Mobile apps are far more popular than their desktop counterparts, but most people still rely on laptop or desktop computers, either for work or just browsing the web at home.

Whether you've invested in Apple's Mac line or a Windows PC, there are absolutely some worthwhile desktop apps out there to get more out of your computer.

Here are the five apps — for both Windows and Mac — you should download.

SEE ALSO: The best new apps and updates you may have missed this month

For Mac

Skitch lets you quickly and easily annotate images

Skitch is a Mac app that lets you draw on and annotate images. Screenshot an image or upload a photo from your computer, add arrows, text, or symbols, then export and share. 

Skitch is free in the Mac App Store. 

Giphy Capture helps you turn any video into a GIF

In the past, creating GIFs used to be a multi-step process or, at the very least, required using some very suspect-looking apps. Giphy Capture not only makes that process quicker, but it also has an intuitive interface that anyone could figure out: You can capture, edit, and upload GIFs with just a few clicks. 

Giphy Capture is free in the Mac App Store.

Everybody's working for the weekend, but how you spend your two days off may say something about how successful you are.

What you get up to doesn't really matter, per se. If you prefer lounging around the house to spontaneous adventures, that's great! You probably need that time to wind down.

When it comes to weekends, the main thing that separates successful people from unsuccessful people is mindfulness.

Are you planning ahead and truly thinking about how to spend your free time?

Here are 11 things that unsuccessful people tend to do over the weekend — and why to avoid them:

SEE ALSO: 18 damaging behaviors of unsuccessful people

DON'T MISS: 12 habits of unsuccessful people

Not every minute of every hour of your weekend needs to be planned out, but it's good to have a general idea of what you'd like to do or get done — even if you're just scheduling downtime.

That will allow you protect your time, and maybe even schedule in some fun events.

It can be hard to make time for the ones you care about during the hectic week. Make up for that over the weekend.

Put away your phone. Shut off your work email — and make it clear to your coworkers that you won't be responding. Don't get addicted to technology.

Elon Musk has had a busy week.

He met with Trump in the White House, surprisingly endorsed former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, and kicked off the second phase of his Hyperloop competition.

But in classic Musk fashion, he still set aside some time to talk about some of his more whimsical plans, like a tunnel under Los Angeles and "neural lace."

In that context, we decided to round up Musk's 13 craziest ideas yet. Scroll down for a closer look:

SEE ALSO: How to answer Elon Musk's favorite job interview question

Musk has said he wants to begin sending humans to Mars by 2024.

"We're establishing cargo flights to Mars that people can count on," he said. "The Earth-Mars orbital rendezvous is only every 26 months, so there'll be one in 2018; there will be another one in 2020. And I think if things go according to plan, we should be able to launch people probably in 2024 with arrival in 2025."

He has even shared his vision for a Martian government.

"I think most likely the form of government of Mars would be a direct democracy, not representative," he said. "So it would be people voting directly on issues. And I think that's probably better because the potential for democracy is substantially diminished."

And he isn't merely interested in people surviving on Mars. He wants a thriving city to exist.

Musk said in the Reddit AMA that he wanted the red planet to include everything from "iron foundries to pizza joints."

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards have been announced, and they include predicted powerhouses like “La La Land” and “Moonlight.” But what about the little guys?

Every year, the Academy has the chance to shine a light on smaller films that made a big impact, and yet they rarely do. We’re not saying the following films deserve major nominations like Best Picture, but smaller, more techinical nods should have certainly been in the cards (especailly if “Passnegers” is a two-time nominee). Here are 11 amazing films rejected by the Oscars this year.

SEE ALSO: Nearly 40 years after the film's release, a small crew of people are trying to make 'Apocalypse Now' into a video game

"Swiss Army Man"

It was always going to be a stretch for Daniel Radcliffe to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor (even though his life-affirming performance certainly deserved one), but “Swiss Army Man” should have received its Oscar love in the Best Original Song race for the ridiculously catchy “Montage.” Anyone who saw the film came walking out of the theater with this melody buzzing in their heads. Do we really need two “La La Land” songs up for the Oscar?

