Quantcast
Channel: Business Insider
Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live

My partner and I come from different cultures — here are the main barriers we face

0
0

Sarah Wells Couple Photo

  • Author Sarah Wells details the "moments of cultural confusion" that have arisen in her relationship with a partner from a different cultural background.
  • Wells, a Vermont native, writes how she and her boyfriend, who grew up in southern China, differ on matters of language, food, and perception of societal pressures.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

My husband and I were born less than six months apart, but over 7,000 miles away from each other.

While he was growing up in the modern cityscapes of southern China, I was discovering the world from within the boundaries of small-town Vermont. Our paths collided when we both started graduate school in Boston and have yet to disentangle.

While we both enjoy science fiction, dry jokes, and searching for the best lunch places in town, our relationship is not without moments of cultural confusion and things being (sometimes literally) lost in translation.

Language introduces some challenges from time to time

shortbread

When it comes to learning languages, my husband leaves me in the dust. He is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. That said, there are still occasions when the appropriate English word eludes him and we are both left in the dark.

For example, while munching on a batch of shortbread cookies I had made, he told me how much he liked their "dusty" texture. After my look of horror, we quickly discovered that he'd really meant to complement their "crumbly" texture.

Yet comparatively, my language skills leave much more to be desired. Aside from my quickly dissolving basic French, I speak no other languages. While this doesn't create a language barrier for us, it can when we video-chat with his parents back home.

He's taught me enough for a few confident Nǐ hǎo's, but the conversations still rely heavily on his parents' English. To practice my Mandarin, we conduct frequent mid-dinner lessons where I try to (literally) get my mouth around Chinese tones.

Our cooking methods and tastes differ

kitchen

Our relationship has a large focus on food — both preparation and consumption. While this passion is culturally indifferent, through many meals cooked together we've found that the preparation behind the food sometimes isn't.

Take for example, the oven. As a baker, I've always viewed the oven as the focal point of the kitchen. It's essential for creating not only delicious baked goods, but roasting vegetables, grilling pizzas, and even reheating leftovers.

When my husband told me that many kitchens in China lack an oven, I was shocked. While I can't imagine a kitchen without one, he says that almost all Chinese cooking can be done over a stovetop flame instead.

When it comes to taste, there are only two major points where our opinions vary: texture and sweetness. Growing up in the United States, I am used to only a few textures in my food – smooth, chunky, crunchy, and chewy.

In Chinese food, the diversity of texture is much wider, and the crunching sensation of eating cartilage is still one I'm getting used to. Likewise, my husband is still adjusting to how sickly-sweet American desserts can be. While fruit-based desserts like pies or tarts are generally safe, he'll usually pass on a cupcake topped with a tower of frosting.

My home state is the opposite of diverse

vermont

Bringing your significant other home is always a relationship milestone, but for us, it has a few extra hurdles. Primarily, it's expensive and time consuming to fly to China. As recently minted master's students who couldn't take much time away from work, that leaves Vermont as the more plausible option.

Vermont is a beautiful state, but when it comes to diversity it's as white as the snow that covers it. To be precise, the Census Bureau reports that the state is just under 95 percent white. That's a shocking figure, but growing up as a white person in a white state, it wasn't something I always noticed.

However, it was one of the first things my spouse noticed when he visited Vermont. While he thankfully wasn't faced with any prejudice or racism on that trip, there is still something unnerving about being the only person to look or speak like you in a crowd of similar faces.

Like any couple, our relationship is built on the similarities we have as individuals, not the differences our cultures may have. However, it would be naïve to believe our cultures haven't shaped us. Discovering these differences, misconceptions, and even biases are essential better understanding each other and each others' families and backgrounds. Instead of driving us apart, they give us the opportunity to learn, and love, even more.

SEE ALSO: 21 people reveal why they don't use dating apps — and how they meet people instead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special


The best winter boots for women

0
0
  • All too often, women's winter boots put fashion above function and you end up with cold wet feet. We tested dozens of winter boots to find the best ones for warmth, style, and comfort.
  • The UGG Adirondack III Boots are our top pick for women because they are stylish enough to wear with any outfit, but warm, waterproof, and tough enough to handle the harshest winter weather.
  • If you're looking for men's styles, check out our guide to the best winter boots for men.

Winter boots are one of those things that are really hard to shop for — especially when you're a woman. After all, you want a pair of boots that are both warm and cute. Besides, you shouldn't have to choose between fashion and comfort. 

In the process of writing this buying guide, we researched winter boots from all the top brands and several lesser-known names to find pairs in a variety of styles that were highly rated. We tested dozens of winter boots to find the best ones for different women's needs.

After all, we know that not every woman needs heavy-duty boots that can take on sub-zero temperatures and six-foot snowbanks, but we also know that most women who are looking for a great pair of snow boots won't be satisfied with a cute pair of water-resistant boots that can't handle more than a light flurry. As such, we've included a fair mix of different options here so there will be something for everyone.

To test these boots, we dunked them in a tub filled with icy water and tried to make them slip on patches of ice. We wore them on cold days to see how warm they were and stepped into deep puddles on rainy days to test water resistance. We walked for miles on snowy stretches of sidewalk in New York City and waded through snow banks in Central Park to vet these boots.

Our opinions are also backed up by expert reviewers and actual buyers, so rest assured — these winter boots are guaranteed to keep your feet warm, dry, and happy all winter long and for many winters to come.

Here are the best winter boots for women:

Prices and links are current as of 1/23/2020.

SEE ALSO: The best winter boots for men

The best winter boots overall

The UGG Adirondack III Boots are super cute winter boots that can handle extreme cold and deep snow without any problems.

UGG makes super stylish boots, and the Adirondack III boots are made for intense cold and tons of snow. With these boots on your feet, you'll be ready to brave anything winter throws at you.

The boots are made of waterproof leather and they have a super cozy insulating wool lining that's as fuzzy as it is warm. You can roll the tops down to expose the wool for style, or flip them back up to keep more of your ankle and lower calf warm.

The Vibram outsole is strong and provides great traction on icy surfaces, plus, these boots can handle extremely cold temperatures as low as -20°C, which is -4°F. You can buy the Adirondack boots in a few different colors, including white, black, and brown.

When I first put an older version of these boots on, I was impressed by how light, warm, and cute they were. By all rights, they should be clunky, but they're not. UGG's boots look cute enough to pair with skinny jeans or leggings and a dress all winter long in even the snobbiest of cities.

These boots are tough enough to handle rural areas with tons of snow, too, so you really can't go wrong with them. In my mind, they're the perfect boots for just about every woman. The only downside is the high price, but they'll last you for years. After a full winter of use, mine are still going strong.

Pros: Waterproof, pure wool lining, made for very cold temperatures, good traction, cute style

Cons: Expensive



The best tall winter boots

The Sorel Joan of Arctic Boots are absolutely perfect for stomping through snow banks and tackling intense winter conditions in style.

When the winter winds blow up a crazy snow storm and you have six feet of snow to contend with in sub-zero temperatures, you need some serious winter boots that will keep more than just your feet warm. Sorel's Joan of Arctic Boots are just the ticket.

These boots are nearly a foot tall, so they'll keep your entire calf warm and dry even in deep snow. The suede leather shaft is fully waterproof and a faux fur cuff finishes the boots off in style. They lace up from a sturdy vulcanized rubber section that covers your toes and keeps them dry.

Sorel says these boots can handle temperatures as low as -25°F or -32°C. The tread on the bottom is grippy and good for ice and snow. You can even get them in a number of different colors and styles if faux fur isn't your thing or you don't want leather.

When I first took them out of the box, I thought these boots would be super clunky and bulky, but looks are deceiving. Once they were on my feet, they looked great. I can easily see these boots being perfect for both the city and the country because they are super stylish yet rugged enough to take on serious snow.

Pros: Tall boots, extra warm, rated for cold temperatures, good grip, comfortable, cute, many colors

Cons: Expensive



The best light but tough winter boots

The Columbia Bugaboot IV Winter Boots protect your feet from the fierce cold of winter and wet icy slush puddles — plus, they're light on your feet.

When you think about tough gear that'll last you through an epic snowstorm, chances are, Columbia comes to mind. The company's coats, boots, shoes, and other gear are known for being of the highest quality. Columbia's Bugaboot IV Winter Boots are no exception.

I tested an older version of these popular and very highly rated winter boots and came away impressed by how light and toasty warm they were. By the look of them, I expected these boots to be as heavy and awkward to wear as the old winter boots I used to wear to survive the brutal winters in upstate New York (right across from the Canadian border, so we're talking six feet of snow and -30 windchills here). Imagine my surprise when they turned out to be light and nimble like a good pair of hiking boots.

The secret is in their design: Columbia used a mix of waterproof leather and textiles on the uppers to keep out all the snow, slush, and wet of winter without adding any unnecessary weight. The 200 grams of insulation inside keep your feet piping hot, too. These boots are so cozy that Columbia says they can handle temperatures as low as -25F or -32C. 

Of course, it's not just the uppers that keep these boots light, it's also the special Techlite midsole and the Omni-Grip outsole that keep the weight down. Both are lightweight and specially designed for great comfort, stability, and traction on slippery surfaces. 

These are the kind of boots I'd want on my feet during the cold nasty winters snowy climates. They're perfect for walks through the snowy woods, shoveling out your driveway, and heading out to the grocery store. They obviously will not win any beauty contests and those who have more mild winters or live in cities where style is more important than strength won't need tough boots like these.

However, for anyone who needs a super warm, waterproof, stable, and lightweight pair of winter boots that are ready for action, these are the ones I'd recommend.

Pros: Lightweight, very warm, rated for low temperatures, relatively affordable

Cons: A bit bulky, not the most beautiful boots you'll ever see



The best stylish winter boots with a small heel

The Sorel Slimpack II Lace Boots are fully waterproof, slim, and cute with a slight heel and fun color options.

If you don't want to wear clunky winter boots all the time, you may want a lighter, slimmer pair for days when there's less snow on the ground. These Slimpack Lace II boots from Sorel deliver. They have the distinctive duck boot design you see on many winter boots and rain boots, but Sorel adds cute little design elements like wool accents and fun laces to make them stand out.

The full-grain leather upper is fully waterproof as is the vulcanized rubber part that wraps around the lower part of your foot. You can splash in the rain or stomp through slush puddles in these boots without getting wet. The wool felt collar around the top of the boot adds warmth and style to the basic boots.

Inside the boots, there's a nice microfleece lining that will keep your feet warm but not sweltering. If you live in milder climates where you may get some snow, but it's never that bad, you can call these your only winter boots and use them as rain boots in any weather.

These are comfortable, breathable boots that Sorel says are best for heavy rain instead of snow. However, if you wear them with a nice thick pair of socks, they are perfect for cold winter days and a few feet of snow. The waterproof construction and the grippy outsole give perfect traction on ice.

These boots even have a little heel that's just under two inches. It adds a touch of class and a bit of height for shorter women. As a 5-foot-2 lady, I appreciated that. I love these Sorel boots and I wear them whenever it rains. This winter, I wear them when we have light snow because they're both cute looking and practical for city winters.

If you need heavy-duty winter boots for extreme cold and snow, check out our other more rugged picks.

Pros: Slight heel, cute color options, good traction, waterproof, slim, comfortable, warm

Cons: Not as rugged or warm as some



The best winter boots made in America

The L.L.Bean Shearling-lined Bean Boots are super cozy, classic looking, and made to last — right in America.

L.L.Bean's boots are quintessential winter gear for a reason: They're extremely high quality. These classic duck-style Bean Boots are lined with real sheepskin shearling to keep your feet extra warm even in the cold winters of Maine where these boots are made.

The uppers are made from full-grain leather that's waterproof, while the rubber covering on the bottom half of the boots keeps your feet totally dry even if you step into a nasty puddle. The boots have a tiny heel and a high-traction rubber chain pattern on the bottom for extra grip on slippery ice.

It's not often you find boots that are made in America, so these Bean Boots are special. They're very high quality and they should last for years before you need a new pair. Longevity is going to important because these boots cost $229, which is an investment. L.L.Bean does make cheaper versions of its classic Bean Boots without the shearling if you want to save some money.

I tried a pair on a wet rainy day and they handled puddles with aplomb. They handled snow equally well. These boots are very warm, so they're well-suited to cold conditions and a foot or two of snow. Because the design is simple, classic, and cute, you could wear the Bean Boots in any situation from a trek in the snowy woods to a jaunt into town for milk.

Pros: Made in America, real shearling is warm, durable, great traction, waterproof

Cons: Expensive



The best mid-calf winter boots

The Columbia Heavenly Omni-Heat Boots feel like cute light slippers on your feet, but they're super cozy and fully waterproof mid-calf winter boots.

If the other Columbia boots in our guide are just too clunky and rugged looking for your tastes, you'll love these Heavenly Omni-Heat boots. First things first: These boots look way cuter in person than they do online. When I put an older version of these boots on the first time, I knew I could easily wear them with skinny jeans or a dress and tights in the city without shame. Columbia has a bunch of fun colors, too, so you can buy the pair that'll look best with your style.

Believe it or not, these cute boots are just as warm, waterproof, and comfortable as the chunkier Bugaboots. The waterproof woven textile uppers hit your leg mid-calf and boast a cute faux fur lining that peeks out at the top and along the sides where you lace the boots up. They'll keep your feet and part of your legs warm even in a foot or two of snow.

Columbia's Omni-Tech waterproof seam-sealed membrane keeps water, slush, and snow out of your boots and the 200 grams of insulation inside keep your feet and legs super warm. Just like the Bugaboots, these ones can withstand temperatures as cold as -25F or -32C, thanks to the Omni-Heat reflective lining.

These boots will fare just as well on the snowy city streets as they will in the driveway shoveling snow or out walking on snowy paths. I consider these boots to be the perfect stylish alternative for colder climates where you still need serious boots.

Pros: Warm, comfortable, good traction, rated for very cold temperatures, cute looking, higher rise

Cons: A bit expensive



The best extra warm winter boots

The L.L.Bean Wildcat Boots are heavy duty boots that are made for intense cold and lots of snow.

When you live in a very cold place with tons of snow and you need a serious pair of boots, the L.L.Bean Wildcat Boots are a good pick. These boots are rated to keep your feet warm during light activity in temperatures of 30°F or during more intense activity in temperatures as low as -20°F.

The waterproof leather upper and L.L.Bean's TEK2.5 waterproof technology make these boots all-but impermeable. You can dunk your feet in a huge icy slush puddle without fear — These boots will keep your feet totally dry and warm. There's even a toe bumper in the front to protect you from stubbing your toe on a fallen log or what have you.

The PrimaLoft insulation inside the boots wicks away moisture while also keeping your feet comfortably warm. On the bottom of the boots, you have very good grip and traction even on slippery ice and snow, thanks to the Vertigrip outsole. The way it's designed prevents snow from getting trapped in the treads and messing up the traction.

Although these boots are a bit bulky, they're quite light on your feet. I tried a pair and I was surprised by how comfortable they were to walk in. Most heavy-duty winter boots make you feel like a giant stomping around, but these Wildcat Boots felt more like a tough pair of hiking or work boots.

Obviously, L.L.Bean's Wildcat boots aren't ones you'd choose if you live in a mild climate or a city where you have to look your best, but out in rural areas where you really need a good pair fo hard-core boots, these are perfect. They're also great for outdoorsy ladies who love to snowshoe and walk in the wintry woods.

Pros: Warm, made for tough winters, waterproof, leather and fabric design is breathable

Cons: Not so fashionable



Check out our other winter gear guides

The best winter coats for men

A good winter coat will keep you warm and dry even when the snow is falling and the wind is howling. A great winter coat will keep you warm, dry, and looking good, too. Here are the best winter coats for men.


The best places to buy scarves online

Your choice of scarf can make or break your comfort level in the wintertime. Opt for one that's wooly and warm and you'll be toasty. Choose a too-thin fabric and you, well, won't. Scarves are also a great opportunity to infuse a bit of personality into your winter wardrobe. And when you get bored of your outerwear, you can always pick a new scarf to mix things up.

These five brands are your best bet for warm, attractive options that will keep you cozy all winter long. Here are the best places to buy scarves online.


The best thermal gloves

A good pair of thermal gloves can make all the difference on a cold winter day. We did the research to find the best thermal gloves you can buy to keep your hands nice and toasty for the rest of this winter and for many more winters to come. Here are the best thermal gloves you can buy.


The best mittens

Mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves, so if it's cold where you live, work, or play, slip a pair on and keep the chill out.

Yes, you will lose a measure of dexterity when choosing mittens versus gloves. But you won't risk losing a finger to frostbite, or simple suffering from frigid digits, to be a bit less dramatic. Today we've lined up some of the best mittens on the market, including mittens for babies, kids, adults, and some specialty pairs, too. Here are the best mittens.


The best snow pants for men and women

Make the most of that winter wonderland this year by keeping yourself warm and dry with well-made snow pants when you're skiing, sledding, or generally romping about in the snow. Here are the best snow pants.



The Everlane Uniform is a new capsule collection of menswear essentials backed by a one-year guarantee — here's how I styled its key pieces

0
0

Everlane Uniform

  • Everlane launched a capsule collection of wardrobe essentials for men called Everlane Uniform.
  • It includes neutral basics like the perfect T-shirt, Oxford, chinos, denim jacket, sweatshirt, hoodie, and jeans, among others. 
  • Each item is back with a one-year warranty, so if it rips, shrinks, loses shape, or fades, you'll get a new one.
  • I tested some pieces from the Everlane Uniform collection and found it to be super easy to put together full outfits or to pair with the clothes I already own. See photos below.

I admittedly have a lot of clothes, and every now and then I do like splurge on a piece that's particularly special or unique. But not every day of my life is a fashion show and not every outfit has to be monumental.

More often than not, I get dressed simply to be a functioning member of society. At the same time, I refuse to walk around like I just rolled out of bed without putting any thought into what I put on.

