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

The Insider Pick:

• Many credit cards come with great sign-up bonuses, but how do you keep accumulating points once the card is in your hands? We've gathered some of the best tips to help you earn more points by eating out, referring friends, and buying things online through your credit card's shopping portal.

If you signed up for a new credit card recently — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Citi AAdvantage Platinum MasterCard — chances are you got a big sign-up bonus of rewards points or miles. After you’ve earned the sign-up bonus, how can you keep earning extra points on top of your regular spending? Fortunately, there are a few easy tricks to help you on your way to that dream vacation or anything else you're saving points for.

But first, a word of warning: Credit cards play a big role in maintaining a healthy credit profile and score. Make sure you’re aware of the impact that opening a new card can have, especially if you’re planning to apply for a mortgage or finance a major purchase anytime soon.

It’s also important to practice financial discipline when targeting credit card rewards — paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay is the best course of action. After all, interest and late charges can cancel out the value you get from your rewards.

If you're still trying to decide which credit card rewards program is best for you, you can check out our full guide on the best offers after you read our tips for increasing your reward points earnings in the slides below.

SEE ALSO: The best credit card rewards and bonuses

Shopping portals

Many credit card rewards and frequent flier programs let you earn tons of bonus points by shopping online at everyday retailers. By logging into your account, navigating to the shopping portal (usually found under “earn points”), clicking the site you want to visit, and completing your purchase without closing that window, you can watch your points multiply.

For instance, the Shop Through Chase portal recently offered two times the points for every dollar spent online at J.Crew, three times the points at Macy’s and Bloomingdales, 10 times the points at Sephora, and 15 times the points from flower delivery service FTD.com.

Dining rewards

You can earn extra frequent flier miles just for dining out. By signing up with a program called Rewards Network, you earn miles each time you pay at a participating restaurant, plus a bonus of up to a few thousand miles when you first sign up and start eating.

The program is fairly simple: You sign up with your preferred airline’s dining program, and then register your credit or debit card. Each time you use that card at a participating restaurant, your payment is recognized by Rewards Network and you earn extra miles.

Most major US airlines participate, as well as a few hotel chains. You can look up participating restaurants at the Rewards Network website, as well as see what sign-up bonuses are currently offered.

Referrals

Have you gotten a lot of value from your Chase Freedom card? Have you been happy with the perks that come with your American Express Delta Gold card? Know a friend or family member who’s looking for a new card? If so, you're in luck because many credit and charge cards offer bonuses if you refer a new cardholder.

If you have a qualifying card, you’ll see a link with a referral option when you sign in to your online account. Follow the prompts, and if someone applies for the card and is approved through your referral, you earn a bonus — depending on the card, the referral bonus is often 5,000–10,000 points or miles. Best of all, the person you referred gets the standard sign-up bonus, too.

America's infrastructure is in dire need of repairs. 

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, which is published every four years, US infrastructure gets a D+ grade. It got the same grade in 2013. 

The ASCE estimates the US needs to spend some $4.5 trillion by 2025 to improve the state of the country's roads, bridges, dams, airports, schools, and more. 

The report breaks down the state of infrastructure in 16 different categories. Here's a look at each category's final grade, according to the organization. 

SEE ALSO: The US will need to invest more than $4.5 trillion by 2025 to fix its failing infrastructure

Aviation: D

Airports and air traffic control systems are in serious need of an update, the report found. 

With some two million people per day coming through US airports, congestion is becoming a major problem. In fact, the report estimates that 24 out of the top 30 airports in the US could soon hit "Thanksgiving-peak traffic volume" one day a week. 

Bridges: C+

US bridges are aging. 

Out of the 614,387 bridges in the US, more than 200,000 are more than 50 years old. 

The report estimates it would cost some $123 billion just to fix the bridges in the US. 

Dams: D

According to the report, there were some 15,500 high-hazard dams in the US in 2016. 

Over on Quora, there are multiplethreadsdevoted to existential quandaries everyone should be pondering.

We're not talking, "What's the meaning of life?" so much as, "What do I want to achieve in my lifetime?"