"Sing Street"

John Carney has been infusing music and moviemaking ever since "Once" became an Oscar winner a decade ago, but he reached crowd-pleasing new heights with the infectious "Sing Street." The story of a high school kid who forms a band to impress an older girl plays entirely by the rules, but it does so with heartfelt spirit and insanely catchy tunes. We're not saying "Sing Street" deserved major nominations, but any one of its amazing original songs should have been a contender (here’s looking at you, “Drive It Like You Stole It”).

"Krisha"

“Krisha” may be too polarizing and too challenging to appeal to Academy voters, but it’s hard not be wowed by Trey Edward Shults’ fluid and hallucinatory direction, bolstered by Drew Daniels’ freewheeling cinematography. Together, these collaborators capture the manic psyche of their protagonist in every disorienting camera movement. It’s a symphony of chaos like no other.

Vacation home prices have skyrocketed in recent years, causing home sales to fall.

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors, vacation home sales declined by 18.5% between 2014 and 2015.

Buying a second home by the beach has become impossible for many Americans, including millennials and others who can barely afford to buy their first homes.

But not all beach towns are expensive. In some places, the median home value falls below $120,000.

For anyone interested in owning a first or second home by the beach, we took a look at the country’s most affordable beach towns.

Study specifics

To find the most affordable beach towns in America, SmartAsset collected Census Bureau data on 221 different coastal cities. We used the same four factors that we considered in the 2016 edition of our study: the median home value, the median amount of annual property taxes paid, the median annual amount of housing costs paid and the median number of rooms per house. For more information about how we conducted our study, you can refer to the data and methodology section below.

Key findings

• It's a tie. Both Florida and Mississippi have four cities that rank among the top 10 most affordable beach towns in America.
• Avoid the West Coast. Based on our analysis, only three of the top 25 most affordable beach towns lie off the coast of the Pacific Ocean: Coos Bay, Oregon; Port Angeles, Washington and Bremerton, Washington.

SEE ALSO: How to decide where you should retire

DON'T MISS: 25 of the worst US cities for credit card debt

1. Gulfport, Mississippi

Gulfport ranks as the No.1 most affordable beach town in America for the second consecutive year. The median home value is just $117,300 and residents spend only $926 on property taxes annually.

Buying a beach house in Gulfport could be worth considering, especially if you’re ready to leave the workplace. The city has golf courses, casinos and a number of bars and restaurants. Plus, Mississippi ranks as one of the best states for an early retirement.

2. Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola takes the No. 2 spot on our list in the 2016 and 2017 editions of our study. The average homeowner in Pensacola can expect to spend around $1,081 on property taxes. Total housing costs for the typical resident add up to $10,164.

Aside from being a beach town, Pensacola is home to the National Naval Aviation Museum, a couple of amusement parks and several different parks. Local residents also get to enjoy free shows put on by the Navy’s Blue Angels twice a year.

3. (TIE) Biloxi, Mississippi

Biloxi is known for its casinos. Some of the most popular ones include the Beau Rivage and the IP Casino. If you find yourself traveling to Biloxi often, why not buy a beach house in the area? A typical resident may spend about $9,444 on housing costs, including mortgage payments, utilities and homeowners insurance. Compared to housing costs in other beach towns, that’s relatively low.

This is it: the long-awaited Naked Chicken Chalupa from Taco Bell is here.

After two years of tests, the Mexican fast-food chain is finally launching the most controversial chalupa yet.

Instead of a traditional tortilla shell, the Naked Chicken Chalupa uses just that — a fried chicken shell wrapped around lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. 

As news of the product's test leaked, many found themselves puzzled or disgusted by the concept.

So when Taco Bell gave us a chance to try it days before its January 26 launch, we jumped at the chance to discover if it lives up to the infamous hype. 

SEE ALSO: The 25 coolest new businesses in New York City

Taco Bell has launched a pop-up speakeasy in Manhattan to host reporters, Instagrammers, and influencers, giving them a chance to taste the Naked Chicken Chalupa before it hits menus nationwide.