That's where wardrobe basics come into play. Everyone should have a good selection of simple, yet versatile pieces — T-shirts, hoodies, button-ups, and jeans to name a few — that can be worn regularly and incorporated into daily outfits seamlessly.

You can find basics almost everywhere, but Everlane is one of my favorite places for them. Recently, the popular startup introduced a capsule collection of wardrobe essentials (available in various colors, fits, and sizes) called Everlane Uniform, and each piece is backed by a one-year warranty.

everlane uniform

The collection includes items like the perfect T-shirt, Oxford, chinos, denim jacket, sweatshirt, hoodie, and jeans, among others, all of which were designed to be effortlessly mixed and matched. Getting dressed in the morning shouldn't be a science project, and Everlane's new Uniform line simplifies the process.

Each piece in the collection has gone through a number of material trials, 50 wash cycles, 11 post-wash quality tests for fading, shrinking, pilling, and more than 100 fittings on men of different shapes and sizes. This gave Everlane the confidence to guarantee each item for 365 days. If it shrinks, rips, fades, or anything else, you can get a replacement for free.

You might expect a warranty to come with a rugged pair of boots or a winter parka, but it's almost unheard of for basic things like T-shirts and hoodies. I had to see how Everlane Uniform performed, so they sent over a few pieces and I immediately started incorporating them into my wardrobe.

You can get dressed top to bottom in Everlane Uniform pieces:

Everlane Uniform collection

I wore The Cotton Crew Tee ($18) underneath The French Terry Hoodie ($68), The Denim Jacket ($88), and The Slim Performance Chino ($68). I paired them with these Nike Air Force 1s because the swappable denim Swoosh was a nice matching accent, but if you want sneakers from Everlane, too, check out our review of the Tread by Everlane Trainers. The idea is that every piece can be mixed and matched, and you can pretty much guarantee it'll all look good together. 

I picked The Denim Jacket and blue hoodie to go together before I saw images from the campaign (there's a model wearing the same combination), so it's safe to say that putting together nice outfits with the selection is rather intuitive.

Or, you can pair individual pieces with clothes you already own:

Everlane Uniform collection

Here, the only piece I'm wearing from the Everlane Uniform collection is the Slim Fit Japanese Oxford ($58). I paired it with a grey crewneck from Frank And Oak, a pair of black jeans from Uniqlo, and "Black Cement" Air Jordan 3s. Again, the outfit isn't groundbreaking, but it's perfect for a regular Tuesday in the office — or anywhere else I might need to be. Even if you don't have these specific items, you probably have similar basics in your closet. 

Fit and durability:

Everlane is generally pretty good about inclusive sizing for men, so I didn't have any issues find clothing that fit — and you most likely won't either. Pants are available in slim and athletic fits in waist sizes 28 through 40 and tops are available in sizes XS through XXL.

It's been about four months since I first started testing the Everlane Uniform collection, and each piece has held up well. I haven't washed the denim jacket, but the other pieces are still in like-new condition after several washes. Granted, it hasn't been a full year yet, but I don't doubt they'll last beyond the 365-day guarantee.

The bottom line:

This is the part of the review where I usually outline some cons or anything that might need further justification, but there's nothing negative to say about Everlane Uniform. The brand has been a consistent favorite among the Insider Picks staff and the Uniform collection is no different. 

It really doesn't take much convincing to see the value. Just answer these three questions: Do you have to get dressed every day? Do you like mixing and matching simple pieces to create different outfits? Do you like clothes that don't need to be replaced frequently? If the answer to all three questions is "yes," then Everlane Uniform has a place in your closet, whether it's the full collection or a few key pieces. Everything is affordably priced, easy to wear, built to last, and backed by a warranty. There's not much more you could want out of your everyday clothing. 

Shop the Everlane Uniform collection now

See all styles in the collection, below:

The Slim Fit Oxford

The Slim Fit Japanese Oxford, $58

The Standard Fit Japanese Oxford, $58

Both are available in nine colors.



The French Terry Hoodie

The French Terry Hoodie, $68

Available in nine colors.



The French Terry Crew

The French Terry Crew, $50

Available in nine colors. 



The Slim Fit Performance Jean

The Slim Fit Performance Jean, $68

Available in four washes. 



The Skinny Fit Performance Jean

The Skinny Fit Performance Jean, $68

Available in four washes. 



The Athletic Fit Performance Jean

The Athletic Fit Performance Jean, $68

Available in four washes.



The Cotton Crew Tee

The Cotton Crew Tee, $14

The Cotton Pocket Tee, $18

Both tees are available in 14 colors. 



The Cotton Long-Sleeve Pocket Tee

The Cotton Long-Sleeve Pocket Tee, $22

Available in nine colors. 



The Slim Fit Performance Chino

The Slim Fit Performance Chino, $68

The Athletic Fit Performance Chino, $68

Both styles available in seven colors. 



The Denim Jacket

The Denim Jacket, $88

Available in three washes.



The Bomber Jacket

The Bomber Jacket, $88

Available in three colors. 



The Boxer Brief

The Boxer Brief, $18

Available in five colors.



12 relationship habits science says predict divorce

0
0

divorce couple

No one can say with 100% certainty that a couple is heading for divorce.

However, social scientists have gotten pretty good at predicting who's most likely to wind up there. These couples share certain commonalities — in the way they fight and the way they describe their relationship, but also in their education level and employment status.

Even if a marriage ends in divorce, that doesn't mean it's a failure. However, the cultural dynamics around divorce captivate audiences: This year, Netflix's "Marriage Story" earned several Golden Globe and Oscar nominations

Below, we've rounded up 12 factors that predict divorce. You can identify these in both movies and the real world. 

SEE ALSO: 13 facts about divorce every couple should know before getting married

Getting married in your teens or after age 32

The best time to get married is when you feel ready, and when you've found someone you think you can spend a lifetime with. Don't force anything — or put it off — because a study told you to do so.

That said, research does suggest that couples who marry in their teens and couples who marry in their mid-30s or later are at greater risk for divorce than couples in their late 20s and early 30s. The risk is especially high for teenage couples.

That's according to research led by Nicholas Wolfinger, a professor at the University of Utah. After age 32, Wolfinger found, your odds of divorce increase by about 5% every year.

As Wolfinger wrote in a blog post for the conservative-leaning Institute for Family Studies, "For almost everyone, the late twenties seems to be the best time to tie the knot."

Other research, published in 2015 in the journal Economic Inquiry, found that the odds of divorce among heterosexual couples increase with the age gap between spouses.

As Megan Garber reported at The Atlantic:

"A one-year discrepancy in a couple's ages, the study found, makes them 3% more likely to divorce (when compared to their same-aged counterparts); a 5-year difference, however, makes them 18% more likely to split up. And a 10-year difference makes them 39% more likely."



Having a husband who doesn't work full time

A 2016 Harvard study, published in the American Sociological Review, suggests that it's not a couple's finances that affect their chances of divorce, but rather the division of labor.

When the researcher, Alexandra Killewald, looked at heterosexual marriages that began after 1975, she learned that couples in which the husband didn't have a full-time job had a 3.3% chance of divorcing the following year, compared to 2.5% among couples in which the husband did have a full-time job.

Wives' employment status, however, didn't much affect the couple's chances of divorce.

The researcher concludes that the male breadwinner stereotype is still very much alive, and can affect marital stability.



Not finishing high school

It doesn't seem fair that couples who spend more time in school are less likely to get divorced. But that's what the research suggests.

A post on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website highlights a result from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979), which looked at the marriage and divorce patterns of a group of young baby boomers. The post reads:

"The chance of a marriage ending in divorce was lower for people with more education, with over half of marriages of those who did not complete high school having ended in divorce compared with approximately 30 percent of marriages of college graduates."

It may have to do with the fact that lower educational attainment predicts lower income — which in turn predicts a more stressful life. As psychologist Eli Finkel previously told Business Insider:

"What I think is going on is it's really difficult to have a productive, happy marriage when your life circumstances are so stressful and when your day-to-day life involves, say three or four bus routes in order to get to your job."

 



Showing contempt for your partner

John Gottman, a psychologist at the University of Washington and the founder of the Gottman Institute, calls certain relationship behaviors the "four horsemen of the apocalypse." That's because they predict divorce with scary-high accuracy.

The first behavior is contempt or seeing your partner as beneath you. Gottman calls this behavior the "kiss of death" for a relationship. Criticism can also lead to the downfall of a marriage. Turning a behavior into a statement about your partner's character can lead to increased instability. Defensiveness or playing the victim during difficult situations can also cause problems. Lastly, stonewalling or blocking off conversation between you and your partner is a recipe for disaster.

As Business Insider's Erin Brodwin reported, these conclusions are based on a 14-year study of 79 couples living across the US Midwest, which Gottman conducted along with University of California-Berkeley psychologist Robert Levenson. And while that particular study was small, another decade of research supports the findings.



Being overly affectionate as newlyweds

If you're not inclined to hug and kiss and hold hands as newlyweds, that might be a problem. But if you practically have to be pulled apart, well, that might be a problem, too.

Psychologist Ted Huston followed 168 couples for 13 years — from their wedding day onward. Huston and his team conducted multiple interviews with the couples throughout the study.

Here's one fascinating finding, from the resulting paper that was published in the journal Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes in 2001: "As newlyweds, the couples who divorced after 7 or more years were almost giddily affectionate, displaying about one third more affection than did spouses who were later happily married."

Aviva Patz summed it up in Psychology Today: "[C]ouples whose marriages begin in romantic bliss are particularly divorce-prone because such intensity is too hard to maintain. Believe it or not, marriages that start out with less 'Hollywood romance' usually have more promising futures."



Weathering daily stress

Don't underestimate the toll that stress can take on a marriage.

A 2007 paper, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, looked at the factors that led to divorce in European couples and found that daily stress was an important reason behind the decision to divorce in many couples.

Seemingly trivial experiences like forgetting an appointment or missing the bus turned out to create tension between spouses.

The authors even found that "participants reported the accumulation of everyday stress as a more relevant divorce trigger than falling in love with another person, partner violence, or even a specific major life event that would have instigated changes in their private life."



Withdrawing during conflict

When your partner tries to talk to you about something tough, do you shut down? If so (or if your partner is guilty of that behavior), that's not a great sign.

A 2013 study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, found that husbands' "withdrawal" behaviors predicted higher divorce rates. This conclusion was based on the researchers' interviews with about 350 newlywed couples living in Michigan.

Meanwhile, a 2014 study, published in the journal Communication Monographs, suggests that couples engaged in "demand/withdraw" patterns — i.e. one partner pressuring the other and receiving silence in return — are less happy in their relationships.

The lead study author, Paul Schrodt at Texas Christian University, says it's a hard pattern to break because each partner thinks the other is the cause of the problem. It requires seeing how your individual behaviors are contributing to the issue and using different, more respectful conflict-management strategies.



Describing your relationship in a negative way

In 1992, Gottman and other researchers at the University of Washington developed a procedure called the "oral history interview," in which they ask couples to talk about different aspects of their relationship. By analyzing the conversations, the researchers are able to predict which couples are heading for divorce.

In one study, published in 2000 in the Journal of Family Psychology, Gottman and colleagues put 95 newlywed couples through the oral history interview. Results showed that couples' scores on certain measures predicted the strength or weakness of their marriage. Those measures included: fondness for each other, "we"-ness or how much each spouse emphasizes unification in the marriage, expansiveness or how much each partner elaborates on what the other is saying, negativity, disappointment in the marriage, and how much the couple describes their marriage as chaotic.



Having divorced parents

Research shows that if your parents divorced, you may be at more at risk of getting divorced also. The statistics vary on this theory, but one study by researchers Paul Amato and Danelle Deboer found that if a woman's parents divorced, her odds of getting divorced increased by 69%. The study also found that if a husband and wife's parents both divorced, the risk of divorce increased by a whopping 189%.

This isn't to say that if you or your spouse's parents' marriage ended, your relationship is also doomed. It is important for children of divorce to separate themselves and their own relationships from that of their parents, and commit themselves to having healthier, more harmonious relationships and reactions to potential conflicts.



Working as a gaming manager, bartender, or flight attendant

Certain professions report higher rates of divorce. According to a previous article by Business Insider, the jobs with the highest divorce rates are gaming managers, bartenders, and flight attendants. Jobs with the lowest chances of divorce included actuaries, physical scientists, and medical and life scientists.



How much money you make

Money is a common stressor among most married couples. In fact, money has often been cited as a large contributing factor to why couples decided to get divorced. A 2012 study in Family Relations Journal found that "money is the top predictor of divorce for both men and women." However, while many may think not having enough money would lead to divorce, studies show that couples with higher incomes were actually more likely to split up. 

CNBC cites a couple of reasons for this, including the fact that in many high-income relationships, one partner is the bread-winner and the other doesn't work at all. High-income earners may also travel a lot for work or spend long days in the office, rather than at home. 



Whether you have children or not

According to a study by Anneli Rufus, an author and journalist, that appeared on Smart Marriages, whether or not a couple has children can greatly impact their chances of divorce. In 2010, at least 66% of divorced couples in the United States reported being childless, versus 40% who have children.

The absence of children can also cause strain if one spouse wants to have kids and the other does not. According to the report, couples who do not agree on wanting children are twice as likely to get a divorce.



The best weighted blankets

0
0
  • Weighted blankets provide an evenly distributed amount of pressure and steady sensory input that help ease anxiety and stress, allowing you to sleep better.
  • Our top pick is the Gravity Blanket because it is a premium-grade, therapeutic weighted blanket that helps improve sleep and reduce anxiety.

If you've spent countless sleepless nights tossing and turning, it might be time to try a weighted blanket. These cozy therapeutic blankets may look and feel like a normal comforter, but instead of being filled with lightweight down feathers or cotton, they are stuffed with anywhere from 5 to 25 pounds of glass beads or plastic pellets.

The constant pressure provided by the weights helps produce a hug-like sensation that stimulates the production of serotonin and dopamine, the naturally occurring chemicals our bodies use to feel calm, relaxed, and happy. Your body then converts these chemicals into melatonin, which makes you sleepy.

Studies have shown the soothing effect caused by weighted blankets can help both children and adults who suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, autism, and ADHD. But they are just as useful for anyone who just wants to fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night.

The benefits of a weighted blanket are not limited to sleeping at nighttime either. You can snuggle up in the blanket any time you are feeling anxious or stressed throughout the day or when you just need to feel the comfort of a hug.

Here at Insider Picks, we take our sleep seriously. That's why we've done the research and trawled through hundreds of buyer and expert reviews to find the best weighted blankets you can buy. Whether you are in the market for a hypoallergenic option or one that keeps you cool throughout the night, these weighted blankets will help you sleep soundly.

Here are the best weighted blankets you can buy:

Updated on 1/23/2020 by Connie Chen: Updated links, prices, and our pick for the best dual-sided weighted blanket. Added a pick for the best knit weighted blanket. 

The best weighted blanket overall

The Gravity Blanket uses deep touch pressure stimulation to help you relax and sleep better.

What started out as a Kickstarter campaign has quickly become one of the most popular weighted blankets available. The Gravity Blanket is a high-quality therapeutic blanket that comes in three different weights, ranging from 15 to 25 pounds. It measures at 72 by 48 inches making it the perfect size to ground one person at a time.

The blanket features gridded stitching that ensures the blanket's internal weighted beads are distributed evenly throughout each use. Each blanket also comes with a super-soft, removable micro-fiber duvet cover that comes in two colors, gray and navy. Both the blanket and duvet cover are machine washable and super cozy.

Business Insider tech reporter Avery Hartmans is a huge fan of the weighted blanket, saying it helped her have "some of the best naps of my life." She said that it helped her fall asleep instantly every time she used it before adding, "the Gravity Blanket helps me feel calm, relaxed — and very, very sleepy."

Pros: Helps you fall asleep fast, super soft, removable duvet, machine-washable, three different weights to choose from

Cons: Expensive



The best cooling weighted blanket

The YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket is a high-quality weighted blanket that will keep you cool throughout the night.

Many weighted blankets are made with fuzzy fleece or microfiber fabrics that are very cozy but can cause you to overheat throughout the night. The YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket is made from a breathable, moisture-wicking 300-thread-count bamboo viscose fabric that will keep you cool all night long, making it the perfect option for people who get hot while they sleep.

The inside of the soft blanket is filled with thinner polyfill and premium glass beads. There are different weights to choose from. The blanket is machine washable and comes with a three-year warranty for free mending if unexpected damage occurs to your blanket.

While the YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket comes in a more breathable fabric, the rest of the blanket works the same way as the brand's original option that was tested by Insider Picks reporter, Mara Leighton. Mara had this to say about the blanket, "It has markedly improved the quality of my sleep, and it's something that has made me genuinely excited to climb into bed after a long day."

Previous reviews called out that there weren't many color options, but YnM has since introduced more colors and patterns, including leopard and flower prints. 

Pros: Affordable, keeps you cool at night, moisture-wicking and breathable, good weight distribution

Cons: Pellets shift in their pockets

Read our full review of the YnM Weighted Blanket



The best hypoallergenic weighted blanket

If you have allergies or sensitivities towards certain fabrics and materials, opt for the hypoallergenic Good Knight Weighted Blanket.

The Good Knight Weighted Blanket is a quality-made hypoallergenic weighted blanket. It is made from 100% premium cotton and is weighed down with tiny, non-toxic, poly-pellets. You can also buy your blanket a separate duvet cover, which is made from 100% premium cotton as well.

The blanket comes in two different weights — 15 and 17 pounds — and they all measure 60 by 80 inches. It comes in a sleek dark gray color that complements practically everything. Customer reviews note the blanket's soft, cozy material and strong stitching.

Pros: Hypoallergenic, made with 100% premium cotton and non-toxic pellets, soft and comfortable, helps you sleep faster

Cons: Duvet cover sold separately



The best dual-sided weighted blanket

One side of the Brooklyn Bedding Dual Therapy Weighted Blanket is cool and smooth, while the other side is warm and textured, providing two different sleep experiences for the price of one blanket.