Some of these questions — none of which have easy answers or right answers — are key to consider during young adulthood.

Below, we've highlighted 11 questions you'll want to start thinking about today. They'll help you gain clarity about the kinds of jobs, relationships, and life dreams you should be chasing.

SEE ALSO: 10 things to try before you're 30

If I were to die tomorrow, would I feel satisfied with my life?

At this point in your life, you may assume you've got decades ahead. Hopefully, you're right.

Still, that's no reason to put off personal fulfillment until later. Make the necessary changes today.

As Quora user Matthew Jones writes, "If you're dissatisfied with your life as it is right now, spending time re-evaluating how you manage your time is important. There are no certainties in life and there may not be a tomorrow, so while setting long-term goals and planning for the future is important, you need to find a way to soak up life."

What is my unique value proposition?

Nicolas Cole writes: "This is the fancy, adult way of saying, 'What can only I do?' In business, there is always a lot of talk about 'value proposition.' What are you proposing and how much value will it bring?"

It's similar to a question from Fred Landis: "Is there anything I can do easily that others find hard?"

Once you uncover your unique value proposition or talent, you can work on becoming an expert in that area. As A.J. Agrawal writes at Inc.: "Have three to four news outlets that specialize in your value proposition, and make sure you take time to read them every day. Start sharing articles on your social media, and then begin blogging or writing articles about the subject. Over time, more and more people will recognize you as an expert in your field."

Who inspires me most?

Sanchit Jain highlighted this question, originally featured in Relevant Magazine:

“Think about the one person you most want to emulate. Who is it? Now what is it about their story or character that draws you to them? Write down the words that come to mind. The person you want to be like the most tells you a lot about who you hope to become.”

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

The Insider Pick:

• Although a mattress topper isn’t a must for your bed, it’s one of the easiest ways to up your sleep quality and comfort. We checked out dozens of mattress toppers, and determined that the DreamFoam Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper is the one likeliest to send you off to dreamland with a smile on your face.

A mattress topper has the power to take your night’s sleep from, “If only I had another hour,” to “Wow, I feel refreshed and ready to rock!” Along with a layer of additional comfort, the right mattress topper also adds extra support, relief from pressure on your joints and spine, a new lease on life for an aging mattress, and customization of a mattress that is too firm or too soft for your liking.

Mattress topper versus mattress pad versus mattress protector

While the terms “mattress topper” and “mattress pad” are often used interchangeably, they are actually slightly different. A mattress topper is purely for comfort, while a mattress protector is a thin covering that protects the mattress from fluids, dust mites, allergens, and other bed grungies. A mattress pad is somewhere between the two. It helps protect your mattress and also adds some comfort to the bed, but generally is not as thick or as dense as a mattress topper.

Because there are so many mattress toppers on the market, we’ve made buying one easier for you. We visited the top consumer websites, researched sleep and bedding sites, and listened to what actual mattress topper buyers had to say before narrowing down your choices to the five mattress toppers we feel are the best.

To outfit your bedroom with the best of everything, check out our guides for the best sheets, the best mattresses, the best duvet covers, and thebest pillows.

Although the DreamFoam Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Super Snooze Baffled Featherbed Set, the Lambswool Mattress Pad from Overstock, the Pinzon Overfilled Microplush Mattress Topper, and the Sleep Innovations Dual Layer Mattress Topper Set.

SEE ALSO: The best pillows you can buy for your bed

The best mattress topper overall

Why you'll love it: You’ll sleep like a baby on the DreamFoam Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper, thanks to its excellent support, soft comfort, and great price.

Memory foam was originally developed by NASA to protect astronauts from the rigors of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. You’re not hitting G-forces when you hit the hay, but you’ll still benefit from the cushioning and support memory foam offers. It’s an especially good choice if you have a hard time sleeping due to aches and pains in your hips, back, or upper body.

The DreamFoam Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topperis a two-inch-thick pad of gel-infused memory foam. The gel, which gives the mattress topper a tie-dyed appearance, helps prevent your body heat from building up in the memory foam. It's a welcome innovation, considering that “sleeping hot” is the number one complaint about memory foam bed products in general.