Rob Poetsch, a Taco Bell spokesperson, told Business Insider that the chain's biggest obstacle for the controversial new menu item's launch was convincing customers to give the unorthodox chalupa a chance.

While we arrived with doubts, the aroma alone persuaded us to look at it in a new light. The scent of fried chicken — with a hint of spice — buoyed our hopes.

President Donald Trump, in his first big meeting, sat down with 12 CEOs of the United States' largest companies.

He told the group — which included SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Ford CEO Mark Fields, and Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson — that his administration would prioritize corporate tax cuts and decrease regulation, following up on his "America First" campaign promise.

He also repeated his threat to impose a "border tax" on companies that move production outside the US.

"There will be advantages to companies that do indeed make their products here," Trump said.

Here's who sat at the table in the Roosevelt Room on Monday morning.

SEE ALSO: TRUMP: We're going to 'cut regulation by 75%' and impose a 'very major border tax'

Elon Musk — CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO of Tesla Motors, chairman of Solar City, co-chairman of OpenAI

Trump is a big fan of Musk, the tireless head of some of the most ambitious renewable-energy companies in the US, naming Musk to his Strategic and Policy Forum and inviting him to a meeting with tech leaders in December.

"The president-elect has a strong emphasis on US manufacturing and so do we,"Musk told Tesla investors in November, referring to Tesla's upcoming Gigafactory. "We are building the biggest factory in the world right here, creating US jobs. ... I think we may see some surprising things from the next administration. We don't think they will be negative on fossil fuels ... but they may also be positive on renewables."

Mark Fields — President and CEO of Ford Motor Company

Earlier this month, Fields announced that Ford would not pursue a proposed $1.6 billion production facility in Mexico that Trump had criticized during his campaign. Fields clarified that the move was because of the market and not Trump's remarks, but he also said, "We are encouraged by the pro-growth plans that President-elect Trump and the new Congress indicate they will pursue."

Ford plans to invest $4.5 billion in electric and self-driving vehicles over the next five years.

Marillyn Hewson — Chairwoman, president, and CEO of Lockheed Martin

Hewson was the only female executive in attendance on Monday.

Trump called out Lockheed Martin on Twitter in December for what he said was excessive spending on the development of the advanced fighter jet, the F-35. Hewson then met with Trump to discuss.

In a statement after their meeting, she said that she promised Trump she would aggressively cut costs on the F-35. "I know that President-elect Trump wants the very best capability for our military at the lowest cost for taxpayers, and we're ready to deliver," she said.

Move over, New York and San Francisco.

Real estate company Redfin recently released its list of the hottest neighborhoods of 2017, and locales in city-adjacent towns such as Oakland, California, and Bellevue, Washington, dominated over their urban counterparts.

The ranking looked at neighborhoods that experts expect to become up-and-coming hotspots, and highlights a growing trend: Homebuyers want the amenities of both suburban and city life. They're looking for big, renovated houses minus the price tag a place in the heart of a major city would bring. 

"While many of 2017's hottest neighborhoods come with longer commutes, Redfin agents say they offer homebuyers the best balance of everything: quick access to public transit, trendy shopping and dining options, plus larger move-in ready homes with charm and price tags that are a little easier to bear," the report states.

To predict what will be the hottest neighborhoods of 2017, Redfin measured neighborhood growth by analyzing the number of pageviews from visitors to Redfin.com and the number of homes favorited by users on the site. Redfin also consulted local agents to confirm which areas are heating up in popularity. 

From turn-of-the-century homes outside New Orleans to Silicon Valley-adjacent pads in Sunnyvale, California, read on to see the hottest neighborhoods for 2017.