If your body is sensitive to temperature changes, opt for the Dual Therapy Weighted Blanket. Because one side is textured and cozy while the other side is smooth and cooling, it plays to the whims of seasons and personal body temperatures. The textured side also provides sensory stimulation for your entire body. 

It comes in two weights (15-pound and 20-pound) and one size (60 by 80-inches). These weight and size options are less expansive than those of other brands, but they're also a boon for someone looking for a simple shopping experience. This Dual Therapy blanket is the only weighted blanket offered by sleep startup Brooklyn Bedding, which we also love for its mattresses and trust for any type of accessory to help us fall asleep. 

When I reviewed this blanket, I was able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer since I was no longer overheating or shivering in bed. Because of its two different sides, the blanket will be able to transition through all the seasons of the year, so you never have to deal with storing and moving a heavy piece of bedding. —Connie Chen, senior reporter 

Pros: Two different sides to provide a wider range of sleeping experiences, removable duvet

Cons: No additional color options, pricier than other blankets 

Read our review of the Brooklyn Bedding Dual Therapy Weighted Blanket



The best knit weighted blanket

The most attractive weighted blanket you can buy must be Bearaby's chunky knit Napper, which looks like an ordinary knitted blanket but also offers all the benefits of a regular weighted blanket. 

Chunky knit blankets always look cozy, and combined with the therapeutic benefits of a weighted blanket, they become impossibly inviting. What makes the Bearaby Napper doubly special is that it's made from natural materials: only responsibly farmed organic cotton.

By using over 280 yards of yarn, Bearaby eliminates the need to use artificial fillers to create extra weight. Instead, you get comforting, all-natural weight to calm and soothe your body.

Available in three weights and five colors, it's a blanket that appeals to all types of needs and style preferences, which is probably why it's regularly sold out on Bearaby's website. If you're willing to wait, you can add your email to the list to be notified when your style is back in stock.

But once you do have it in your hands, you'll be rewarded with a blanket that's simultaneously eye-catching and functional. Lulu Chang notes in her review, "While the Napper is not particularly tightly knit, it's incredibly warm and insulating" and it's breathable as well. —Connie Chen, senior reporter 

Pros: Stylish look, attractive colors, machine-washable, made from sustainable materials 

Cons: Expensive, highly popular and often sold out 

Read our review of the Bearaby Napper



The best weighted blanket for kids

If your children are having trouble sleeping, try the Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket.

The ideal weight of a weighted blanket should be around 10% of your body weight plus one or two pounds. Since most weighted blankets start at 12 pounds and go up to 25 pounds, they are typically too heavy for children to use. But the Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket comes in four different weights ranging from 5 to 12 pounds, making it perfect for children (there are also heavier options for teens and adults).

The blankets are made with 100% breathable natural cotton and are filled with glass beads that stay evenly distributed in small pockets. Each blanket comes with a soft, removable duvet cover that is machine washable. The blanket's dimensions depend on which weight you choose and the measurements range from 36 by 48 inches to 60 by 80 inches.

A handful of customer reviews mentioned that the removable cover stained other items in the laundry. So be sure to clean it on its own, at least the first time you wash it.

Pros: Ideal weight for children, super soft removable cover, helps kids fall asleep faster and stay asleep, four different weights to choose from

Cons: Need to wash it on its own



3 more great weighted blankets we tested and recommend

My wife and I tried this 20-pound weighted blanket — it put me to sleep in minutes and helped ease her anxiety

A high-quality weighted blanket applies uniform pressure all over your body like a nice hug, doesn't bunch up, and helps soothe anxiety.

I like the Quility Premium Weighted Blanket because the weight is well distributed, the materials are breathable and keep me from overheating, and it helps me to fall asleep quickly.

When it came to coping with her anxiety, my wife said, "This blanket is everything." It helps her to stop fidgeting at night so she can sleep. She still has some nights where sleep is rough, but they are less frequent and pronounced when she uses the weighted blanket.

Based on how much it has helped my wife, I would strongly recommend this blanket to anyone looking for another weapon to add to their anxiety-fighting arsenal.

Buy the Quility Premium Weighted Blanket on Amazon starting at $69.70


I slept under a 15-pound weighted blanket for a week — and it was the best sleep I've had in ages

Weighted blankets use deep-touch therapy — similar to the comfort created by swaddling babies — to create deeper, more restful sleep and ease anxiety, stress, and other health concerns naturally.

I've been sleeping under BlanQuil's 15 lb Weighted Blanket ($169) for more than a week, and I've had seven-plus nights of consistently great sleep. The BlanQuil comes in 15-20 lbs and the general rule of thumb is to order whatever is 10% of your body weight.

If you're in the market for better sleep, this is definitely worth taking a look at.

Buy the BlanQuil Quilted Weighted Blanket on Amazon for $169 - $249 (price varies by weight)


I've been sleeping with this weighted blanket for 6 months, and I've noticed a huge change in the quality of my sleep

No one should have to suffer through sleepless nights. If you're a light or anxious sleeper who wants to find an alternative to sleep medication, the weighted blanket is worth a shot. It worked for me.

I purchased the highly rated ZonLi weighted blanket on Amazon last December. It's well-priced and comes in a variety of sizes and weights. Right away I noticed a huge change in the quality of my sleep.

Buy the ZonLi Cool Weighted Blanket on Amazon (price varies by size and weight)



Check out our other bedding buying guides

The best pillows for your bed

A good pillow means a good night's sleep. We reviewed dozens of pillows to narrow down the choices to the ones you'll love best.

While ultimately, there is no "best for everyone" pillow — personal preference plays a huge part in determining the pillow you'll like the most — we checked out all the top recommendations from consumer buying websites, listened to what pillow buyers had to say, and even tried out some of the pillows ourselves to bring you the five picks most likely to send you off to the land of Nod comfortably.


The best duvet covers you can buy

Your cozy down-filled duvet needs a stylish cover to keep it clean and add some spice to your bedroom's décor. We've rounded up the duvet covers likeliest to suit your style, your budget, and your needs. 


The best mattresses you can buy

A great mattress can be the difference between a good night's sleep that results in a productive day or a horrible night that makes you feel like you didn't sleep at all. Here are our top picks for the best mattress you can buy:


The best mattress toppers you can buy

Although a mattress topper isn't a must-have for your bed, it's one of the easiest ways to up your sleep quality and comfort. We researched dozens of mattress toppers and determined a few of our favorites. 


The best bed frames you can buy

Your bed is not only the highlight of your bedroom, but it's also the only piece of furniture you spend 33% of your life on. 



3 common money mistakes you might be making if you're earning a 6-figure salary and still feel broke, according to experts who work with 'Henrys'

0
0

Henry millennial

Earning six figures sounds like a lot, but for some, it just doesn't feel that way.

If you relate to that statement, it might mean you're a "Henry," short for "high earner, not rich yet." The acronym was invented by Shawn Tully in a 2003 Fortune magazine article, and has come to characterize a certain group of six-figure earners who are mostly millennials, Melkorka Licea wrote for the New York Post.

The typical Henry earns over $100,000, is in their early 30s, and lives in an urban area. They're also prone to making some big money mistakes that prevent them from building wealth.

To find out what exactly those mistakes are, Business Insider spoke with two experts: Gideon Drucker, a certified financial planner at Drucker Wealth and author of the book "How to Avoid H.E.N.R.Y. Syndrome," and Priya Malani, the founder of Stash Wealth, a financial firm that bills itself as "Home of the Henrys."

According to Drucker and Malani, these are three of the most common money mistakes Henrys are making.

1. Henrys live above their means.

Henrys typically live above their means and fall victim to lifestyle creep, according to Drucker. Lifestyle creep happens when someone increases their standard of living to match a rise in their discretionary income.

But just because a Henry's income keeps going up doesn't mean they have to spend more money, Drucker said. In fact, they shouldn't spend more. If they get used to living off $3,000 or $4,000 a month, they might wake up a decade later and find they're spending $10,000 a month, he added.

Avoiding lifestyle creep is often touted by experts as one of the key ways to build wealth. Thomas C. Corley, who studied 233 wealthy individuals, 177 of whom were self-made millionaires, similarly found that lifestyle creep was a bad habit common among those who suddenly found themselves making more money. The better habit to pick up instead, which he calls the "Rich Habit," is to forgo the desire to spend and instead focus on saving.

2. Henrys don't have a savings plan.

It's easy for Henrys to succumb to lifestyle creep when they don't have a plan to make sure they're saving consistently and automatically. According to Drucker, Henrys only save whatever money they have left at the end of the month after prioritizing all their other needs.

This, as it turns out, is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing.

Drucker said the better financial strategy is to pay yourself first — allocate money toward savings before your other budgeting categories. It's a classic piece of money advice for avoiding lifestyle inflation.

What Henrys need to do, he added, is take advantage of compound interest and allow balance and older interest payments in a savings account to earn interest over time. "Henry's don't have an understanding of their time horizons," Drucker said. 

He helps them set up a "bucket" plan that segments money in three ways, based on each Henry's purpose:

  1. The "now" bucket is money sitting in the bank that's easily accessible — known as liquid money.
  2. The "later" bucket is for growth-oriented money, meant to be flexible in how you can take out the money. It's good for short-term goals such as buying a house.
  3. The "last" bucket is for long-term goals: retirement money. This bucket couldn't be touched even if you wanted to, Drucker said.

"We buy ourselves a time horizon with the first two buckets," he added. "Segmenting money allows you to not freak out so much."

3. Henrys buy houses they can't afford.

The pressure of keeping up with the Joneses can lead Henrys into buying homes they can't afford. But this isn't entirely their fault, Malani said.

"Henrys are prey to the mortgage industry: Because of their high income levels, oftentimes, Henrys are approved for a home loan much larger than their monthly incomes can support," she said. They end up "buying too much house and end up house poor."

The mortgage industry is incentivized to let you buy as much house as possible because the larger the mortgage, the more money the lender makes in the long run, Malani added. She advises not buying a home based on your pre-approval amount. 

Consider this: Sarah Stanley Fallaw, the director of research for the Affluent Market Institute, surveyed more than 600 millionaires in America and found that most of the millionaires she studied had never purchased a home that cost more than triple their annual income.

The key to building wealth, she wrote in her book "The Next Millionaire Next Door: Enduring Strategies for Building Wealth," is living in a home you can easily afford.

SEE ALSO: 'High earner, not rich yet': How to tell if you're a 'Henry,' based on your salary, savings, and lifestyle

NOW READ: Meet the 'Henrys': The millennials making 6-figure salaries who have 'pleasure funds' and enough money to travel — but still say they feel broke

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special

The best bed sheets

0
0
  • Few would deny that at the end of a long, hard day, sliding into a comfortable bed outfitted with soft, smooth sheets that pamper your skin is one of life's greatest pleasures.
  • After reviewing dozens of contenders for the best sheets, our top pick is the 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets from L.L. Bean.
  • If you're looking to further increase your bed's comfort, check out our guide to the best pillows.

To get the best sleep possible, we invest in the best mattresses and pillows that our budgets allow. But the journey to dreamland doesn't just stop there: You need quality bed linens too. Because why buy an expensive mattress only to ruin the experience with inferior bedding?

Besides, we spend nearly a third of our lifespan sleeping on our beds, so why wouldn't you want the best sheets possible? Not only do you want something soft and comfortable, but you also want something that's durable and can hold up to washes. So we've made it easy for you: We checked out all the top buying websites, listened to opinions from bed sheet buyers, and tested sheets ourselves to compile our list of the best bed sheet sets you can buy.

Here are the best sheets for your bed:

Prices and links are current as of 1/23/2020.

A note on thread count and weave

Thread count: Higher isn't always better

When it's time to buy sheets, many people simply assume that the higher the thread count, the better, and make their choice based on this feature alone. While it's true that thread count (a measurement of how many threads run vertically and horizontally in one square inch of fabric) is important, it turns out that there's another factor that plays a bigger part in sheet comfort: type of fabric.

In fact, according to Consumer Reports, there's no reason to pay extra for sheets with a thread count over 400, but it is worth your while to spend a little more on sheets made from the best kinds of cotton: Pima, Egyptian, or Supima. These long-fiber cottons weave into the softest, most comfortable sheets.

What about weave?

Weave is also important when it comes to choosing sheets you'll love. There are two basic weaves: percale and sateen.

  • Percale sheets have the same number of combed, tightly woven threads running horizontally and vertically. If you prefer sheets with a slightly crisp, cool feel, this is the weave to choose. Percale sheets are durable and strong, standing up to repeated washing even in hot water. Look for a thread count between 200 and 400 for lightweight sheets, or 400 to 600 if you prefer more weight.
  • Sateen sheets (not the same as satin, which is a fabric, not a weave) have more threads running vertically than horizontally, creating fabric with a slight sheen and a very soft, silky feel. Sateen sheets are generally more delicate than percale bedding, and more likely to pill or come apart in the wash. Still, if you crave the silkiest feel against your skin, this is the weave for you. Thread counts between 300 and 600 are the sweet spot for softness and strength.


The best sheets overall

L.L.Bean's wonderfully smooth 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets are durable, comfortable, and just the right weight to give you sweet dreams all year round.

Woven from 100% Pima cotton for the smoothest, softest, make-you-want-to-wiggle feel, L.L.Bean struck gold with its highly rated percale sheet set. As with all percale sheets, these have just a bit of a "crisp" finish, which feels nice and cool against your skin. They are the perfect weight for summer, and unless you live in a very cold climate or prefer to switch to heavier winter sheets, they are cozy enough for the colder months with the addition of a heavier blanket or comforter.

When you toss them in your washing machine and dryer, the sheets come out fresh, unwrinkled, and ready to coax you into the land of Nod. Sized to fit over mattresses up to 15-inches thick, these cotton sheets won't slip or slide as you sleep, and they hold firm to the mattress. They are available in seven basic colors, although alas, no brights. There are a few prints, as well.

L.L.Bean shoppers praise these sheets for their refusal to pill, long life, and wrinkle resistance. Quite a few customers commented that they have purchased several sets of the L.L.Bean sheets, and a common remark was, "These are the only sheets I'll buy."

We chose these sheets as our top pick in our guide to the best cotton sheets. In our testing, these sheets had a soft feel right out of the packaging and they were cool and soft to sleep on. Though L.L.Bean recently discontinued its famous lifetime guarantee, your purchase is still covered for a year, so if you find you're dissatisfied you can return the sheets for any reason.

And we're not the only ones who think the sheets are great. Wirecutter has chosen the L.L.Bean 280-thread-count Percale Sheets as its number one choice six years running, saying these sheets offer a "superior cool feel at a great price." 

Consumer Search is another review website that picked the L.L.Bean sheets as its top pick, saying the sheets are "ideal for lovers of crisp, 'old-school' cotton sheets." The reviewer did comment that some buyers felt the sheets were a bit too rough, although they do get softer the more they are washed.

Pros: Smooth, crisp feel, durability, reasonable price

Cons: Only fit mattresses up to 15 inches thick, no bright colors, few prints



The best luxury sheets

If you take your sleep comfort seriously, the pampering touch and good looks of Brooklinen's Luxe Sheets will have you sleeping like a baby.

Started as a Kickstarter project in 2014, Brooklinen has quickly soared to the heights of success, due to its reasonable prices for high-quality bedding. Luxe Sheets start with the best long-fiber cotton, which is woven into single-ply yarn for the finest, yet softest threads. This also means that the finished thread count of 480 is the true number; many other manufacturers weave lower quality, three-ply yarn into their sheets, then use this trick to inflate their thread count.

Brooklinen's Luxe Collection is a sateen weave, with a soft-as-the-clouds feel. Because sateen is woven more tightly than percale, you'll find these sheets cozy and warm, with a soothingly "heavy" feel that many sleepers love. In fact, Ellen Hoffman, the Director of Content Strategy for the Insider Picks team, has been sleeping on these sheets for more than three years, and reports that they are "hands down the best sheets I've ever put on my bed."

She washes her Brooklinen sheets every two weeks and hasn't experienced a degradation in quality; in fact, she says they've softened with time and, thankfully, don't hold on to stains. Her white sheet set has not yellowed after frequent washings either. Overall, Ellen's sheets are in great condition (no rips or tears, no stains, etc.) after years of use, which is comforting to hear given their higher price. 

The softness of these sheets increases every time they are washed. As a bonus, the sheets' wrinkle-resistance improves with each wash, as well. And, by the way, you can do that washing in your machine, then either line-dry your bedding or use your dryer on low heat.

The buzz doesn't stop there. Brooklinen has received positive press all over the web, with InStyle saying, "In order to design beautiful, affordable, and ridiculously comfortable sheets, Brooklinen co-founders Rich and Vicki simply focus on quality and manufacturing responsibly." Vogue writes, "the allure of this brand is certainly its technique and use of long-staple Egyptian cotton, which produces sheets and comforters that are softer than most."

Brooklinen currently offers the Luxe Sheets in seven solid colors, along with patterns like stripes and grids. It also frequently releases limited-editor colors and patterns. You can even mix and match colors or patterns within a sheet set, which is definitely a unique perk. The sheets fit mattresses up to 15 inches thick, so be sure to measure before ordering.

Pros: Super soft, high quality, mix-and-match sheet sets

Cons: Expensive, best if line-dried



The best linen sheets

Having tested many linen sheets, we found MagicLinen's to be best because of the wide range of colors and an option for thicker mattresses, and they age beautifully.

If linen is your bedsheet material of choice, the best is from MagicLinen. The Lithuanian company may be a little-known brand, but its sheets rival those from established players in terms of price and quality. That's because linen is the only fabric the company works with.

As a linen sheets aficionado who has tested many, Insider Picks' editor Sally Kaplan swears by MagicLinen. Why linen? It's cozy, cooling, and keeps you from sweating through the night, she said. 