This isn’t the densest memory foam on the market, but it’s not super-soft, either. It’s just right. It hits the sweet spot of just enough support to keep your spine, body, and pressure points comfortable, without too much of the “sinking in” feeling that can be a problem with overly soft memory foam.

The Sweethome also chose the DreamFoam Topper as its top pick because it was comfortable and didn't make testers overheat. The site also commented on the topper’s excellent motion isolating abilities, meaning that you won’t be as bothered by your partner’s tossing and turning.

Amazon shoppers also like the DreamFoam Topper. In fact, it’s one of the best-selling mattress toppers on the site, with more than 2,100 reviews and an average of 4.5 stars. Over and over, buyers praise the topper’s ability to soothe sore joints, its not-too-firm, not-too-soft level of support, and its cool-sleep properties. Amazon customers also appreciate the lack of lingering chemical smell with the DreamFoam Topper, which is important to note because odor can be a problem with some memory foam products.

The topper is made in the US, and has CertiPUR-US certification, meaning it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals such as ozone depleters, heavy metals, formaldehyde, lead, or phthalates.

Pros: Great price, excellent support, not too hot, an extensive range of sizes

Cons: None to speak of, although a few buyers complained the topper was too soft

Buy the DreamFoam Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper on Amazon for $45.99 (Twin), $55.99 (Full), $65.99 (Queen), $77.99 (King), $79.99 (California King)

The best featherbed mattress topper

Why you'll love it: You’ll feel like you’re sleeping in the clouds with the dreamy-soft Super Snooze Baffled Featherbed Set.

The Super Snooze Baffled Featherbed Set is a lofty five inches thick and has baffles to help keep the feathers in place with no clumping or shifting. It’s a thickly stuffed, heavy featherbed, so you’ll sink in a bit more than you would with a lighter topper. The 100 percent cotton, 230-thread count shell is tightly woven, so a stray feather quill won’t poke you, and the featherbed comes with an additional cover to protect it from body oils, moisture, and allergens.

Despite the name, a featherbed is not a bed. It’s a mattress topper stuffed with feathers from ducks or geese. The downy filling gives the featherbed a billowy, cloud-like feel, but also means that you aren’t going to get the firm support or cushioning for sore joints that memory foam provides.

Most people who love featherbeds simply enjoy the supreme softness, which can provide welcome relief from a mattress that is too firm. A featherbed is also a great choice for people who tend to sleep hot, as the topper is comfortably warm in the winter, yet remains cool in the summer. Keep in mind, however, that if you have feather allergies, this isn’t the topper for you.

Customers on Overstock really like this featherbed: It has more than 2,500 reviews and an average rating of 4.4 stars. “Sleeping on a cloud” is a frequent comment, along with praise for the topper’s snuggly feel. Says one happy buyer, “My bed is now so soft and comfy. I love going to sleep at night.” Sleep-product review website Sleep Like the Dead agrees, finding that 88 percent of owners are pleased with this featherbed.

Many owners do complain, however, of the need to fluff the featherbed daily — or at least a few times per week — to keep the loft. This is a common issue with all featherbeds, however, not just this one. Some customers also mentioned the sound of feathers shifting inside the topper, and still others felt the topper wasn’t as thick or supportive as they had hoped for.  

Pros: Reasonable price, thickly stuffed with feathers, well baffled

Cons: Must be fluffed frequently, you’ll need extra-deep sheets to fit over the featherbed

Buy the Super Snooze Baffled Featherbed Set on Amazon for $109.00 (Twin), $142.98 (Queen), $162.24 (California King)

Buy the Super Snooze Baffled Featherbed Set on Amazon for $149.99 (King)

The best wool mattress topper

Why you'll love it: No more lying awake counting sheep when you’re cozied up on this soft and comfortable Lambswool Mattress Pad.

Fleece mattress pads are not the easiest type to find, but for those who sleep hot, they are worth the search. Natural fleece is surprisingly cool to sleep on, as it has excellent breathability and doesn’t hang onto your body heat the way memory foam or similar materials do. It’s cozy, plush, and soft as well. But if lots of support is a must, this isn’t the right type of mattress topper for you. While a wool topper offers more support than a featherbed, it’s less supportive than memory foam.  