SEE ALSO: The 25 most expensive ZIP codes in America

DON'T MISS: 21 US cities where making $100,000 a year isn't enough to put you in the top 20% of earners

10. Tremé — New Orleans

Median sale price: $199,200

Median number of days on the market: 261

Average sale-to-list percentage: 89.3%

Redfin agent Caren Morgan says:

"Tremé is definitely becoming an 'it' place in New Orleans. It's right on the border of the French Quarter, but somewhat less expensive and historically not as trendy. The neighborhood boasts a lot of turn-of-the-century homes with beautiful architectural details, which are generally very popular, especially among out-of-state buyers."

9. Greenfield — Aurora, Colorado

Median sale price: $455,000

Median number of days on the market: 42

Average sale-to-list percentage: 97.6%

Redfin agent Stephanie Collins says:

"Greenfield has a community pool, a playground, tennis courts, a fishing pond and many trails for people wanting the outdoor, active Colorado lifestyle. Located in the highly rated Cherry Creek School district, it's a prime location — just five minutes away from the Southlands Mall District, with its retailers, movie theater and many restaurant options."

8. Hollywood Park — Sacramento, California

Median sale price: $345,000

Median number of days on the market: 9

Average sale-to-list percentage: 100.2%

Redfin agent Matt Jones says:

"As people get priced out of other neighborhoods near city center, I've seen an increase in interest in Hollywood Park in particular. It's one of the few neighborhoods that's in really close proximity to downtown and yet still has some affordable homes available. A lot of the buyers I've worked with appreciate the unique older homes there and they are willing to sacrifice certain other amenities (like higher Walk Score ratings) in order to have charming homes with character that are still affordable and just a ten minute commute to some of the hippest areas in Sacramento."

Hedge funds have a reputation for being shrouded in mystery.

But SumZero, an online community of buy-side professionals, has just made them a little less mysterious by revealing how much some people in the industry get paid.

Their 2017 compensation report for hedge fund professionals analyzes the 2016 compensation information of approximately 4,500 of their more than 13,000 members.

The report breaks down the compensation of those users based on a number of factors including job title, years of experience, firm size and investor performance.

"Title remains an important factor in compensation at hedge funds, even when accounting for experience," the report said. "Thus while years in the industry are important, titles and the corresponding responsibility come with greater monetary rewards."

The median pay for hedge fund executives, including bonuses, was $400,000. That number is flat compared to 2015. Now that may not sound like a lot when you think of all the billionaire hedge fund managers covered in the media, but SumZero's community skews younger, and wealthier members tend not to disclose their information.

In addition, it is important to note that there are thousands of hedge funds, with a large number of small funds and a handful of industry giants. Some of these small funds might be staffed by a single employee.

To read the report in full, click here.

The median pay for hedge fund executives, including bonuses, was $400,000.

Those working at bigger funds tend to earn more.

It pays to be in New York.

Protesters descended on airports across the country on Saturday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's executive order blocking travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

"It's working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over," Trump told media in Washington D.C., as demonstrators swarmed John F. Kennedy airport in New York City.

The protests kicked off Saturday afternoon after two Iraqi refugees who had been granted asylum and were carrying valid visas were detained by border agents.

Both men were eventually released, and a federal judge in Brooklyn issued an emergency ruling preventing the deportation of all travelers that had arrived in the US with valid visas and been detained.

Here's what the scenes at several major airports looked like on Saturday:

SEE ALSO: Federal judge blocks deportations in emergency ruling on Trump's immigration order

DON'T MISS: 'It's not a Muslim ban': Trump defends controversial executive order on refugees as protests erupt

Demonstrations started at the Terminal 4 arrivals door at John F. Kennedy airport, and quickly spread from there.

Lawmakers and city officials even showed up. New York City Councilman Carlos Menchaca told those gathered, "They came for the Jews, they came for the Christians and they're coming for our Muslim brothers and sisters."

Some protesters called for Trump's executive order to be lifted...

Earlier this month, Doha-based airline Qatar Airways gave away free flights to visitors who could find the "Golden Tickets" hidden within the airline's online flight schedule.

While these may have been its most sought-after tickets of late, a seat in the first class cabin on board a Qatar Airways A380 plane, the largest passenger jet in the world, is just as coveted.

