read more:
• 7 American cities that could disappear by 2100
• 3 climate change experts explain why wildfires and melting glaciers aren't stopping them from saving for retirement
• The next housing crash could be caused by weather, not Wall Street – here are the places that should be worried
• Cities around the US are flooding at high tide and on sunny days at record rates — here's what it's like

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