Overstock’s Lambswool Mattress Pad is a very thick, soft, and high-quality mattress topper, with an inch-thick layer of oh-so-cozy wool atop a polyester backing. A poly/cotton skirt wraps securely around the sides of your mattress to keep the pad in place. The wool is thick enough to cradle you comfortably, but you won’t experience the “sinking in” sensation you’d feel with foam or feathers. Instead, you’ll have just enough light support for a good night’s sleep, and a welcome addition of comfort to a mattress that’s past its best days. The wool is safe for machine washing, as an additional bonus.

I owned and enjoyed this mattress pad for several years before finally switching to memory foam due to arthritic pain. The lambswool topper was indeed much cooler than traditional memory foam, and it added a very nice layer of comfort to my bed. On the downside, and this is echoed in many buyer’s comments on Overstock, the wool flattened out under my body weight, and required a quick finger-fluff to restore the loft each time I changed the sheets.

Sleep Like the Dead rates this mattress topper highly, with 91 percent of buyers pleased with their purchase. And on Overstock.com, the topper has nearly 300 reviews and an average of 4.6 stars. Customers praise the topper’s durability, temperature regulation, softness, and coziness. Says one satisfied customer, “Love, love, love this purchase. Soft, comfortable, and warm, just as the description says. Best night’s sleep I've had in a long time.”

Pros: Not as hot as other types of mattress topper, cozy, durable, is easy to cover with a fitted sheet

Cons: Requires periodic fluffing, slight wool odor initially, expensive

Buy the Lambswool Mattress Pad on Overstock.com for $127.99 (Twin), $162.49 (Full), $166.99 (Queen), $205.99 (King)

Travel lovers can agree that it just takes one glance at Instagram to feel inspired by beautiful photos of destinations featured in your feed.

Yet, just as common is some apprehension about how much these luxurious destinations must cost. White sandy beaches and cabanas on the beach look great, but can you actually go on this kind of trip without breaking the bank?

While these places may seem inaccessible at first glance, the truth is, there are often ways to make even the most coveted destinations work on a smaller budget.

Here are some of the hottest destinations, with tips on how to travel there on the cheap.

SEE ALSO: Thanks to a little-known airline hack, traveling around the world could be cheaper than you realize

DON'T MISS: A 30-year-old saved $10,000 in rent when she left Los Angeles to Airbnb-hop around the world

Hawaii

A common wedding and honeymoon destination, Hawaii's beautiful beaches and lush jungles don't have to be inaccessible to budget travelers. First, you'll want to plan your airfare strategically to keep costs down. Alaska Airlines is one carrier to watch for sales on flights from California to Hawaii. Also check Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, the main carriers flying into Hawaii, according to Skyscanner. Discount airlines like Virgin America also offer flights to Hawaii.

To get low rates, avoid planning a trip during high-traffic travel times such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and mid-July to late August. According to USA Today, the cheapest times to visit Hawaii are April (just after Easter) to mid-June, and September to mid-December.

Once you get to Hawaii, there are plenty of budget accommodations that have as much character as the luxury resorts your favorite Instagram personality has been posting about, at a fraction of the price. Instead of all-inclusive extravagance, check out low-key guesthouses or listings on Airbnb for budget friendly options from $50 a night.

Hawaii's public beaches and many of its hiking trails are completely free, so choose your activities with this in mind. As an added savings bonus, check out these dates for free entry to Hawaii's national parks in 2017.

Maldives

In the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are a group of ring-shaped coral islands, known for their extensive reefs and white sand beaches. The combination is all quite dreamy, with the exception of the big price tag that so many people associate with this destination.

However, there are ways to travel the Maldives on a budget. The trick is to stay away from expensive resorts that charge hundreds of dollars a night.

You may not have the overwater bungalow that you saw posted on your favorite Instagrammer's profile, but there's more to the Maldives than glass-bottom bungalows. While there are no hostels on the islands, thanks to a change to tourism laws a few years ago, residents are now allowed to open their own guesthouses. This has created a slew of budget-friendly accommodation options. By staying in these types of places, you'll also help put some of your travel dollars into the pockets of local people, rather than luxury resorts owned by foreign hotel chains.