In 2015, Qatar Airways was named the Best Airline in the World by leading aviation-consumer website Skytrax.

While it lost the title to Emirates in 2016, AirHelp Score called it the best airline in the world in the same year, based on tops marks for overall quality and service.

We took a look beyond economy to see what it's like to fly in style up front. From luxuriously decorated cabins to caviar and designer pyjamas, this is what it's like to fly first class on Qatar Airways, the best airline in the world.

Welcome to a First Class flight on Qatar Airways, which was named the best airline in the world in 2016.

After you've passed the dedicated first class check-in line, make sure you visit the Premium lounge, like this one at London's Heathrow Airport.

There is no reception desk as you enter the "Palm Court, where Arabian water fountains soothe the senses and discreet greeters note your wishes on iPads," according to the airline.

Grab a drink, a snack, or dig into some gourmet dining.

London is known for its food, and there's no shortage of choice.

No matter what you're craving or where you're from, chances are you can find what you're looking for in the capital — and at a high standard.

We put together a ranking of the best restaurant to visit depending on what you're in the mood for, based on the top-rated restaurants in 39 different cuisines according to Zagat.

From Morrocan to Perivian, here are the best restaurants within 39 different categories, ranked in alphabetical order along with their food score out of five, awarded by Zagat.

AFGHANI: Afghan Kitchen Restaurant, Angel — 4.4

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AFRICAN: Moro, Clerkenwell — 4.6

AMERICAN: CUT at 45 Park Lane, Mayfair — 4.5

LONDON — Earlier this week, home sharing platform Airbnb revealed the "Outside In" house, a two-level home in the centre of London that looks like an indoor forest.

Decorated and detailed all in green in collaboration with PANTONE, which revealed "Greenery" as the Colour of the Year for 2017, the listing went live on Tuesday, giving people the chance to book a £200-a-night stay with all proceeds to be donated to AIGA, the professional association for design.

Research from Airbnb showed that nearly two thirds (59%) of Brits are deprived of greenery and nature in their everyday lives, with a third of Londoners reporting that they get out and about in nature only once a week.

The study also showed that most Brits find an hour of gardening to be more restorative than a yoga session, while two thirds (67%) think walking through a forest has more calming effect than meditation.

My boyfriend and I stayed overnight at the luxurious indoor woodland abode to see what the fuss was all about — and to see whether a visit to "nature" would, in fact, make us feel less stressed, healthier, and more relaxed amidst what has been a rather dreary January.

Scroll down to see what it's like to stay in the "Outside In" house. 

We arrived at the Clerkenwell, London address at 7 p.m. It was hard to miss the giant PANTONE green door.

With a knock on the door we were greeted by "groundskeeper" Joe.

A step inside brought us right into a lush woodland area.

George Soros, a billionaire investor whose net worth is valued at $25 billion, has been one of the most vociferous critics of President Donald Trump.

He has an incredible backstory. Soros was a teenage Jewish refugee who barely escaped persecution by the Nazis, and he is now a philanthropist supporting the cause of refugees and a liberal world order.

To those primarily interested in markets, he is better known for his long and prolific career as an investor who famously "broke the Bank of England."

His track record has earned him comparisons with investing great Warren Buffett.

Following are some interesting facts about Soros' life, gleaned from his investing career and philanthropic endeavors.

As a Jewish teenager in Hungary in 1944-45, Soros and his family survived Nazi occupation using false identity papers prepared by his father.

Source: Open Society Foundations

Later he fled Hungary for England and studied philosophy at the London School of Economics under Karl Popper while working as a railway porter and night-club waiter.

Source: Open Society Foundations

After graduating, Soros wrote 'to every managing director in every merchant bank in London' asking for an interview but got 'just one or two replies.'

Source: Los Angeles World Affairs Council

Established in 1915, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island churns out 20,000 new Marines every year.

Every Friday, a new crop of Marines leaves the base, and they leave happily.

The 12-week program is widely considered the most hellish of all recruit training regimens in the U.S. Military.