One problem with linen sheets, she said, is that there are few options for deeper mattresses. She found that linen sheets have "constant bunching and corner flipping." But this is something MagicLinen addresses: Besides the many color and pattern options, there's a "deep" option for thicker mattresses.

Brand new, the sheets won't feel as soft as you might expect. However, over time, they will get softer. After many washes, instead of ripping apart, the MagicLinen sheets only "age as gracefully as Meryl Streep," she said. "I'm wary of linen sheets that come to me super silky right out of the bag because that's often a sign that they were treated with chemical conditioners and softeners. MagicLinen is stonewashed — a softening process that's completely natural and nontoxic — and Okeo-tex certified, meaning they're not processed with any harmful chemicals."

Incredibly, the sheets are hand-cut and sewn, yet the company has managed to keep prices competitive. If you end up loving these sheets as much as she does, MagicLinen also makes other products, like curtains and tablecloths. — Les Shu

Read Insider Picks' full review of MagicLinen sheets.

Pros: Soft, ages well, comes in many colors and patterns, "deep" option for thick mattresses, natural and non-toxic 

Cons: Not the softest right out of the bag



The best Supima sheets

You don't need to own a Casper mattress to get the benefits of their  Cool Supima Sheet Set and Duvet Cover. Woven from some of the best cotton on the market, these sheets are worth their price.

Supima is considered some of the highest quality cotton you can find. It's a trademark for US-grown cotton with extra-long fibers. "Longer fibers contribute to the strength and softness of apparel and home products, ensuring that they are more comfortable, retain color longer and resist pilling over time," according to the organization that licenses that name to companies that use Supima. While the origin of most cotton is difficult to trace, Supima is strictly regulated and represents only 1% of the world's cotton. Which is what makes Casper's Cool Supima Sheets so unique and so comfortable.

Insider Picks reporter Connie Chen tested the Cool Supima sheets and duvet cover, as well as Casper's pillow. "After many nights of great sleep, I can now count (Casper's) bedding products among my favorites." Overall, she thought the sheets were cool and crisp, and the duvet cover had a balanced weight and was well-designed.

The elastic band of the fitted sheet is rubberized, which makes gripping onto the mattress more effective and prevents them from pulling off. The sheet may seem bigger than normal during the first use, but that's to account for a 2% shrink factor — a couple of washes should bring them down in size.

These are "longer-lasting, pilling-resistant, and comfortable sheets that are certainly worth the investment," she said. "The percale weave is what gives the sheets their crisp, cool feel. They're perfect for the summer and warmer climates, or if you tend to overheat in your sleep."

The duvet cover is equally comfortable. Ellen Hoffman, Insider Picks' Director of Content Strategy, praised the "superior design details that solve for the annoying inconveniences of typical duvet covers." If the quilt shifts around inside, there are hidden openings that let you easily readjust. It has a good weight, but it's not so heavy that it overwhelms.

In terms of price, the sheets are reasonable. "At $120, its Cool Supima queen-sized sheet set sits between the value-focused Brooklinen and $200-plus options from Parachute, Boll & Branch, and Snowe, so purely based on price, it seemed to strike a good balance," Chen said. — Les Shu

Read Insider Picks' review of Casper Cool Supima sheets and duvet cover.

Pros: Made from high-quality US-grown cotton, cool and crisp, well designed, rubberized elastic

Cons: Does not fit deeper mattresses



The best sheets in fun colors and patterns

Crane & Canopy makes beautiful, silky soft sheets in tons of fun patterns and colors.

Crane & Canopy is a startup that began selling easy-to-use duvet covers in 2012. Since then, the company has branched out into sheets, comforters, pillows, blankets, towels, washcloths, and more. We tried a set of sheets from Crane & Canopy and we loved them. Not only are the sheets silky smooth and soft straight out of the package, they also come in several fun prints and colors.

If you're bored with solid colors and your pile of white sheets, you'll enjoy looking through Crane & Canopy's selection. You can get polka dots, stripes, herringbone, embroidery, and other unique prints that look different from your run of the mill chevron. There are also fun solid colors like coral and lilac as well as more traditional shades like cream, white, gray, and blue.

I tried the gray striped 300-thread count cotton sheet set on my bed, and it felt amazingly soft right out of the package. The fitted sheet is generous in size so you don't feel like you're running out of fabric when it comes time to tuck it in under your mattress. The stripes look classic and cool, especially with a fun bright blanket and pillowcases on the bed for contrast.

Crane & Canopy gives you the option to buy a set with one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two pillowcases or you can buy each piece on its own. It's nice to have the option because sometimes you just don't need more pillowcases or flat sheets, but you do need a new fitted sheet to fit a new mattress or what have you.

All the sheets are made from long-staple cotton or Belgian linen, and the company's bedding is Oeko-Tex certified, so you know your sheets are free from strange chemicals. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Super soft out of the package, fun colors and prints, can buy as sets or as individual pieces, decent price, long-staple cotton

Cons: Tad pricey for budget buyers



The best flannel sheets

Cozy as a hug and warm as a sweater, the Pinzon Heavyweight Velvet Flannel Sheets are the perfect accompaniment to your cold-weather Zzz's.

When Old Man Winter starts nipping at your nose, it's time to break out the flannel sheets. The Pinzon Heavyweight Velvet Flannel Sheets will keep you sleeping cozy, and the great price won't have you waking up in a cold sweat.  

Made from 100% combed cotton, these sheets are crafted in Portugal, and have a double-napped, velvety soft finish. Flannel sheets are not rated in thread count, but rather, in ounces per square yard. The sweet spot for high-quality flannel sheets is 5 to 6 ounces per square yard, and at 5.6 ounces, these are perfect. The weight adds to the coziness, giving you a snug feeling.

One caution: While the Pinzon sheets are very durable, and resist pilling or ripping, we did come across a few customer reviews complaining that the sheets shed for the first few washes, so you might want to send your set through several washing machine cycles before making up your bed for the first time.

There are several colors to choose from and a few patterns. The Pinzon sheets fit mattresses up to 18-inches thick but are only available for queen, king, and California king sizes.

Pros: Cozy, soft warmth at a great price

Cons: Some shedding, not available for twin or full mattresses



The best organic cotton sheets

If organic cotton and Fair Trade standards are important to you, the Boll & Branch Signature Soft Solid Hemmed Sheet Sets will help you sleep easy.

Boll & Branch's sateen sheets are made from 300-thread-count long-staple organic cotton, which makes them an unusual find since only 2% of the world's cotton is considered organic. Beyond that, they're both GOTS certified (the whole manufacturing process is considered organic) and Fair Trade certified, which means they hit standards for ethical wages and working conditions.

If that alone doesn't make you feel good about the sheets, the quality of the fabric will convince you. We found them to be super soft and silky to the touch.

Boll & Branch's sheets were also top pick at the Good Housekeeping textile labs, where testers found that the sheets keep their generous sizing even after washing. Although they're more expensive than other sheets, many owners consider them a luxury that's worth it.

The sheets are available in nine tasteful colors and have a 17-inch deep pocket to accommodate taller mattresses. Boll & Branch sells the sheets in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king sizes. If you're at all unsatisfied, these sheets can be returned for a full refund within 30 days. — Ayn-Monique Klahre

Pros: Super-soft, organic, good color range, 17-inch-deep pocket, more size options

Cons: Slightly less soft and breathable than other brands



The best modal bed sheets

If you crave the softness of silk without the diva-level fuss and bother silk demands, you'll love the feel of Pure Beech's Modal Sateen Sheets.

Modal is another fairly new addition to the bed sheet scene, and like bamboo, it's quickly rising in popularity. Also like bamboo, modal is a form of rayon. It starts with beechwood chips, which are dissolved into pulp, dried, and then spun into thread. The resulting material is extremely soft, resists shrinking, fading, or discoloring, and breathes quite well. Modal tends to resist pilling and is very durable.

Pure Beech specializes in modal sheets, and the Modal Sateen Sheets are remarkably soft and breathe well, remaining cool even on hot summer nights.

On the downside, we did come across some customer reviews mentioning that the sheets did not last as long as they expected, and ripped or shredded after just a year or two of use. The problem may well lie in the sheet's care. Unlike cotton, modal must be washed in cold water and dried on low — not subjected to the high temperatures that cotton tolerates.

The Pure Beech Modal Sateen Sheets are 400 thread count, fit mattresses up to 16 inches thick, and are available in many colors for twin through California king beds.

Pros: Extremely soft, resist fading or shrinking, don't pill or become scratchy, good selection of colors

Cons: Need to be washed and dried on cool settings, may weaken or tear otherwise



The best microfiber sheets

The Brushed Microfiber Sheets from Brooklyn Bedding offer comfort and durability at an affordable price, so you can have luxuriously soft sheets on a budget.

Brooklyn Bedding made its first appearance in the bedding industry with mattresses crafted in the US and sold directly to shoppers for a more affordable price. This company was one of the first to become a part of the bed-in-a-box industry. Since then, the product line has expanded to include sheets and pillows.

I tested the Brushed Microfiber Sheets, and was immediately impressed with how soft they felt right out of the package. These aren't the type of sheets you'll have to wash multiple times to "break in." I also liked that they didn't feel too thin. These are durable sheets that hold up well in the wash, and I've washed and dried them multiple times with no issues.

They come out of the dryer feeling as soft as they did when I first took them out of the packaging. These aren't as prone to wrinkling as cotton or bamboo-derived sheets tend to be, which is great if you're like me and you tend to procrastinate when it comes to folding your laundry.

The Brooklyn Bedding Brushed Microfiber sheets are made from 100% polyester, constructed with a tight weave that lends to their soft feel. Surprisingly, these sheets do have a lower thread count at 300, but in my experience, this didn't affect the quality at all. Thanks to the material used, I also like that they won't have you sleeping too warm. They have a durable feel, but they don't trap in heat during the night.

These fit my Saatva mattress perfectly, but if you do have a thinner mattress, you may find that they are a little roomier than you'd like, causing them to slip around a bit. If you're unsure, Brooklyn Bedding offers a 30-night trial, so you can return them no questions asked if you find you don't like them.

With the comfort, high-quality feel, and durability these sheets offer, I was especially impressed with their affordable price.

When it comes to size and options, there are plenty with these sheets. You can choose from several different solid colors, and they're available in a wide range of sizes, from Twin to California King, so you can find the perfect fit for your bed. — Kylie Joyner

Pros: Soft and comfortable, durable, affordable, color options available, come with a 120-night trial and one year warranty for extra peace of mind

Cons: May be a bit roomy on thinner mattresses



The best budget sheets

The Room Essentials Jersey Sheet Set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillowcases. Made out of a cotton-poly blend, the jersey fabric is so warm, comfortable, and soft, you may not need a blanket.

For an affordable price, this Jersey Sheet Set from Room Essentials gives you all the sheets you need. Made of 100% cotton (solid colors) or 50-50 cotton-poly blend, the sheets have that worn-in feel of a nice T-shirt.

These sheets are recommended by Insider Picks' SEO strategist, Shalom Goodman. "I was brought up with rough sheets, but now I don't think I could go back to that," he said. "There's just a cozy feeling about these."

The top sheet is so warm that he has even foregone the use of a comforter. And, he likes the stretchiness of the fabric, which makes the fitted sheet easy to tuck into the mattress. One downside is that they take a while to dry after washing. — Les Shu

Pros: Soft and warm, stretchy fabric easy to put on, top sheet can sub for a blanket, affordable

Cons: Jersey may not appeal to everyone, longer to dry



Check out our other great bedding guides

The best mattresses

A great mattress can be the difference between a good night's sleep that results in a productive day or a horrible night that makes you feel like you didn't sleep at all. Here are our top picks. See more: The best mattresses.


The best mattresses for side sleepers

Perhaps the biggest challenge that I've faced in my side sleeping days is finding a mattress that is firm enough to support my contours, but soft enough to avoid feeling pressure — particularly in my hips and shoulders. And while that mattress may feel like a unicorn, I'm here to bear some good news: There are, in fact, quite a few great mattresses for side sleepers that don't cost a fortune. See more: The best mattresses for side sleepers.


The best duvet covers

Duvets and their covers are a popular bedding choice. Cozy and comfortable, stylish and versatile, and available in a huge range of fashionable colors, designs, and fabrics, there's a duvet cover for every taste. See more: The best duvet covers.


The best pillows

There's a nearly dizzying array of pillows on display in any bed-and-bath shop, or on the virtual shelves of your favorite online home store. That can make it a bit difficult to choose the best pillow for your needs. From memory foam to gel, these are our top picks. See more: The best pillows.



I got my toddler a Cubcoats hoodie that converts into a stuffed animal, and now I see why these are so popular

0
0

Cubcoats

  • It's not always easy to find clothes that toddlers love — they can be a picky bunch, my daughter included.
  • Cubcoats has a wide variety of hoodies that quickly and easily transform into your child's favorite animal or character, from classic dogs and cats to whimsical unicorns to Dinsey and Star Wars characters.
  • I was surprised at the quality of the material in my daughter's Minnie Mouse Cubcoat. It's warm enough for a chilly fall day and great for layering as well.
  • Because it transforms into a stuffed animal, the hoodie is a great way to save space while traveling.

With an 18-month-old daughter who is in love with clothes and shoes, I have a costly future ahead of me. As much as she loves clothes, she can also be quite picky, saying no to about 10 outfits every morning before she finds the one she wants to wear. So, when she likes a piece of clothing, I know she really likes it. 

I thought we'd have a hit with Cubcoats, which makes 2-in-1 hoodies that transform into stuffed animals, and I was right. Living in the Northeast, we need plenty of warm sweatshirts and coats, so I'm relieved to have found another one that my daughter Ellie loves to wear.

The Cubcoats hoodie design

There are many Cubcoats to choose from, from popular animated TV and movie characters to different animals. Some styles are zip-up hoodies while others are pullovers. My daughter has the zip-up Minnie Mouse version. Just a few of the other options include a dragon, unicorn, dog, Captain America, Poppy the Troll, Chewbacca, and Hello Kitty

A big reason why Ellie loves her Cubcoat so much is the fact that Minnie is one of her favorite characters. While she loves to wear clothes and choose her own outfits, I know that's not the case with every child. Sometimes getting your toddler to wear a jacket can be a major battle, but they may be more inclined to dress as their favorite character.

Ellie's hoodie fits her true to size. Cubcoats sent us a sample in 2T, her current size. It fits her perfectly with a little bit of room to grow into it. The company recommends sizing up if your child is between sizes.  

My daughter's Minni Mouse Cubocat exceeded my expectations

Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of the coat. As I mentioned, we live in the Northeast, so we need more than a light jacket in the winter. The material is warmer, softer, and thicker than I expected it to be (it's a cotton-polyester blend). The interior of the hood is a soft fleece, as is the stuffed animal portion. 

On the coldest winter days, I can layer this sweatshirt with a heavier coat, and in the fall, spring, and on mild winter days, the sweatshirt keeps her warm. 

It's also easier than I expected to fold the hoodie into the stuffed animal. I recommend folding in the arms and then rolling it up from the bottom hem. Once you get to the top, just tuck it into the zipper pocket in the hood. If I don't have a place to easily lay it out, I can also just stuff the sweatshirt in on itself. Either way, I can convert it from hoodie to stuffed animal and vice versa in less than a minute.  

Cubcoats also values giving back, donating a portion of every purchase to Baby2Baby, an organization that provides children living in poverty with basic necessities. 

CUBCOATS Minnie Mouse2

I love Cubcoats for traveling

I'm a chronic over-packer, so traveling light with children is nonexistent in my world. Ellie's Cubocats hoodie lightens our load, though. While we're traveling, she wears hers as a jacket, and when she's sleeping or playing, she uses it as a stuffed animal that she loves to hug and cuddle.

The hood is a bit too bulky and thick

Because the pouch to turn the sweatshirt in on itself is located in the hood, it's a bit bulky. When Ellie wears the hood down, it sometimes pulls the front of the sweatshirt toward her neck. Thankfully, she loves wearing it up, and I love how adorable she looks with the Minnie ears and bow. 

Based on the photos of other Cubcoats designs, it looks like the Minnie Mouse hood is bulkier than many of the other options. In stuffed animal form, Minnie has ears, a bow, and a skirt, so it makes sense that it has a bit more heft.

The bottom line

My 18-month-old loves her Cubcoats hoodie, and she's a tough critic. Its thickness makes it a functional sweatshirt in chilly temperatures. It's hard to say whether Ellie likes the stuffed animal or the hoodie more. 

Cubcoats can be on the more expensive side with prices ranging from $35 to $50. However, they're made from quality materials, and you're getting two products in one. To make sure you're getting as much use out of yours as possible, size up as the company recommends. 

As a piece of clothing that can transition through all seasons, this is one that we'll definitely get a lot of use out of. And even after Ellie has outgrown the hoodie, she'll still have her stuffed Minnie Mouse.

Pros: Many different animals and characters to choose from, material is soft and warm, easy to transform from hoodie to stuffed animal

Cons: Hood is bulky

Shop all Cubcoats, $35 to $50, at Amazon and Nordstrom

 

Join the conversation about this story »


The Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited aren't just cash-back cards — here's how you can turn their rewards into travel points

0
0

Card Group — Chase Sapphire Reserve Chase Freedom Unlimited Chase Ink Business Preferred_01 1

The Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards are two fantastic options if you're looking for a cash-back credit card. However, if you're interested in upgrading to travel rewards points — which can be more valuable than straight cash— you'll be happy to know it's possible to convert anything you earn with the Chase Freedom-brand cards.

Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back. 

Why you might want Chase points instead of cash back

Certain other cards from Chase — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Chase Ink Business Preferred— earn rewards points within Chase's loyalty ecosystem, Chase Ultimate Rewards. When you have one of these cards, there are three main different ways to redeem your points.

The first option is the simplest: You can redeem points for 1 cent each toward cash, gift cards, or purchases.