Private rooms in guesthouses begin at $40, which you can book through Airbnb. Guesthouses in Maldives is another website that lets you book accommodations, which, although called guesthouses, are actually more like affordable hotels. Both of these types of accommodations usually include meals in their nightly price.

Your flight to the Maldives is the other big expense. One way to cut the cost is to fly first to an Asian hub, and then catch a discount flight from there to the Maldives. You can find good rates from Malaysia on AirAsia. Other good Asian departure points include Colombo, Sri Lanka; Bangkok; and Singapore.

Another option is to fly on Emirates Airline from North America, which could be a good way to plan a layover in Dubai.

Once you've arrived, you can do some cheap island hopping by using the public ferry system, which costs as little as $2 per person. That can save you hundreds of dollars you'd otherwise spend on domestic flights or expensive speed boat rides to connect to different islands.

New Zealand

Depending on where you are traveling from, airfare to New Zealand can be pricey. You can trim costs by traveling in the spring and fall, when rates are cheaper than summer. Keep in mind that seasons in New Zealand are the opposite of the northern hemisphere. Check out carriers such as Hawaiian Airlines, Qantas, and Emirates Airline for sales on fares from the U.S. The most common (and often, the cheapest) departures leave from Los Angeles or San Francisco. If you are traveling from somewhere else in the United States, you may want to book a flight to one of these West Coast cities separately on Southwest Airlines or another discount carrier to save on the total flight costs.

Once you arrive, camping is the best way to travel for cheap while enjoying the stunning scenery of the land where Lord of the Rings was filmed. New Zealand is full of beautiful and affordable camp sites. A tent can usually be pitched for as little as $14 a night for two people. Or, you can stay in one of the more than 950 huts located along the country's backpacking trails. Basic huts cost a few dollars per person, per night. Those along the well-trod Great Walks trails are $22 a night and must be booked in advance.

Camper vans, also known as caravans, are also a popular way to see the country. Including insurance and taxes, you can expect to pay around $70 per day for a basic van that sleeps two, or $84 a day for a van with a toilet and shower. The latter may end up being more affordable, since it will allow you to stay in free camping areas that don't have bathroom facilities. Otherwise, you must stay in more expensive campsites that average about $25 per night for two people. Most camper vans come with some sort of kitchen setup, which can help you save money on meals.

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Dunkin' Donuts has plenty of healthy options that won't wreck your diet.
• Healthier choices include the whole wheat bagel or an english muffin with ham, egg, and cheese.
• If you're craving something sweet, go with the original glazed donut or the reduced-fat blueberry muffin. 

Dunkin' Donuts has been a New England institution for more than half a century, serving up all sorts of delicious coffees and bakery treats. But in a land of all things donuts, bagels, and "extra extra," is healthy Dunkin' Donuts food an impossible reality?

It certainly doesn't have to be! Dunks has plenty of offerings that are calorie and fat-conscious, but are still incredibly tasty. They even have a healthier DD Smart menu, filled with sensible options. That said, if you have a hankering for a donut, there are still options for you too.

Obviously, the best tip is to enjoy your food and eat everything in moderation, but with these healthy Dunkin' Donuts food options, you can still treat yourself and run on Dunkin'.

Whole wheat bagel

Bagels often get a bad rap in the nutritional world, and Dunkin' Donuts' bagels are generally no exception. However, if you can't get through the morning without a bagel, spring for whole wheat.

This bagel landed itself on the DD Smart menu for good reason: a whole bagel only has 320 calories and two grams of fat. Additionally, one bagel has 28% of your daily intake of dietary fiber and 13 grams of protein. With this many nutritional facts in this bagel's favor, you can definitely afford to add some cream cheese.

Multigrain oatmeal

Like the bagel before it, the big draw of this DD Smart menu item is the whole grains. This cup of oatmeal has five grams each of protein and dietary fiber.

The brown sugar flavor will give you the burst of sweetness you need, and you can even top your cup with some dried fruit. Just beware if you have a nut allergy—this oatmeal may contain traces of almonds, walnuts, and pecans.