Here at Parris Island, the legendary drill instructors (DIs) make sure every waking moment of a recruit's life is jam-packed with training.

This article was originally written by Geoffrey Ingersoll.

SEE ALSO: The most elite special operations forces in the US

There's only one major road running into Parris Island.

Gorgeous marshlands stretch for as far as the eye can see all around the island.

Recruits who want to run away can't take the only road and are unlikely to brave the alligators in the swamp.

The Academy Award nominations have been announced, meaning it’s officially time to play catch-up. Here’s where to stream the contenders that aren’t still in theaters.

SEE ALSO: Inside the shooting of Matthew McConaughey's new movie that became plagued with disaster

"13th"

Nominated for Best Documentary Feature

“Ava DuVernay’s documentary “13TH” has the precision of a foolproof argument underscored by decades of frustration.” —Eric Kohn

(Netflix)

"Arrival"

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing

“’Arrival’ is no two-hander; it is Adams’ film through and through. The actress makes a very strong lead, embodying the kind of swashbuckling language pedant whose eyes light with adventure when offered a particularly challenging conjugation.” —Ben Croll

(iTunes as of January 31)

"Captain Fantastic"

Nominated for Best Actor

“Despite a premise that could easily turn hokey or farcical — radical parent raises kids in the woods, then suddenly must face reality when he takes them back to civilization — ‘Captain Fantastic’ manages to inhabit the utopian highs of Ben’s unorthodox world even as it falls apart.” —EK

(Amazon, YouTube) 

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Do you wish your home was smarter?

Do you wish your Wi-Fi was better? Or maybe that you could check in on your place when you're not there?

Renovations like those used to be a real pain. You'd have to put holes in your walls and have someone come in and install things for you.

Now, it's easier than ever to do home upgrades like that, and more. I've done four out of the five home hacks on this list myself, and I'm not the most handy person. 

Even if you're not super into DIY, these projects won't take you much longer than an afternoon. After a couple of days, you'll be happy you did them. 

DON'T MISS: I've written about a bunch of great smart-home tech, but these are the gadgets I use every day — here's why

SEE ALSO: How the Amazon Echo won me over and became the center of my smart home

Control your lights

This is the hack: Controlling your lights

Here's why you should do it: Ok, admittedly part of the reason I did this hack was because it's cool and fun. Who doesn't want to be able to control their lights from across the room, or house, for that matter? But after the novelty wore off, I was still glad I invested in some smart bulbs. 

My studio apartment only has one source of light: a two-bulb ceiling lamp. Space is at a premium, and I don't want to buy another source of light, so that's what I use when I read at night, or do any after-work chores. The light switch is on the opposite side of my apartment, so if I wanted to turn my lights off at night, or turn them back on because I forgot to do something, I had to fumble around and hit the switch. Now I can turn them on and off with a few taps on my phone, or my voice through the Amazon Echo.

People with larger houses can set geo fences, so your lights turn on and off when you leave. You can set the lights on timers, too, if you'd like to give people the impression that you're home even when you're not.

Here's what you'll need: Philips Hue Bulbs

Total spend: $179.99

Install a USB outlet

This is the hack: Installing new outlets with USB ports

Here's why you should do it: This is something I haven't done in my apartment, but will be doing in my mom's condo sometime soon.

The reason is pretty simple; we're all guilty of hogging outlets with power adapters for our phones and tablets. You can buy a multi-port USB hub (and should if you live with a lot of people, or travel often), but what if you didn't have to use any outlets at all?

Installing outlets with two USB ports built into them solves your charging problems; instead of using an adapter, just plug your device into the outlet's USB ports. They're 4AMP USB ports, too, so your devices will probably charge faster than they would through the adapter they come with. 

You can install them everywhere, but I think the best place for these outlets would be the kitchen. It's usually one of the main hubs of a house; there probably aren't a lot of outlets there and kitchen gadgets need power, too. You shouldn't have to unplug your toaster to charge your phone.