The next option is to use points to purchase travel through Chase, which features a travel-booking portal on the Ultimate Rewards website. This site works the same way as any major online travel agency; you can book anything from flights or hotels to rental cars or cruises — except that you can use points, or a combination of points and your credit card, to book.

Depending on which card you have, you get a bonus on your points' value when you use them to book travel through Chase. If you have the Sapphire Preferred (or certain small business cards like the Ink Business Preferred), you'll get a 25% bonus on points used toward travel — in other words, those points will be worth 1.25 cents each. With the Sapphire Reserve, the bonus for travel purchases is 50%, making your points worth 1.5 cents each.

Read more:Chase Sapphire Preferred card review

The third option when you have any of those premium Chase cards is to transfer your points to one of Chase's nine airline frequent flyer or four hotel loyalty partners. Typically, that's the most valuable way to redeem your points, since booking frequent flyer "award tickets" is different than buying reservations outright, and often requires fewer points.

In most cases, the cash price and the miles price of a ticket aren't linked, so it's possible to get exponentially increased value from your points by transferring them and booking an award ticket instead. That means potentially being able to fly long-haul in first or business class with points, among other things.

How to turn cash back into valuable Ultimate Rewards points

Good news: If you have a Freedom card, you already have Ultimate Rewards points!

While Chase markets the Freedom-branded cards as "cash back," they actually earn Ultimate Rewards points. They're just limited to the first redemption option — cash, gift cards, or even travel at 1 cent per point.

However, because Chase lets you move your Ultimate Rewards points freely between any cards you have, you can get the travel portal bonus or transfer them to frequent flyer partners simply by moving them onto a Sapphire or relevant Ink card.

Read more:Chase Sapphire Reserve review

Just log in to your Chase account, click on Ultimate Rewards, click on any of your cards, and click "Combine Points" in the top-right corner. Move your points from the Freedom card to the Sapphire or Ink, and you're good to go.

I know a lot of people who have been using a Freedom card for years and haven't redeemed any cash back yet — if they open a Sapphire card, too, they can get a surprising amount of free travel for those points.

Read more:Ink Business Preferred card review

The other benefit is that the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited both earn points in different ways than the Sapphire or Ink cards, so you can take advantage of this to earn more. For instance, use a Freedom card to earn 5% cash back (or 5x points) in the quarterly bonus category after activation, use a Sapphire Reserve to earn 3x points on travel and dining, and use a Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5% (or 1.5x points) on everything else.

If you're looking for inspiration on how to use your points, take a look at a few of the best options for using Chase points, and if you're looking to open a new card or earn new sign-up bonuses, check out our list of the best Chase cards and sign-up bonuses available.

Click here to learn more about the Chase Freedom »

Click here to learn more about the Chase Freedom Unlimited »

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 items to avoid buying at Costco

The best watches for women that cost less than $200

0
0
  • Wristwatches are a fun fashion accessory, and the choices are nearly endless.
  • Keeping in mind style, durability, and size, we did the research and rounded up the best under-$200 options on the internet.
  • The Fossil Jacqueline Watch is our top pick because the look of it makes it a great everyday accessory that will add a touch of sophistication to your wardrobe for a budget-friendly friendly price. 
  • If you're looking for affordable men's styles, check out our guide to the best men's watches under $100.

Smartwatches and high-tech fitness trackers are gaining in popularity, but there's something to be said about the humble analog watch. Truth be told, there are plenty of traditional watches out there that aren't all that humble in terms of price or style.

Whether you want a timeless and understated look or you want to make a statement, there are plenty of watches to choose from — and that's where the challenge arises.

There is an overwhelming number of women's watches to choose from in terms of both style and brand. We realize time is of the essence (both literally and figuratively) so we've scoured the reviews and done the research for you to find five different watches that look good, but won't have you maxing out your credit card.

All our picks for this guide come in at $150 or less, but even though they are budget-friendly, you won't be sacrificing quality with these watches.

Here the best watches for women under $200:

Prices and links are current as of 1/23/2020.

The best watch overall

The Fossil Jacqueline watch is a classic go-to for everyday wear that can be dressed up or down.

The Fossil Jacqueline watch has a classic Roman numeral watch face, a simple yet comfortable leather band, and a variety of neutral color combos to choose from making it the best watch for everyday wear. The dial of the watch face is subtly textured and keeps time with three hands and Roman numerals. A small window on the bottom of the dial will also tell you what day of the month it is.

The medium case measures 36mm, but the slim band keeps it from looking overly bulky, so it's an ideal watch no matter your wrist size. It also comes in a wide range of colors, including rose gold and navy, silver with pink, silver with brown, or rose gold with pink, so you can match it to the type of jewelry you wear and the colors you like best.

Though this watch is described as having a classic style, in this case, the word "classic" shouldn't be misunderstood as "old-fashioned." The Jacqueline has been designed with a modern aesthetic kept in mind.  If you want a watch that you can wear almost daily because it is versatile enough to be dressed up or down, this watch won't fail you.

I personally own this watch and find myself reaching for it often — especially when I want to pull together an outfit. It stands out just enough to get a compliment here and there, but it isn't trying to win any trend-setting awards. While there's certainly a place for fashion-forward accessories, it's also nice to have the daily wardrobe staples. Think of this watch as the little black dress of your accessory collection. It's a classic piece that won't be going out of style anytime soon, and it's almost always guaranteed to look good.

Durability and comfort are especially important in the watch you wear every day. Fossil is known for producing affordable, high-quality watches and other accessories, so have no fear about this watch's durability. It keeps time accurately with a quartz movement. The leather strap is comfortable, and it's compatible with any other 14 mm strap from Fossil if you want to switch it out.

It's also rated at 3 ATM for water resistance, so it will withstand splashes and brief submersion in water. It gave me some peace of mind that if I were to accidentally splash water on it while washing my hands, it wouldn't mean the end of this timepiece. 

Some buyers with smaller wrists (including myself) did notice that the watch has a tendency to slip around. A slightly shorter band option for this would be ideal, but I found that when I have the strap adjusted to its smallest circumference, it minimizes most of the slippage. For me, this wasn't inconvenient enough to take away from the many positives the Jacqueline has to offer. Its classic look and modern charm make it an accessory piece you'll be able to count on, even as style trends come and go.

Pros: Versatile enough to dress up and down, comfortable band, durable construction, comes in multiple color options, displays the day of the month

Cons: Tends to slip around on smaller wrists

Shop all Fossil Watches on Amazon



The best fashion statement watch

The cute details of the Kate Spade New York 5 O'Clock Metro watch will add a touch of whimsy to any outfit.

Fashion watches come in all sorts of styles, but Kate Spade has mastered the art of creating a watch that makes just enough of a fashion statement without being too over the top. The thoughtful little details present in the 5 O'clock Metro watch are a perfect example of that design aesthetic.

The watch takes inspiration from New York City because Kate Spade has its roots in the city that never sleeps. Whether you're the type who looks forward to happy hour with your friends and co-workers, or you prefer to unwind with your pajama pants and a glass of wine, you'll still be able to appreciate the "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere" sentiment of this watch.

The charming details of the 5 O'Clock Metro watch make it a great accessory if you're looking for a little something extra to add to your outfit. The face has "somewhere…" in script, and a martini glass is cleverly placed at the 5 o'clock mark. The spade symbol, which is synonymous with the Kate Spade brand, is at the 12 o'clock mark.

It may be cute, but this watch is still functional and durable, featuring a leather band. The rest of the dial is marked with Arabic numerals and is easy to read, and the time stays accurate thanks to the quartz movement. This watch is water-resistant to withstand splashes and brief submersion, but you won't want to swim or bathe with it.

Along with the whimsical details on the watch face, the thoughtful design continues with other color themes and designs, like the blue and rose gold available on Nordstrom, so you can find something that best suits your personal style and your wardrobe. The case measures 34mm across, putting it in the medium-sized category.

Some buyers did complain that the leather strap felt a bit rough and stiff at first but loved everything else about the watch. Though this watch may not be as versatile as some, it makes just enough of a fashion statement and will add some fun to your everyday ensemble at a far more affordable price than most luxury fashion watches. Cheers to that!

Pros: Fun details, accurate timekeeping, durable design, water-resistant

Cons: Some reviewers thought the band was too stiff

Shop all Kate Spade Watches on Amazon



The best large-faced watch

Wristology adds feminine appeal to a large-faced watch that can be dressed up or down and offers style and functionality for an extremely affordable price.

The Olivia Rose Gold Scalloped Boyfriend watch is all about style. While some boyfriend watches go the tomboy route with bulky features and a sportier look, the Olivia does the opposite. It features scalloped detailing on the outside of a watch face that has no numbers or indices which give it a sleek, modern appeal.

Unlike many fashion watches, this watch is very affordable and looks more expensive than it is thanks to the thoughtful design. Versatility is another winning point here that will allow you to make the most of an already affordable timepiece. This is the type of watch that can be dressed up or down, going from casual weekend wear to the office or a night out.

It should be noted that if you have an especially petite wrist, you may find the 38mm case a little on the large side. However, if you want an accessory that will make a statement, and you want your watch to be one of the main focuses of your outfit, you won't be disappointed with the Olivia.

Since the dial of the watch doesn't feature any time indicators, some may find it a little trickier to quickly read this watch. The scalloped pattern does correspond with where the numbers would be to make it possible to still read the time, which is kept with quartz movement for accuracy.

The Olivia doesn't skimp on durability either, which is a plus since this is meant to be a watch you can wear daily. The watch band is made of leather (some styles come with a patent leather band) for added durability, and the band can also be easily switched out for any other Wristology 18mm band, adding to its versatile nature. The Olivia also comes in multiple color options to go along with the rose gold case, including rose gold and gray, rose gold with black, rose gold with wine.

It's rated at 3 ATM for water resistance, meaning it can withstand splashes and brief submersion in water. However, like the other watches on this list, it isn't meant to be worn while swimming or bathing. If anything does happen to your watch, it comes with a two-year warranty.

If you want to add a stylish accessory to your collection without going over budget, or you plan on having more than one watch in your collection, this is an affordable way to give yourself options. The Olivia makes a fashion statement, but won't make you cringe the next time you look at your bank statement. You can also check out Wristology's other watches.

Pros: Feminine design, durable construction, can be dressed up or down, interchangeable watch band, water resistant, affordable

Cons: Lack of indices or numbers could make it harder to tell the time, some with petite wrists may find it too bulky, some reviewers thought the ticking was too loud

Shop all Wristology Watches on Amazon



The best watch for a modern look

The Mondaine Classic watch takes its inspiration from the Official Swiss Railways Clock, with its accurate timekeeping and distinct red second hand.

Mondaine is a Swiss watch company known for its expertly designed, high-quality watches. The inspiration comes from the Official Swiss Railways Clock, designed by Swiss engineer and designer Hans Hilfiker in 1944. This clock became the icon of the Federal Swiss Railways, which were known for their punctuality.

In 1986, the Mondaine Watch Company took the blueprint from the clock, and applied it to its watch collection. The Mondaine Classic watch showcases the simplicity of the Swiss Railways Clock, but also has a modern look and feel that translates well into everyday wear.

The iconic red paddle-style second hand gives it a fun pop of color, as does the red underside of the black leather band. If you're looking for a unique timepiece to add to your accessories collection that will still go with most your wardrobe, the Mondaine Classic is a good choice.

Those with petite wrists will appreciate the 30mm case diameter. The dial features black indices to mark the time, and the two bold minute and hour hands are complemented by the red second hand. All of this is set against a white background for easy reading. The stainless-steel case, durable mineral crystal used to cover the watch face, and the leather band make for a watch that's meant to stand the test of time.

When it comes to actually telling the time, you can count on the Mondaine for accuracy as well, thanks to the Swiss Quartz movement. The Mondaine is also water-resistant, so it will withstand splashes of water and it will be safe if you get caught in the rain, but it isn't meant to be submerged in water for any length of time. In the case of any manufacturing defects, Mondaine offers a 2-year warranty.

The only caveat is that some people may not prefer having the Mondaine logo on the front of the watch. This could be considered a downside, especially since the highlight of this watch is the thoughtfully designed watch face, but it's also not uncommon — most watches do feature their logo here.

If you're looking for a unique timepiece with an equally interesting backstory that is versatile enough to go with most of your outfits, the Mondaine Classic is for you.

Pros: Unique watch face design, accurate timekeeping, durable, water-resistant, can be dressed up or down

Cons: Some reviewers didn't like having the logo on the watch face



The best bracelet-style watch

For the times when you need an accessory to dress up with, the bracelet-style Fossil Virginia stainless steel watch won't let you down. 

While an everyday watch that you can dress up or down is a great wardrobe staple to have, sometimes you need something specific to go with that little black dress. The Fossil Virginia watch is made for special occasions and will add some eye-catching sparkle to any outfit thanks to its crystal-set bezel, the crystal detailing on the band, and the crystal hour markers.

The Virginia comes in both rose gold and silver tones, so you'll be able to match it to the rest of your jewelry ensemble for a put-together look, and the 30mm case looks flattering on a wide range of wrist sizes.

There's more to this watch than just sparkle. It's an accurate timekeeper with quartz movement and an analog display. Roman numerals mark the 12, 3, 6, and 9 hour points and the rest are marked by the stacked crystal hour markers. This combo, along with the three-hand design, make for easy time reading.

There is no connecting leather band here as this is a bracelet style watch, but it's made of durable stainless steel with a closure to keep it securely on your wrist. This Adjust-O-Matic closure allows for self-adjustment by link removal so you'll be able to fit it to your wrist size. The Virginia is rated at 5 ATM for water resistance, so it will withstand short periods of submersion in shallow water, but it isn't meant for driving or snorkeling.

It should be noted that some people may have trouble finding their perfect fit with the link removable band.

Its elegance and shine, high quality at an affordable price, and ability to dress up an outfit make the Virginia a chic addition to any outfit. Whether you've got a big client meeting, a formal event to attend, or it's date night with your other half — a little extra sparkle never hurts.

Pros: Elegant design, crystal detailing to dress up an outfit, durable and adjustable band, water-resistant

Cons: Some reviewers had trouble with adjusting and opening and closing the band

Shop all Fossil Watches on Amazon



The best minimalist watch

MVMT makes gorgeous minimalist watches for far less than most other companies, and the Hermosa is our favorite.

If you like the look of minimalist design, you'll love MVMT's watches. The company was founded in 2013 by Jake Kassan and Kramer LaPlante, and quickly reached its crowdfunding goal on Indiegogo. Since then, it's been a favorite among budget watch buyers.

The Insider Picks team has loved MVMT watches since the start and has tested several of the brand's most popular styles. The Hermosa watch is one of our favorites with its simple all-metal look and 38mm case. It has a mesh metal band that never snags on your arm hair or clothes, and its super slim profile makes it light and comfortable to wear all day.

As a former tech journalist, the only watches I've worn for the past few years have been chunky smartwatches and hybrid models. I had forgotten how slim and pretty women's watches could be until I swapped my semi-smart hybrid watch for the MVMT Hermosa watch.

It's so slim, light, and elegant that I almost forget I'm wearing it. The rose gold coloring goes with everything, and I love the mesh metal strap. The minimalist watch face design is appealing and easy to read, too. The clasp does take some getting used to, but it hasn't broken after nearly a year of wear.

Overall, the MVMT Hermosa watch is a great pick for people who like the all-metal look and its fine mesh metal bracelet band. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Affordable, attractive, minimalist, stainless steel mesh band, comfortable to wear, slim

Cons: Not as cheap as some other options

Shop all MVMT Watches



Check out our other great watch guides

The best smartwatches for women

As more and more fashion-forward brands join the latest tech craze, smartwatches for women have started to arrive. These are our top picks for the best smartwatches for women.


The best smartwatches

Smartwatches aren't yet mandatory tech purchases, but they may be one day. For those of you who like to live on the cutting-edge side of the tech world, there's no better status symbol than the smartwatch. These are the best smartwatches.


The best men's watches under $100

A nice watch is an essential accessory for men, but that doesn't mean you have to spend big bucks to look good. Even on a tight budget, you can buy just about any desirable watch style, so we rounded up the best styles for under $100.



Olympian Lolo Jones says being open about her virginity 'killed' her dating life

0
0

Olympian Lolo Jones.

Olympian Lolo Jones says being open about her virginity has ruined her dating life.

Jones, 37, has been public about waiting until marriage to have sex for years. But speaking to Kevin Heart on Tuesday on his "Cold as Balls" series, the Olympic hurdler and bobsledder said being so candid "was a mistake."

"That killed all my dates after that," Jones said. "Like didn't even have a chance. Before, at least I had a chance. Before, I'd like, tiptoe. 'Okay, when's a good time to tell him? Do I wait until he sees my personality a little bit? Or do I just drop the bomb?'"

Jones, who competed in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2014 Winter Olympics, is still unmarried.

In a 2012 interview on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," Jones said her virginity was a "gift I want to give to my husband."

"But please understand, this journey has been hard. There's virgins out there, I'm gonna let them know, it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage," she said.

In her recent interview with Hart, Jones said being a virgin put her at a "disadvantage" while competing in sports.

"Having sex actually helps you as an athlete, a female athlete," she said. "So I'm running at a disadvantage."

Contrary to a longstanding myth, having sex does not affect an athletes' performance, according to a 2018 study and a separate 2019 study.

Jones, however, joked that with no "pressure release," she has a "higher level of intensity."

"Everybody knows me as [being] stressed out," she said.

Jones is currently training to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and recently told Fansided that it has been "tough."