Here's what you'll need: TOPGREENER 4 Amp Dual USB Charger Outlet

Total spend: $19.99

Control your appliances

This is the hack: Controlling your dumb appliances through your smartphone

Here's why you should do it: Buying all new appliances with smart features built-in is the best way to live in "the house of the future," but it might not be necessary.

If the electric tea kettle you've been using for six years still works, do you really need to replace it with something different? That's the position I found myself in, and so instead of buying new appliances, I started using smart plugs. 

TP-Link's smart plugs are easy to set up and use. Just plug the smart plug into an outlet, plug your appliance into the smart plug, and you're done. You can now turn your appliance on and off through an app, the same way you can control your smart lights. Now, the only control these smart plugs give you is the ability to turn your appliances on and off. Smarter appliances will let you do fancier actions, but if you think about it, turning something on and off is pretty powerful.

I use my smart plug with an electric tea kettle, and can start boiling water for tea from my bed. By the time I've brushed my teeth the water is ready. If you use it with something potentially dangerous, like an iron, you can check to make sure you turned it off if you left the house in a hurry. Better safe than sorry. Like the Hue bulbs, you can connect these smart plugs to an Echo and control your appliances with your voice.

Here's what you'll need: TP-Link Smart Plug

Total spend: $29.99

Two weeks before graduating college and leaving for a months-long backpacking trip through Europe, Natasha Alden met someone.

And after two dates, they decided he would go with her.

More than three years later, Alden and Cameron Seagle are still traveling together. They've backpacked Europe, Southeast Asia, and now, they're spending a year driving across Africa.

In all, the 20-somethings have been to about 50 countries. You can follow their adventures through their site, The World Pursuit, and their Instagram.

Below, they told Business Insider how they saved up about $50,000 to fund their travels, why they're driving across a continent, and what it's like to travel the world together.

SEE ALSO: A 31-year-old who's been traveling the world for 5 years explains how she affords it

On that first post-graduation trip abroad, Alden and Seagle met in Norway and traveled together for two months, using money they'd saved from weekend and summer jobs throughout college.

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In Norway. 

Then, Seagle returned home to the US as Alden kept at it. After six months at home, he flew back out to meet her again in Southeast Asia.

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Backpacking through Bangkok, Thailand.

They spent two months together in Asia, then moved to New York City to fill their coffers for longer-term travel.

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At Storm King sculpture park in New York. 

Many successful people love to read.

Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk have shared some of their favorite reads, Defense Secretary James "Mad Dog" Mattis was known to carry around a 6,000 book library between military posts, and Bill Gates says he reads about 50 books a year.

That doesn't mean that you necessarily need to be a bookworm to become a success.

Here are five successful individuals who say they don't read books:

SEE ALSO: 11 successful people who get by on hardly any sleep

DON'T MISS: 11 books President Obama thinks everyone should read

Kanye West

Yeezy may be the co-author of "Thank You and You're Welcome," but he notes that he typically stays away from books.

"Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed,"he told Reuters in 2009. "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book's autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life."

Fleur Pellerin

In 2014, the former French minister of culture said she hadn't read any literature for two years.

"I admit without any problem that I have had no time to read over the past two years," she said, according to the New York Times. "I read a lot of notes and legislative documents. I read a lot of news."

Donald Trump

Unlike Barack Obama, the new President of the United States has made it quite clear that he's not a huge reader.

When Megyn Kelly pressed him to name his favorite book (besides the Bible or his own ghost-written, best-selling work, "The Art of the Deal"), he picked "All Quiet on the Western Front."

However, when asked to name the last book he read, Trump went on to say, "I read passages, I read areas, chapters, I don't have the time,"according to the New Republic.

Trying to think up some New Year’s resolutions you can actually hit in 2017? These real stories of financial triumph may get the inspirational juices flowing.

From knocking out debt to saving enough to travel the world, these four have one thing in common: Each achieved a major money goal last year.

SEE ALSO: 7 real people share the life hacks that save them thousands

‘I quit my job to travel the world.’

Stephanie Craig, 32, social media consultant, currently in Vienna, Austria

"For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to see the world — my childhood dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. As an adult, however, I settled into a rewarding sales career that kept me trapped in an office all day.