"We talk a lot about my age. I am competing against girls that are 10 years younger than me. I'm feeling the aches and pains of basically all the times I've crashed in a bobsled at 90 miles an hour, every hurdle hit I've had," she told Fansided. "So it's built up, but what's great about it is the fact that I'm super strong and determined to finish out my goals."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 things about the NFL that football fans may not know

These new sofas are the colorful, cool antidote to every boring couch you've seen online — they start at $1,599 and max out at $3,800 for a sectional

0
0

ClareVSofaLifestyle

Digital furniture startup The Inside has launched its first-ever sofa collection

If you're familiar with The Inside, the name probably conjures up images of bold prints, bright colors, and exclusive collaborations with high-end designers. What's perhaps less obvious about its sophisticated furniture, though, is that everything (so far, at least) is under $4,000 with many being in the $3,000 range.

The company's ethos is to go "beyond the beige," which is really more about increasing the diversity of budget-friendly options than convincing people to live inside a snowglobe of Wes Anderson color palettes.

After years of working in interior design, The Inside co-founder and CEO Christiane Lemieux (formerly the executive creative director of Wayfair) explained to Business Insider that she'd noticed a recurring problem in the industry, characterized by the blandness of affordable options. In Lemieux's words, "Personal and interesting furniture options did not exist for everyone."

The Inside emphasizes affordable customization as an antidote, and its sofa launch is the latest in its efforts to give the people what they want: more options. 

The Insider has eight sofa styles (starting at $1,599) and over 100 fabrics that complement many personal and home decor styles 

In the sofa collection, as in all The Inside furniture orders, customers get to experience an affordable, digitized version of the otherwise unattainable interior designer experience. You pick everything: the style of sofa, the pattern and fabric, and, when applicable, the metal framing. Then, the sofa is made from scratch and shipped to your door in four weeks free of charge. For smaller products like ottomans and benches, the turn-around time is three weeks. 

ModernSectionalLifestyle_01

The Inside sofas are available in the company's 100+ fabrics, including exclusive collaboration prints from Scalamandré, SF Girl by Bay (the original Pinfluencer), Refinery29's Christene Barberich, Homepolish's Katherine Carter, and fashion designers Peter Som and Clare V

Shoppers from diverse aesthetics — from modern to traditional, maximalist to bohemian, and everything in between — should be able to create something unique that they love on the site. As Lemieux notes, The Inside avoids the siloing of style. "It's less about your preferred pattern or color — because we do offer beige options! — and instead about giving people the freedom to choose beyond the same two or three sofa options, by providing access to more than 100 fabrics." 

The Inside wants to bridge the gap between an aspirational Pinterest board and what you're actually able to execute — and afford 

How do they do it? The beige couch problem is, fundamentally, an inventory problem. Since other retailers have to store their furniture, the "drab and uninspired" tend to win the decor war for their simple functionality. Since The Inside doesn't carry inventory or have middlemen, it's possible to make high-quality home decor on demand at reasonable prices. All furniture is made from scratch, and to cut expensive traditional photography, the company's photos are 3D rendered instead.

If you want to see the fabrics in your own home, you can order swatches for $1 each with free shipping. And if you love the idea of playing with color and going with a Scalamandre zebra print à la the Royal Tenenbaums — but you're not sure how — just email hi@theinside.com for free personalized design advice. If your questions are more in-depth than simple color-matching, they'll be passed along to the team's veteran designers to weigh in. 

Perhaps due to a resourceful business model, a lean and passionate team, or its playful collaborations with big names priced for small budgets, The Inside feels more like a collaborative passion project than another face in the D2C home decor space. Like watching Meryl Streep play a dynamic character role, the sense of fun is palpable from behind the screen. This love of interior design — and the symptomatic desire to give more people the freedom to design a space that feels like them — is again present in its take on sofas, the de-facto centerpiece of a home. 

See The Inside's sofa collection below and shop them here

Mid-Century Sofa, starting at $1,999

See the Mid-Century Sofa in over 100 patterns >>



Modern Sofa, starting at $1,599

See the Modern Sofa in over 100 patterns >>



Modern Sectional, starting at $2,495

See the Modern Sectional in over 100 patterns >>



Slipcover Sofa, starting at $1,899

See the Slipcover Sofa in over 100 patterns >>



Tailored Sleeper Sofa, starting at $1,999

See the Tailored Sleeper Sofa in over 100 patterns >>



Slipcover Sectional, starting at $1,899

See the Slipcover Section in over 100 patterns >>



Tuxedo Sofa, starting at $1,799

See the Tuxedo Sofa in over 100 patterns >>



Tuxedo Sectional, starting at $2,795

See the Tuxedo Sectional in over 100 patterns >>



The iconic Boeing 747 just celebrated 50 years of flight — here's how the 'Queen of the Skies' changed the world of aviation forever

0
0

Qantas Boeing 747-400

  • Boeing's most iconic aircraft celebrated 50 years of passenger service on Wednesday.
  • The aircraft first flew in 1969 and began commercial service in 1970, revolutionizing air travel with its iconic design. 
  • Despite over 50 years in the air, most airlines around the world are retiring their 747s in favor of new, fuel-efficient dual-engine aircraft. 
  • Qantas, British Airways, and Lufthansa are among the last operators of the aircraft dubbed the Queen of the Skies. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

One of the greatest feats of American aerospace engineering celebrates 50 years of passenger service this week.

Long before the Boeing 737 Max, there was the Boeing 747, the first quad-jet engine and dual-level passenger aircraft to roam the skies. It's known by many names including Jumbo Jet, Queen of the Skies, and even the Humpback, and is arguably the most recognizable aircraft in the skies.

Boeing conceived the aircraft in the mid-1960s when it was designed to be the next step up from the similarly four-engined and widely popular Boeing 707 passenger jet. With demand for air travel on the rise, the Boeing 747 would offer airlines greater seating capacity, increased range, and extra room for luxuries such as onboard lounges and bars.

Though it took its first flight in 1969, it wouldn't enter service until January 22, 1970, fifty years ago on Wednesday, with Pan American World Airways.

Here's the story of the Boeing 747, the aircraft that would firmly establish America as a leader in aircraft manufacturing for decades to come.

SEE ALSO: Boeing quietly unveiled the $442 million airliner that will replace the 747 jumbo jet

Read More: This jarring photo shows the death of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet in America

Shortly after the Boeing 707 rushed the world into the jet age, airlines were already looking for bigger and better aircraft, including Pan American and its CEO, Juan Trippe.



Fresh off the heels of competing for a government contract for a widebody military transport, Boeing used its newfound knowledge in the field to lay the foundation for its newest project, according to the manufacturer.

Source: Boeing



Over 50,000 employees working on the project at a new assembly plant in Everett, Washington, according to Boeing, that was so large it was given its own zip code. They were called "The Incredibles" and lead by veteran Joe Sutter.

Source: Boeing



The aircraft they produced would be the Boeing 747-100, the first variant of a new aircraft that featured four engines and two-levels, the first jet aircraft of its kind.



The flying public had never seen anything like it before, with jet aircraft only recently coming to prominence just over a decade prior.



Its first flight flew in the early morning hours of January 22, 1969, from New York to London operated by Pan Am, inaugurating a new era for air travel.



The aircraft was seen as a status symbol for airlines, with the extra space allowing for additional luxuries and extravagances on some airlines.



Most airlines of the time including Pan Am and Qantas used their upper decks for as bars, lounges, or restaurants.



They were a glamorous place to steal away to while flying high in an enclosed tube.



It was the most exclusive club in the sky.



The aircraft allowed airlines to fly more people further, with normal passenger capacity for the aircraft growing to upwards of 300 seats in later variants.



The range of the aircraft gradually increased over the years with the -400 variant - one of its more modern bestsellers - having the ability to fly over 7,000 nautical miles, enough to connect New York with nearly every continent with a nonstop flight.

Source: Boeing



Even to this day, the Boeing 747 continues to outlive most of its rivals from the time period, including the supersonic and similarly iconic European Concorde.



Its supremacy went unmatched for decades despite a long list of competitors until Airbus unveiled a dual-level and quad-engine aircraft of its own, the Airbus A380.



With the rise of fuel-efficient, dual-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 XWB, the need and desire for the quad engine aircraft such as the 747 and A380 has dwindled over the years, despite Boeing's best efforts with the larger and more modern 747-8i.



Most operators of the more recent -400 variant have retired or are in the process of retiring their fleets, with only a handful opting to upgrade to the 747-8i variant.



Only three airlines purchased the Boeing 747-8i for passenger service: Lufthansa, Korean Air, and Air China.



The rest were cargo airlines such as UPS Airlines, Qatar Airways Cargo, and Atlas Air.



Despite being an all-American plane, all US airlines have retired the Boeing 747 from their fleets, with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines as the final two to fly it.



Among the most common operators of the aircraft today are European airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and Lufthansa, though Australia's Qantas also has a long record of faithfully operating the Queen of the Skies.



The Australian flag carrier recently retired its Boeing 747, which was once a staple of transpacific travel, from all of its American routes in favor of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380, with plans to fully retire the fleet in the next few years.



Perhaps the most well-known operator of the aircraft currently is the United States Air Force, which flies the President of the United States on a modified Boeing 747-200 called Air Force One when he's aboard.



The blue-and-white 747 with "United States of America" is an iconic symbol of the presidency.



While the current model will soon be retired, the president can look forward to flying on the next aircraft to be used for Air Force One, the Boeing 747-8i.



As the Queen of the Skies nears the end of its reign, its legacy will surely live on forever as the aircraft that revolutionized the aviation industry and made the world a smaller place for over 50 years.



The best online deals and sales happening now

0
0

best online sales deals

We rounded up the 10 best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on Apple Airpods Pro, luggage at eBags, sale styles at Frank and Oak, Backcountry, and Nike, plus more.

Deals in this story are subject to change throughout the day. The prices listed reflect the deal at the time of publication. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

The best sales and deals happening today at a glance:

Additional Business Insider-exclusive deals and longer-term sales going on now:

Find the details of each sale below:

SEE ALSO: The best mattresses you can buy

DON'T MISS: I got my teeth straightened through an online service called Candid for under $2,000 — here’s how it works

1. Save an extra 25% sitewide at Frank and Oak

Shop the sitewide sale on Frank and Oak.

The Canadian clothing company that makes stylish, sustainable clothes and shoes is having a 24-hour flash sale. For a short time you can save 25% sitewide using the promo code "FLASH25".

 



2. Save up to 50% off past-season styles at Backcountry

Shop the early-access winter sale at Backcountry.

While some might find last season's styles outdated, most recognize that the quality is all the same. Backcountry is holding a massive winter sale on last season's styles where you can save up to 50% on popular brands like Patagonia, Marmot, Sorel, and more. The sale runs through January 31.



3. Save up to 50% on select styles at Nike

Shop sale items at Nike

From athletic wear to athleisure, Nike currently has thousands of items on sale for both men and women. For a limited time, you can save up to 50% on shoes, tracksuits, hoodies, and more.



4. Save up to 60% on luggage and more at eBags

Shop brand items at eBags.

eBags make some of the best travel backpacks and best packing cubes around. Now through January 26, you can save up to 60% on eBags-branded items like luggage, laptop bags, travel accessories, and more. There are even flash deals happening throughout the duration of the sale where you can snag some extra savings using the promo code "TRAVEL" where marked.



5. Save $14 on Apple Airpods Pro on Amazon

Buy Apple Airpods Pro from Amazon for $234.99 (originally $249.99) [You save $14.01]

Apple's Airpods Pro rarely go on sale, but now you save a little extra pocket change through Amazon. While these are currently out of stock, Amazon still allows you to order them at this discounted price and they'll ship them as soon as they become available. In the past, we've seen that it has taken about 1-2 weeks.



6. Get four months of Apple Music for free at Best Buy

Sign up for a free four-month Apple Music trial here.

Apple Music is one of the most popular streaming services available, and Best Buy is offering a free four-month trial with no purchase required. All you have to do is make sure you're signed into your account — and if you don't have one, you can sign up here.  



7. Get a 1-month free trial through ClassPass

Start your one-month free trial with ClassPass.

After the holidays, you may have resolved to get back to the gym and start fresh in the new year. ClassPass is offering a one-month free trial for all new sign-ups from now through the end of January. Your free trial will give you 35 credits that can be used to access thousands of studios and gyms in over 2,500 cities. Click here to find out more about ClassPass and this deal.



8. Get 50,000 miles when you sign up for a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Click here to learn more about the Capital One Venture.

If traveling is on your bucket list for the new year, then you might want to consider signing up for a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You'll get 50,000 miles when you spend $3,000 in your first three months, and your first year's annual fee of $95 is waived. This card will also earn you 10x the miles when you book hotels through hotels.com, and for every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you'll earn a free night. Learn more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and other credit card deals here.

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.



9. Save 30% off your first delivery and get free cookie dough for the life of your subscription at Hungryroot

Browse Hungryroot's meals.

Hungryroot is a health-conscious meal delivery service that allows you to customize your preferences based on dietary needs and likes. Meals are delivered on a weekly basis, and all of them can be made in approximately 10 minutes. Now through January 23, receive 30% off your first delivery plus get free almond chickpea cookie dough in every box for the life of your subscription. You can read our full review here.



10. Save up to $250 on a Bear Mattress and get 2 free pillows

Shop the Bear Mattress sale now

Bear Mattresses goes far beyond the standard of plush memory foam by incorporating Celliant into its mattresses. The material is designed to convert heat from the body into far-infrared — a type of energy that's been proven to help rebuild cells. The technology can help you wake up feeling well-rested and free of aches and pains. Right now, you can save $150 on orders over $700 with the promo code "WS150," $200 on orders of $1,000 with the promo code "WS200," and $250 on orders over $1,300 with the promo code "WS250" at checkout. Plus, you'll receive two free pillows. 



The best chocolates

0
0
  • There is no better gift than a box of chocolates — especially when it's delivered right to your door.
  • These are the 11 best chocolates you can buy online whether you want fancy gourmet pieces, exotic truffles, an elaborate gift basket, or even something more affordable.
  • Read more: The best online flower delivery services

The only people who don't like chocolate are pretty much the people who are allergic to it, so it's safe to say that it's a great gift for anyone and for any occasion. Although you can pop into any pharmacy and grab a box of chocolates, it's probably not worth your money or their time.

After taste-testing more chocolates than we'd like to admit, we've curated a list of 11 delicious gourmet chocolates that we actually enjoyed. Not only do chocolates made by master chocolatiers taste better, they're actually less expensive and more accessible online than you might think. You don't have to live in New York City or travel to Europe to find delicious gourmet chocolate — all you have to do is read our guide.

We've done the research and the taste testing to find the absolute best chocolates you can buy online. 

Here is the best chocolate you can buy:

Updated on 1/22/20: We still stand by all of our picks from last year, but we added a few tasting notes and recommendations for specific boxes and chocolates based on additional tasting.

SEE ALSO: The best online flower delivery services

The best Belgian gourmet chocolate box

Neuhaus has been making fine Belgian chocolates since 1857, and its pralines are among the best we've ever tried.

Back in 1857, Jean Neuhaus opened a pharmacy in Brussels, Belgium and decided to coat medicines with chocolate to help them go down better. By 1912, Neuhaus' son had created the praline, and in 1915, his wife designed the first box of Neuhaus chocolates. Fast forward to 2018, and Neuhaus chocolates are still considered among the very best.

Neuhaus uses non-GMO ingredients to make its high-end chocolates, and this 25-piece box includes some of the very best milk, dark, and white chocolates the chocolatier has to offer. The box is filled with pralines, ganaches, caramels, and more so there's something for everyone. Best of all, you can order this box with two-day shipping if you're in a rush.



The best French gourmet chocolate box

Michel Cluizel's chocolates are crafted from sustainably grown cocoa beans and they taste delicious.

For three generations, Michel Cluizel has been making gourmet chocolates in France. The family-owned company uses sustainably grown cocoa beans to make its chocolates from scratch. Cluizel works with the farmers directly to ferment the beans before taking them off to France or New Jersey for roasting and chocolate making.

If you prefer, you can also opt for Cluizel's solid chocolate bars, which are about as good as chocolate gets. Cluizel might be a bit of a luxury brand, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a sense of humor. Take these "chocolate" sardines, for example. Surely you know someone in need if a tin of chocolate sardines.



The best gourmet chocolate bars

Fresh, clean, and rich in antioxidants, K+M's olive oil-infused chocolate is a delight.

Thomas Keller (The French Laundry) and Armando Manni (Manni Olive Oil) may have engineered the holiest of earthly matrimonies with their Dark Chocolate and Extra Virgin Olive Oil bar, which is at once the healthiest and most decadent chocolate bar on the market.

The duo spent five years researching, crafting, and perfecting their take on chocolate. Making a bar involves direct-sourcing to a warehouse in Napa, CA, where the beans are carefully processed so as to preserve their finer antioxidant properties. K+M substitutes cocoa butter out for extra virgin olive oil, which offers yet another dose of antioxidants.

Okay, we're not all that sure of how much all these antioxidants will do for your health, but Keller and Manni find them to be important for taste, and ultimately, this chocolate really just speaks for itself.



The best affordable chocolate bars

Green & Black's chocolate is an affordable, organic, and sustainable option that ensures nothing's lost in the way of quality or purity.

Green & Black sources its cocoa beans through Cocoa Life, a Global Ethical Standard-accredited company that's recognized as the leader of the cocoa industry working to end child labor and support farming communities. They're also working against deforestation and wildlife poaching. Oh, and did we mention yet that they make really good chocolate?

There isn't the frill of Jacques Torres or Vosges, but it is just as thrilling in its delivery of simple pleasures. The 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar is heavenly for dark chocolate lovers.

Palates looking for something somewhat more adventurous might reach for the ginger or hazelnut and currant bar, but that's about as eclectic a mix as you'll find here. This is a chocolate lover's chocolate, a thoroughly pedestrian array that makes no apologies for not dazzling us with wild infusions or hunks of cured pork.

Take this bar and love it for all that is plain and pure about it. No waxy preservatives, no artificial sweeteners, just the real, unabashed deal.



The best chocolate-covered strawberries

Shari's Berries dips sweet, plump strawberries in rich Belgian chocolate and delivers them to your door, safely chilled with an ice pack.

Not everyone wants a box of fancy chocolates, so if your loved one is a bit more unorthodox in their chocolate choices, a nice box of chocolate-covered strawberries from Shari's Berries is a great idea.

You can choose from many different chocolates, including Belgian, white, milk, and dark chocolate. The berries are hand-dipped to ensure that each one is evenly coated in the rich chocolate.

We received a box of chocolate-covered strawberries in the mail to give them a taste. The delivery arrived the day after it was placed in an insulated cardboard box that included an ice pack for good measure. The berries were fully intact and chilled, and the chocolate was unmelted. 

Although it's not gourmet-level chocolate, these are still the chocolate covered strawberries we'd recommend to our friends and family.



The best exotic chocolate truffle box

Adventurous chocolate connoisseurs will love the Vosges Exotic Truffle Collection for its unique flavors.

The founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat Katrina Markoff believes that each piece of chocolate should be an adventure with a unique story. Her exotic truffles are unlike any others you'll find in our guide. The exotic truffle collection uses intriguing flavors that will make any foodie swoon.

The Oaxaca truffle, for example, uses guajillo and pasilla chilies with 75% cacao Tanzanian dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds, while the Naga truffle is filled with sweet Indian curry and coconut that's covered by 45% cacao deep milk chocolate. If you're getting a bit freaked out by the experimental flavors, yes, they're pretty far out. But have no fear — there are also chocolates with cherries, hazelnuts, and other more traditional ingredients inside.

We've visited Vosges' New York shop to try some of these wild truffles, and it was certainly a fun experience. This is the brand for more adventurous palates and souls in your life.

The truffles come in a stylish purple box and include a booklet that details the unique flavors in each truffle and the story behind their creation.



The best high-end French chocolate box

La Maison du Chocolat makes some of the finest chocolates you can buy with its rich pralines and flavored ganaches.

In 1977, Robert Linxe achieved his life-long dream of opening a gourmet chocolate shop in Paris, France. Now, La Maison du Chocolat has shops all around the world, and it's widely regarded as one of the best chocolatiers. We've delighted in La Maison du Chocolat's confections, and if you're going to go over the top, we might suggest that you look no further. Tip: The Dark Truffles are something else.

This chocolate box contains both milk and dark chocolates so you get a little bit of everything. It includes several different pralines and a number of flavored ganache treats. If you choose rush delivery, you'll get it within four to five days.



The best affordable Swiss chocolate box

You don't have to spend a ton of money to get great chocolate, and Lindt is the ultimate proof of that with its delicious creations.

David Sprüngli-Schwarz and his son, Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann, founded the Swiss chocolate company in 1845, and Lindt-Sprüngli has been making delicious affordable chocolate ever since. Personally, this is the chocolate I reach for every time I see it at the grocery store.

If you want a box of chocolates, we recommend the Swiss Luxury Collection with its European pralines made from milk, dark, and white chocolate. You get macchiato, carre de stracciatella, caramelita, and perle de cacao flavors in this box. 

Those of you who prefer to give a sampler of solid chocolate bars will love the dark chocolate assortment box, which includes the following bars: 70% Cocoa, 85% Cocoa, A Touch of Sea Salt, Intense Orange, and Caramel with a Touch of Sea Salt.



The best affordable Belgian chocolate

Godiva makes Belgian chocolate that's affordable and deliciously smooth.

Godiva is perhaps one of the most well-known chocolate companies, given its 90-year history. The chocolatier got its start in 1926 in Brussels, Belgium, when Joseph Draps opened his first shop in honor of Lady Godiva (whose last ride is the brand's logo). Godiva Chocolatier now has more than 600 shops around the world and sells at many big-name stores.

You can get everything from chocolate-covered strawberries or pretzels to truffles, bars, and boxes of assorted chocolates. Flavors are traditional and the chocolate is rich and creamy, whether you want milk, dark, or white chocolates. 

If you don't want to spend an arm and a leg on chocolate, Godiva is a great, affordable option. The majority of its chocolates cost between $8 and $50, with many falling in the $20 to $40 range. Most 4-piece boxes cost about $8, 6-piece boxes cost $17 to $20, 20-piece boxes cost about $30, and prices go up from there.



The best Mexican chocolate bars

Artisanally made and wrapped, Taza chocolate is stone-ground for a grainy, gritty, almost sandy feel.

Taza chocolate is a breakaway from your run-of-the-mill chocolate bar. The chocolate is round, for starters, and break into slices like a pizza, which is different from a chocolate bar. It's also stone-ground, which offers a grittier, grainier feel than more heavily processed chocolate, and reminds you that what your eating came from something in the natural world.

This all has the potential to put off many chocolate lovers who want nothing but smooth, soft, milk chocolate, but anyone willing to try out something different will likely find themselves pleasantly surprised.

The flavor options are a little limited, but still dazzling, and do include a coffee-infused bar which uses Counter Culture Coffee, as well as two different chili-bearing options for the pepper-obsessed chocolate fiend.

What's more, all of the above also make for excellent hot chocolate. You can check out Taza's hot chocolate recipes.



The best gourmet gift box

Jacques Torres' chocolate boxes are fun and different, but not prohibitively exotic to the point where there's a chance that the recipient of these lovingly crafted boxes will turn their nose up at it.

Colorful and diverse, Jacques Torres' gift boxes give a little taste of almost everything the chocolatier has to offer, which is to say a lot.

Fillings, coatings, and flavorings include cream, passionfruit, melon, raspberry, strawberry, pineapple, coconut, various citruses, teas, wines, spirits, gold leaf, and more — and that's just in the small box alone).

Patterns bedazzle some chocolates and little flowers, nuts, and pieces of fruit adorn others, all contributing to an elegantly-arranged spread of delightful bite-sized morsels that taste as good and often better than they look.

We at Insider Picks were nearly in fisticuffs over the "Golden Espresso."




BUILDING WEALTH: How to tell if you're a 'Henry,' based on your salary, savings, and lifestyle

0
0

HENRY millennial

If you're a millennial earning six figures but still feeling broke, you might be a "Henry" — short for "high earner, not rich yet." 

The acronym was invented by Shawn Tully in a 2003 Fortune magazine article and popularized by Melkorka Licea for The New York Post, who wrote that the term has come to characterize a certain group of high-earning millennials.

To find out, who, exactly, the typical Henry is, Business Insider spoke with two experts: Priya Malani, the founder of Stash Wealth, a financial firm that bills itself as "Home of the Henrys," and Gideon Drucker, a certified financial planner at Drucker Wealth and author of the book "How to Avoid H.E.N.R.Y. Syndrome."

According to Drucker and Malani, there are certain markers identifying Henrys, but this cohort is ultimately defined by how they live their life. Do you live a comfortable lifestyle full of brunches and Soul Cycle but have nothing left over from your paycheck at the end of the month? 

You might be on a slow path to building wealth, and it could leave you feeling financially strapped until it's too late.

Subscribe here to read our feature and find out if you're a Henry: 'High earner, not rich yet': How to tell if you're a 'Henry,' based on your salary, savings, and lifestyle

SEE ALSO: Meet the 'Henrys': The millennials making 6-figure salaries who have 'pleasure funds' and enough money to travel — but still say they feel broke

NOW READ: Here's why so many millennials making 6-figure salaries still feel broke

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Starbucks is giving away free drinks for the rest of 2019. It's one of the 5 sneaky tactics the coffee chain uses to get you to spend more money.

11 things that waste your time and slow your success, according to Mark Cuban, Tony Hawk, and 9 other business leaders

0
0

Mark Cuban

  • Sometimes, the best way to learn is through experience, whether it be your own or someone else's; for these successful leaders, that learning came from time wasted.
  • For Tony Hawk, it was working on a business that he wasn't passionate about and outside his area of expertise. 
  • CEO of Crimcheck Tom Shieh said attending many educational conferences was a waste of time because he didn't get to change to integrate that knowledge into his career.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hindsight is 20/20, and sometimes the best way to learn. But even better is learning from others' mistakes so that you don't have to make them. We asked these business mavericks and Advisors in The Oracles to share the biggest time-wasters that prevented them from reaching success sooner.

SEE ALSO: 11 words that shaped the careers of entrepreneur Tony Hawk and 10 other self-made millionaires

1. Chasing resume builders

Too often, small companies want big-name customers to validate that they're good at what they do — and they're willing to cut margins and overcommit resources to get them. They think that the volume will push down their costs and they'll make it up elsewhere. 

In my first company, a systems integrator, this ended up slowing us down. The biggest customers are often like needy children. There are too many layers of management, and everyone you work with has to be coddled so they can prove how important they are. Looking back, I would have maintained our margins or used those resources to find more profitable customers instead.

— Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, billionaire, and Shark on "Shark Tank";  follow Mark on Twitter



2. Going outside my wheelhouse

About 15 years ago, my business partner wanted to get into high-end denim when it was becoming popular. We were way outside our area of expertise, and I wasn't willing to dive in and learn everything about this new industry. The pants were also really expensive, but we went for it anyway and lost a lot of money as a result.  

I learned to stick with what I know and am passionate about and leave high-end clothing to the experts. Don't get into something outside your wheelhouse just because you think it's going to be successful. If you aren't passionate about it and willing to put in the work, it probably won't succeed.

— Tony Hawk, founder and CEO of Birdhouse Skateboards and president of the Tony Hawk Foundation; the most influential and commercially successful skateboarder of all time, with a $100+ million net worth



3. Not delegating tasks 'inside' my business

Take the time each day to write down the tasks that steal your nonrefundable minutes. Then, after a few weeks, go back and look at the ones that are repeated daily. List those out and delegate what's possible to free up valuable time you can't get back.

If you're a solopreneur, you may face other challenges like spending too much time "looking left and right" on the web, looking at what everyone else is doing. Stop that. Do you. Lead as you. Fail as you. Succeed as you. After all, being fearlessly committed to you is the reason you started your business in the first place.

Matt Mead, founder and CEO at Drivonic; co-founder of Mead Holdings Group, The Epek Companies, and Grayson Pierce Capital



4. Hiring B players and failing To establish repeatable processes

It took me a while to understand the importance of hiring A players, giving them the resources they need to succeed, and getting out of their way. I wasted a lot of time settling for B and C players to save money. Your people will make or break your business, so don't compromise. 

I also solved the same problems over and over until I learned to make every task repeatable using checklists and how-to training guides. The goal is that a new employee with zero knowledge of our business can immediately become productive by following standard operating procedures. Now, we build every business from day one as if it's going to be a global franchise. This saves time and money and makes it easier to grow and sell the company later.

Mike Peters, entrepreneur, philanthropist, XPRIZE Foundation board member, and founder of the Yomali group of companies, which has generated more than $1 billion in sales online; read about Mike's rollercoaster journey



5. Investing in people who didn't have what it takes

Sometimes you hire someone, and you know they have what it takes. Other times, you connect with them but instinctively know they aren't cut out for the job. I love mentoring and always want to give others the benefit of the doubt. As a result, I've wasted a lot of time holding on to employees instead of listening to my gut and letting them go. 

When you see someone sinking, save them. When it happens again, save them. But if it happens a third time, you have to let them try to save themselves. If they don't have the potential, aspirations, and determination to do what it takes, let them go so you can focus on those who do.

Dottie Herman, CEO of Douglas Elliman, a real estate brokerage empire with more than $27 billion in annual sales; connect with Dottie on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter



6. Attending meetings that suck

I've lost years of my life in meetings that suck my time, energy, and money. Before agreeing to a meeting, confirm it's worthy of your time. Request an agenda or set a hard stop as your escape route. Then get any non-disclosure or non-circumvention agreements in advance to save time.  

If you're leading the meeting, consider learning parliamentary procedure to help things stay on topic. Don't allow tangents. If one arises, you can use my catchphrase: "Well, that's all very interesting, I'm sure." The key is to say this with a smile and pause before the last two words, then continue with, "However, as we were discussing … " Once that phrase catches on, meetings will be quicker, and you'll even start seeing it in emails. Just practice what you preach; otherwise, it might be used against you!

James Daily, founding partner of Daily Law Group, which helps high-profile clients with fiduciary abuse litigation, including fraud, crisis management, and business and family disputes; read James' story and connect with him on LinkedIn



7. Renting an office instead of working from home

I rented office space for the first few years running my business full time. It took 20 minutes to drive there, park, and walk into the office, and another 20 minutes to get home. One day, I couldn't go into work because of the snow. I got more done because I didn't have to commute, and I also didn't have the stress of sitting in traffic and cold weather. I immediately ended my lease and started working from home. Not only am I more productive now; I also rarely get sick because I can cook healthy lunches and don't share space with others' germs. Working from home isn't for everyone, but you should try it before assuming an office is the right choice.

Sarah Chrisp, founder of Wholesale Ted, one of the largest (over 350,000 subscribers) online educational resources teaching entrepreneurs how to create, grow, and scale successful online stores; started her first online store at 16 years old; follow Sarah on YouTube

 



8. Attending too many personal development events

I became a continuing-education junkie in my early years and even went to 15 multiday events one year. But I was merely accumulating information. When it was time to implement the knowledge, I was off to another conference. As a result, my business suffered because I spent less time on it and had less money to grow it. I kept thinking, "You don't know what you don't know," when I wasn't implementing what I already knew. 

Today, I see many entrepreneurs spend thousands on coaching and conferences. Yes, they can be transformational, and constant improvement is healthy; but knowledge is wasted unless you integrate it. So be intentional about your time. Ask yourself: What is my desired outcome? Are there other ways to achieve similar results with less time and money? Am I procrastinating on something I can implement now?

Tom Shieh, CEO of Crimcheck, advisory board member to Defy Ventures, and advisor to Tiny Devotions; connect with Tom on Facebook



9. Under-communicating

Digital communication makes it increasingly easier for misunderstandings to happen, including deliberate deceptions and accidental miscommunication. We've worked with smart people with PhDs who will say their dog ate their monitor rather than admit that they're stuck on a tough problem. Or instead of asking to clarify a Slack message they didn't understand, they'll waste hours on unnecessary work. 

Now, our policy is to over-communicate, which saves an enormous amount of time. Although it takes extra time upfront to make sure everyone is on the same page, it prevents significant issues later. By fostering an environment where we are transparent with our clients and encourage employees to be honest and open, we ensure that we have all the relevant information to make efficient plans.

Judd Rosenblatt, founder and CEO of AE Studio, an Agile web development and data science consulting firm with a mission to increase human agency with technology; vote for the charity they donate to next month 

 



10. Working in the business, not on it

Sometimes you need to do things yourself; but if you don't learn to delegate, you'll spin wheels. The thinner you spread yourself, the slower you can move. If you have trouble delegating, that usually comes from a lack of trust and a scarcity mindset. You may think that you can't afford to hire someone; but if you need to, that proves they can make you more money than they'll cost. Trust your team and train them to operate in your place so you can take your boots off the ground and get a top-down view of the company. That way, you're the one playing chess rather than a piece in someone else's game.

— Robert Martinez, founder and CEO of Rockstar Capital, a real estate investment firm with $348 million in assets under management; host of "The Apartment Rockstar" podcast; follow Robert on YouTube and Instagram

 



11. Trying to do too much

If you're behind schedule or missing your goals, you're probably trying to do too much. To be an efficient leader, you must attract, hire, and retain talent that specializes in things you shouldn't. Hiring an assistant, social media director, salesperson, or bookkeeper can allow you to spend your time on what you do best and will have the highest return on investment. You can also hire leverage at home, such as a nanny, driver, cook, or housekeeper. Take an honest look at how much time you're spending on your most important tasks. You'll probably find that you're doing a lot of things that someone else could be doing. Find that person, and you'll be amazed at how much more efficient you'll be!

Shaun Rawls, founder and CEO of Rawls Consulting; built The Rawls Group of Keller Williams to over $4 billion in annual sales; author of the upcoming book "'F'-It-Less"; connect with Shaun on Facebook and Twitter

Want to share your insights in a future article? Join The Oracles, a mastermind group of the world's leading entrepreneurs who share their success strategies to help others grow their businesses and build better lives. Apply here.

For more free business insider advice, follow The Oracles on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.



Small business owners are more likely to experience mental health issues than regular workers. Here are 7 tips to help any entrepreneur balance work and life.

0
0

Shanna Goodman

  • Shanna Goodman is a brand strategist and small-business owner who specializes in helping other small businesses succeed.
  • Studies show increased stress and depression in entrepreneurs and their families.
  • This emotional roller coaster is associated with big risks, big rewards.
  • Using negativity for fuel, pacing yourself, and separating your business identity from your personal identity can help promote good mental health for small business owners.
  • Click here for more BI Prime stories.

There's an illustration that has made the rounds online for the last few years. It's a simple image created by Derek Halpern (who runs the internet marketing company Social Triggers) and it's called "A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur." The graphic starts with "I'm excited!" and fluctuates between positive and negative messages like, "Give up the good for the great," "I think Im going bankrupt," and "I suck."

Nearly every single business owner I know has shared and/or commented on the image on Facebook, saying things like, "Spot on" and "Yep!" and "Oh my gosh, it's like someone was inside my brain." In fact, the image creator recently shared that he made this graphic four years ago and it still gets shared millions of times.

Derek Halpern's

This graphic has likely resonated with so many people because of how accurately it portrays the entrepreneurial state of mind for many on a daily basis.

A 2018 study in Small Business Economics outlines these similarities in a more concrete way in terms of mental health. According to researchers Michael A. Freeman, Paige J. Staudenmaier, Mackenzie R. Zisser, and Lisa Abdilova Andresen, entrepreneurs reported experiencing more depression, ADHD, substance abuse, and bipolar disorder than non-entrepreneurs surveyed. And a whopping 32% of the entrepreneurs reported two or more mental health conditions. What the researchers called "asymptomatic entrepreneurs" (those with no reported mental health issues) comprised only 24% of the entrepreneur participants. That means 76% of the entrepreneurs surveyed reported at least one mental health condition. 