But everything changed in the spring of 2015. Finalizing my divorce lit a fire under me to really start living and to financially prioritize my passion for travel.

I kept my job as a sales rep for a Philadelphia software company, where I earned a comfortable, but highly variable commission-based income, and focused on curbing expenses like eating out and drinking with friends. I even downgraded my car, opting for an old model I bought in cash. Then I got serious about my credit, paying off $7,000 of debt and bumping up my FICO score from 585 to over 700. I also saved up $18,000 in my travel fund that I was hoping would last me about a year.

Then six months ago — 14 months after I started preparing — I quit my job and left for a cross-country road trip, before hopping from Cyprus to Greece to Bulgaria and beyond. I’m currently in Vienna with plans to explore Jordan and Southeast Asia in the coming year.

The best part is that I’ve landed a great job as a location-independent social media consultant — adding some serious breathing room to my budget — which means I’m not blowing through my travel fund, which sits at about $12,000, all that quickly. My new job affords me more comfortable travel accommodations and helps me kick into my savings account and retirement fund.

I’m loving this nomadic lifestyle so much that I can’t imagine settling back into a traditional 9-to-5. Turning this dream into a reality was easily my biggest, and most rewarding, financial accomplishment of 2016."

‘I paid off $14,000 of credit card debt.’

Patrick Antinozzi, 27, content strategist in Toronto, Canada

"Two years ago, I was completely broke. After 10 years of running a family manufacturing business with my dad, the company went under, and we found ourselves unemployed and scared. To see my family through the following few months, I used credit cards to keep us afloat.

This dark period made me ask myself what I wanted. I'm a pretty techie guy and had always been curious about web design and content marketing. So I spent my spare time reading up on the industry, diving into articles and scouring blogs. I loved it, and began strategizing how I could start my own web design business — which I ultimately did in May 2015. Then I spent the rest of the year refining my newfound skills, while working as a window washer to pay the bills.

Meanwhile, I was grappling with $14,000 of credit card debt I’d racked up during unemployment. I kept my head down, focusing on my new business and looking for full-time work in my new industry. Finally, my dedication paid off when I landed a content specialist position at a tech startup last December.

My workload was a bit intense, but working both jobs allowed me to throw huge chunks of cash toward my debt — up to $2,000 in some months. I also consolidated my debt into one low-interest personal loan, which provided some extra relief.

Seven months later, in July 2016, I finally crossed the finish line. The accomplishment was both surreal and liberating. Now, my web design business makes up about 30% of my total income. It took a good nine months to get to that point, but I’d say it’s been worth every bit of time and attention."

‘I finally purchased shares of my wish-list stock.’

Mabel Nunez, 33, investing educator and stock analyst in New York, N.Y.

"I began building my portfolio nearly a decade ago because I wanted to save and invest enough to fund my personal freedom. Even as a green 20-something, I knew I never wanted to be weighed down by financial stress.

This mindset, combined with my frugal nature, has paid off. I invested a sizeable chunk of cash in 2008, when the market was down, and gradually grew my positions in different stocks over time. My portfolio’s doubled since I began, bringing financial empowerment with it.

I wanted to kick it up a notch in 2016 by investing in a major company: Buying Amazon stock had been on my bucket list for a while — it's making big waves in multiple industries —  but the price was always too steep. Over the years, I’ve missed multiple chances to buy because I thought there'd be better times down the line, but was particularly discouraged to see it hit the $700 mark, after being in the $200s in 2014.

After the Brexit-induced market meltdown in June, though, Amazon stock was in the $600s. That dip gave me the nudge I needed to pull the trigger, snatching up a few shares. Things have recovered handsomely since then, and I plan on hanging onto my stock for many years — possibly acquiring more if the opportunity presents itself.

I know that low-fee stock funds, as opposed to individual stocks, are a good starting point for people who aren't as well-versed in the industry as I am. But snagging shares of my dream stock this year was too exciting to pass up."