Why are entrepreneurs depressed? 

Naturally, entrepreneurship and small-business ownership rely on risks and rewards more than standard employment does. Responsibility and the pressure to make an idea work can cause sleepless nights, poor eating habits, and general anxiety. Despite the growing argument from executives and CEOs that people don't need to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to be successful, there's still the misconception that running a company requires substantial sacrifice of your health and well-being. 

As an entrepreneur who specializes in helping small businesses succeed, I see daily the pros and cons of the typical entrepreneurial lifestyle. Clients regularly come into my office overwhelmed with feeling like they need to be everywhere, doing all the things, which leaves them distracted and unfocused. This can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression, things I've struggled with myself even though I made six figures my first year and have grown from there. 

While my primary role is helping clients develop a well-thought-out, market-focused business strategy, these tips have helped me (and my clients) overcome the overwhelm. 

1. Hold on to positive messages and revisit them often

When I started my business about five years ago, a friend of mine said something to the effect of, "I have no doubt that you will crush whatever it is you do." 

There are so many times in the early days of figuring out how to run my business that I clung to this statement. I remember staying up nearly all night right before a video shoot because I kept revising the production plan. I prepped for weeks for a roundtable discussion for CEOs on brand strategy but still felt nervous right before walking in. I chanted "money, money, money in my PO Box" in the early days when I hoped to get paid quickly from a client so that I could pay myself something. During these times, I revisited that statement over and over, telling myself that Jenn had good judgement and she was betting on me. 

Science states that there's a natural tendency to remember the negative more often than the positive: Researchers have found that negative emotions trigger parts of the brain that are linked to long-term memory building, whereas positive or neutral emotions don't. 

So remind yourself of the moments and messages that were uplifting, inspiring, and positive when times are tough.

2. And use the negative messages as fuel

Negativity can fuel your dreams, according to science. A  2018 article in Psychology Today found that how you respond to negative messages or setbacks is an indicator of future success. The key, then, is to turn anxiety or angst from negative feedback into fuel to help you focus rather than get distracted.

When I started my business, my boss at the time said something like, "People think they can do this, but they can't," implying that I'd soon be in over my head. 

I determined not to repeat this line to myself except when I was on the elliptical machine. When negative thoughts enter your brain, stop them immediately. Assume the position of your best friend and shut down any thought that puts you down.

3. Pace yourself

Everything does not ride on this specific project or this specific moment.

I recently saw an interview with financial expert Farnoosh Torabi in which she was giving advice on entrepreneurship and said, "Pace yourself." She described how she's been planting seeds for 15 years that are just now coming to fruition. For example, Farnoosh started a podcast several years ago, publishing valuable content daily. She did this work (not making any money on it) for years before finally one day Oprah's management team called and asked her to contribute regularly to the Oprah Magazine. 

This is something I've experienced as well. My first year in business felt like the success of every project and every meeting was required in order for me to survive. My confidence grew as I honed in on the really tangible value I provided for clients. I took note of what people came to me for, what I did for them, and how to repeat that process with other clients. This took the pressure off of trying to win every client that walked in the door.

4. Be diligent about distinguishing work time and family time

I worked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from my home office when I first started my business. Drawing this line helped me to curb my tendency to overwork and also helped me focus intently on what was going to give me the biggest bang for my time. As a recovering perfectionist, this forced me to not agonize over small things but to keep moving — the clock was on. 

This likely won't work for everyone, but this schedule made a huge difference in my mental health at the beginning. I treated myself like an employee of my own company, determined to feel good and productive about the full day's work I'd put in.

I had made a commitment to my family that I'd not work nights or weekends because of an incident when I was nine months pregnant with my younger daughter (who's now seven years old). I was working to launch a book and stayed up until 3 or 4 a.m. several nights in a row. One morning at 2 a.m., my husband had the audacity to walk out into the living room where I was working and ask what I was doing in a tone. My response dripped with scorn and fire: "You can see I'm busy. Why are you talking to me?"

I knew I didn't want to be that person again, so we took some financial measures to ensure we'd be okay if I didn't generate an income for several months. My office was at home during that time, so I had to be really clear that a closed office door meant that I was working even if the kids were home with a babysitter. 

5. Exercise daily — if not regularly

Getting up and getting to the gym helped me feel productive first thing in the morning, and there's something about the physical activity that causes ideas to sprout.

For instance, just the other day at the gym I had an idea to rework a guest interview I'd just done and emailed the show producer. She loved it and it totally redeemed what I had otherwise thought was a poor performance on my part. 

In fact, neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki, author of "Healthy Brain, Happy Life," wrote that while there's evidence that exercise reduces stress, helps focus, improves productivity, and enhances memory, it can also increase creativity. She wrote an article for Quartz highlighting how exercise stimulates the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which encourages the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that allows us to "imagine the future and think creatively." 

Speaking of the creative idea I had for a podcast interview, exercise is also a great time to squeeze in a podcast that broadens your thinking in some capacity. I'm a fan of "School of Greatness" by Lewis Howes, "The Tony Robbins Podcast," and "So Money" by Farnoosh Torabi

6. Separate your identity from your business venture (and p.s., this is really hard)

Even though we had some measures in place financially, I still started my business with a sense of panic. My identity and self-worth were very much wrapped up in the pass or fail of my business. What terrified me was that if my business failed, I would no longer be who I thought I was.

I went through a season in my business when I thought I was doing all the right things, then all of a sudden the prospect of starting over was a real possibility. The business partner that I'd given 49% of the company to a year after starting the business decided to change career paths and wanted to be bought out. I couldn't do it. If I'd given him the payout he wanted, I would have been working for free for several years to get him paid off. 

After some negotiation, we arrived at a much smaller, much more palatable financial arrangement and I continued the business on my own. But it was this combination of panic, not being able to control every variable, and realizing I'd be okay no matter what happened with my business that helped me get over the feeling that I was a failure if my business failed. 

7. Find a community

Having a group of like-minded people with whom you can share experiences is worth its weight in gold. Just last week, I shared with an entrepreneur friend, Kimberly, that I was nervous about writing another book because I'd gotten mixed reviews on my first (the one that kept me up until 3 a.m. when I was nine months pregnant). She listened thoughtfully and then lovingly exclaimed, "Who cares? No reviews would be worse!" When I finished laughing, I wrote that line on the whiteboard in my office. It's made me laugh every day since. 

I have found communities of like-minded entrepreneurs in Facebook groups after taking an online course or attending a conference — this has been the case for me when registering for programs from Jeff Walker, Biz Template Babe, and Susie Moore

Community can be found in person, too. If you run a local business, the Chamber of Commerce, a nearby 1MillionCups chapter, or even industry groups could be a great fit.

These groups can help boost well-being because you can ask questions of people who are working on very similar goals. Or, like in my instance above with my friend Kimberly, we encourage each other when the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship emerge. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what every small business needs to know about California's Assembly Bill 5 if they work with contractors or freelancers

READ MORE: The first 5 steps every entrepreneur needs to take to launch a business, according to people who've done it

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

The 8 best luxury cruise lines in the world, ranked

0
0

Cunard Cruise

  • Luxury Travel Intelligence (LTI) ranked the top luxury cruise lines of 2019.
  • To do so, they created an algorithm which scored each luxury cruise line based on a series of "touch points," taking into account the overall performance of the company, rather than individual ships. 
  • Seabourn topped LTI's list, scoring a 79.6% out of 100%.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Luxury Travel Intelligence (LTI), a members-only organization which provides travel reporting for affluent voyagers, has released their list of the best luxury cruise lines of 2019. 

LTI spent the year assessing the luxury cruise industry at large, and created an algorithm which analyzes 124 touch points. The maximum score a cruise line could get was 4511, which was then translated into a percentage out of 100. 

The numerous touch points referred to the overall performance of the company, rather than each individual ship in the line. 

"Our 124 touch points relate to the overall company performance, rather than its individual ships. It's all about the cruise line's ability to deliver: its passion, commitment, ethos and values, as well as the quality of its management and staff," said Michael Crompton, founder of LTI. "Investment and how well it is executed are also major factors, particularly in new ships and the refurbishment of existing ones."

Keep reading to see which luxury cruise lines ranked the highest, according to LTI.

SEE ALSO: The 12 best luxury hotel brands in the world that every traveler should experience

DON'T MISS: How the world's top 15 luxury housing markets will perform in 2020

8. Cunard — 67.7%

Cunard is known for its ships the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth, which have carried numerous notable guests, according to the company's website. 

Its destinations include Norway and the Northern Lights, the Baltics, and the Canary Islands.

Source: Cunard



7. Azamara — 69.4%

Azamara is known for its small, intimate cruises. 

The company's ships travel all around the world, including places such as Cuba and the South Pacific. Azamara's ship are noteworthy for their ability to visit ports where larger cruise ships can't fit, such as those in Venice, Amalfi, and Crete. 

Source: Azamara



6. Oceania — 71%

Oceania was founded in 2002. It offers four cruise ships which can accommodate 684 guests, and two which can hold up to 1,250 guests. Its itineraries includes trips to Australia, Africa, Europe, the South Pacific, and the Americas.

According to its website, Oceania's mission statement is to do things the "R.I.T.E. way — Respect, Integrity, Trust and Excellence are the foundation of all our actions, every day, in everything we do."

Source: Oceania



5. Viking Ocean — 73.8%

Founded in 1997, Viking Cruises has grown to become one of the top luxury cruise companies in the world. Its ships travel to destinations in New Zealand, Africa, Scandinavia, and South America.

The company also offers lengthy globe-spanning World Cruises, including one from Auckland, New Zealand, to Vancouver, Canada, which visits 15 countries in 93 days.

Source: Viking Cruises



4. Silversea — 75.4%

Silversea is particularly known for its excellent fine dining. It has ships ranging in size from 50 to 304 suites, offering voyagers the option of a more intimate experience as they travel the globe. 

The cruise company goes to over 900 different destinations on all seven continents. Some locations include South America, eastern Russia, Galápagos Islands, Greenland, and Antarctica. 

Source: Silversea



3. Regent Seven Seas — 76.9%

Regent Seven Seas travels all around the world, with ships that go to nearly every continent.

The company also offers round-trip flights with various airlines, unlimited shore excursions, beverages, open bars and lounges, and unlimited WiFi as part of their packages.

Source: Regent Seven Seas



2. Crystal — 77.8%

Crystal Cruises travels to 818 different locations and offers 2,000 different excursions. 

The cruise line also offers a butler service in each Penthouse suite, with 24-hour room service. There's also a 360-degree Promenade Deck, which, their website notes, is rare to see on cruise ships today.

Source: Crystal Cruises



1. Seabourn — 79.6%

Seabourn, which tops LTI's inaugural cruise line ranking, travels to locations all around the world, ranging from the Panama Canal to the Amazon and even the Arctic circle.

Known for an elegant yet intimate travel experience, Seabourn is also the official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage

In 2009, the company launched the Seabourn Odyssey, which only carries 458 guests and, according to the company's website, offers the "highest ratio of space per guest in the cruise industry."

Source:Seabourn



I spent a morning in the richest town on the East Coast, a scenic village 35 minutes from NYC where the average household income is $417,000. Here's what it looks like.

0
0

scarsdale ny

Scarsdale, New York, a town of about 18,000 people that's just 35 minutes north of New York City, is the richest town on the East Coast and the second-richest in the US, according to Bloomberg's 2019 "Richest Places" report.

It's beat only by Atherton, California, a Silicon Valley town that tech billionaires including Google's Eric Schmidt and Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg have called home.

Scarsdale's average household income jumped by $30,000 in the past year, to $417,335, according to Bloomberg.

The affluent community, which is both a town and a village, is in New York's Westchester County, an area that consistently sees various towns ranked among the country's most affluent.

Anne Moretti, a real-estate broker at Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty, told me Scarsdale lures many buyers from Manhattan.

"Scarsdale's consistently high-ranking school district plus the easy 35-minute commute to Grand Central makes it a great place to live," she said. 

Scarsdale is known for its top-rated public schools, with Scarsdale High School ranked among the 100 best in New York in 2018.

The average sale price of a single-family home in Scarsdale was $1.7 million as of December 2019, according to data from Sotheby's International Realty. Residents of Scarsdale tend to be "leaders in their respective fields of medicine, journalism, finance, literature, law, and technology," Moretti said.

Last year, I spent a few hours walking around Scarsdale and getting a peek at some of its stately homes. Here's what it looks like.

SEE ALSO: Meryl Streep just sold her NYC penthouse at a 36% discount. Take a look inside the $15.8 million Tribeca condo, which spans an entire floor and comes with a wraparound terrace.

DON'T MISS: A Hong Kong property tycoon is in contract to buy a $262 million mansion in London. The deal stands to shatter the UK's real-estate record.

From my apartment in Brooklyn, I headed to Grand Central Terminal to catch the Metro North up to Scarsdale.

I was on an express train, so the journey took about 35 minutes.



I stepped out of the train station in Scarsdale to a bright and sunny spring morning.

I immediately noticed that it was very quiet and clean, which is pretty much my first thought whenever I go anywhere outside New York City.



The charming little train station put me right in the center of town. Scarsdale, which is officially both a town and a village, has a population of about 18,000.

It was recently ranked the richest town on the East Coast— and the second-richest in the US — by Bloomberg.

Scarsdale's average household income is $417,335, a $30,000 jump from the year before.



Scarsdale is known for its Tudor-style homes and storefronts, many of which were built in the 1920s.

Tudor architecture developed in England between 1485 and 1558, and the style became popular in many wealthy northeastern suburbs, including Scarsdale, in the 1920s.

In the 1920s, Scarsdale experienced "a building boom that tripled the population by the end of the decade," according to the Scarsdale Historical Society.



One of the most prominent examples of Tudor-style architecture is the historical Harwood Building, finished in 1928.

Today, it houses stores including the Village Computer Shop and Rothman's, an upscale men's clothing store.

Over the years, the Harwood Building has been maintained to look the same as it did when it opened, according to The New York Times.



As I walked through Scarsdale's charming, compact town center, I passed hair and nail salons, art galleries, bakeries, gift shops, and clothing boutiques. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of chain stores.

The shops had names like Petticoat Lane and Pookie and Sebastian.



A place called Nordic Edge was offering cryotherapy, a trendy wellness treatment that involves exposing your body to super-cold temperatures to soothe sore muscles and boost metabolism.

"We are not a doctor's office. We are not a spa. We are a modern wellness space," Nordic Edge's website says.

Cryotherapy and cryofacials are increasingly popular with athletes, models, and wellness-conscious New Yorkers.



The streets were calm and quiet on a weekday morning, with not many people walking around.

Many of the parked cars I saw were luxury vehicles, either Audis or Mercedes-Benzes, with a few Porsches and Ford Mustangs in the mix.



Anne Moretti, a real-estate broker at Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty, told me Scarsdale draws many homebuyers from Manhattan.

"Scarsdale's consistently high-ranking school district plus the easy 35-minute commute to Grand Central makes it a great place to live," she said.



The busiest place in the village on the morning of my visit seemed to be the Parkway Cafe.

The diner is right across the street from the train station, which I imagine makes it a popular stop for commuters.



Next door is Martine's, a bakery selling sandwiches, salads, coffee, tea, and French-style pastries.

Yelp reviews indicate Martine's is a popular Scarsdale establishment where you should expect to wait in line.



I wandered over to Chase Park, a small but pristinely landscaped green space in the center of town, right across the street from the post office.

In the summertime, the park hosts free concerts.



Scarsdale has a reputation for having some of the best public schools in Westchester County, drawing many families to the area, according to Moretti.

US News & World Report named Scarsdale High School among the top 100 high schools in New York in 2018.



I went to get a look at Scarsdale High School, one of the top high schools in New York.

"Scarsdale High School enjoys a national reputation as one of America's finest high schools," the school's principal, Kenneth Bonamo, wrote on its website. "The richness of our curriculum, the preparation of our faculty, the achievements of our students, and our record of college admissions at the nation's leading universities all demonstrate a pattern of excellence."



My next stop was Scarsdale's Murray Hill neighborhood, known for its estate-like homes set on relatively large swaths of land.

"It's not only an exclusive neighborhood, but one rich with history since the American Revolution," Moretti told Mansion Global.



While the average home price in Scarsdale was $1.7 million in December 2019, prices in Murray Hill are significantly higher, at an average of $3.44 million, according to Moretti.

And many of the sales in Scarsdale over $5 million are in Murray Hill, Moretti told Mansion Global.



Some of the grandest-looking homes were barely visible, set back at the end of long driveways and hidden behind trees and hedges.

Murray Hill has different zoning restrictions from the rest of Scarsdale that allow homes to sit on larger lot sizes.



Others, such as this newer home, were in plain view thanks to the trees that had yet to sprout leaves.

This home, while not currently for sale, is valued at about $5.4 million, according to Zillow.



This brick Georgian colonial house in Murray Hill sold in 2018 for nearly $6 million, according to Zillow.

The house comes with a pool and a pool house, neither of which was visible from the street.



I took a short Uber ride to get a look at The Heathcote, a new building that offers 14 ultra-luxurious boutique residential units for rent starting at $9,500 a month.

The listing at Compass notes describes The Heathcote as an "unprecedented boutique residential experience" that took cues "from the finest Manhattan homes."



The residence is across the street from the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center and Balducci's Food Lover's Market, a high-end specialty market that seemed to be bustling with shoppers.

Stores like Beginnings Boutique, a clothing retailer, and Current Home, a home-furnishings store, can be found at the Golden Horseshoe.



After my tour of Scarsdale, it was clear why affluent families are drawn to its charming downtown area, top-rated schools, and immaculate, multimillion-dollar homes with large yards.

While it may not be the most exciting place in the world, with New York City only 35 minutes away, it certainly seems like you can get the best of both worlds — if you can afford it.



Viewing all 115285 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images