Ham, egg, and cheese on an english muffin

A breakfast sandwich is many people's go-to in the morning. It's a quick way to get some carbs, protein, and some tasty breakfast breads. Good news is, if you want some healthy Dunkin' Donuts food, you don't have to give up your beloved breakfast sandwich.

This sandwich is on the DD Smart menu, along with its cousin, the regular egg and cheese sandwich, because it's at least 25% reduced in calories, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium as compared to the sausage, egg, and cheese croissant. So if you're looking for a healthy twist on your fave BEC, this might be your best bet!

Wordsmiths like Shakespeare and Robert Frost loved their sarcasm.

But when you take comments out of context, they can mean the exact opposite of the author's intention.

That hasn't stopped people from spouting famous lines, many from classic literature, however they see fit.

We created a list of some frequently used quotes that people just don't understand.

SEE ALSO: The 3 books Stanford is asking incoming freshman to read over the summer

1. 'Money is the root of all evil.'

Not really. The love of money is the root of all evil, according to Timothy 6:10 from the King James Bible. 

2. 'I took the road less traveled.'

In Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken," he tries to decide which of two paths he should take. He looks down one but chooses the second, "just as fair" and "worn really about the same."

If you read the entire poem, the last stanza regales how he'll say "with a sigh" that his decision "made all the difference." In reality, Frost arbitrarily chose his path, which didn't matter in the long run. Today most people use the quote as evidence of "forging your own path."

3. 'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?'

In most high school adaptations of Shakespeare's well-known play, Juliet raises a hand to her furrowed brow, searching for her lover from a balcony. But "wherefore art" doesn't mean "where." It means "why." Juliet questions why fate made Romeo a Montague, her family's sworn enemy.

Two years ago today, on June 16, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president of the United States.

His rise from political outsider to leader of the free world was as improbable as it was historic.

Today, take an opportunity to look back at the landmark events that shaped the last two years, and got Trump — and the US — to where it stands it today.

June 16, 2015: Trump announces his campaign for president on June 16, in the lobby of Trump Tower. He debuted his now-famous slogan and campaign iconography, and was seen in his signature: blue suit with fire engine red tie.

Trump took the building's escalator, creating an iconic moment as he slowly rode it to the stage.

November 7: Trump hosts SNL. NBC caught flack for the decision for Trump to host, giving him airtime that wasn't given to other candidates.

Since it was invented over 200 years ago, the wristwatch has been an integral component of fashion.

In addition to their practical functionality of telling time, a watch serves as a collectible piece of art that communicates the personality and style of its wearer.

With the help of Crown & Caliber, an Atlanta-based pre-owned luxury-watch marketplace, we've put together a list and commentary about the wristwatches worn by nine of the most powerful CEOs in the tech industry.

SEE ALSO: These are the watches worn by some of the most powerful men in finance

SEE ALSO: The incredible life and career of Warren Buffett, the billionaire every investor looks to for inspiration

Melissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo

The Wisconsin native was appointed the head of Yahoo in 2012 following a 13-year career at Google. Verizon officially closed its $4.48 billion purchase of Yahoo, the company announced Tuesday. Mayer will step down with a $23 million package.

Omega Deville Symbol Quartz — $4,900

Mayer's watch, an Omega Deville Symbol Quartz, retails for $4,900 but can be purchased pre-owned on Portero, a watch marketplace, for $985.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Apple's market cap surpassed $800 billion in May. As such, the iPhone-maker is one of the world's most valuable companies. And the man at the helm of it all is Tim Cook. He assumed the position as CEO in 2011.

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

After moving to a new apartment without AC recently, I opted to sleep with the screened window slightly open instead of being baked alive. After the first night, I woke up covered in large, unsightly welts left from what looked like a mosquito feast.

Summer has earned its spot as the preferred season for the majority of people with increased outdoor time, sunlight and more relaxed people. But one thing that pretty much everyone agrees on is that the insects thriving off the warm weather can be terrible to contend with.

Fruit flies will appear and multiply at an unbelievable rate seemingly out of nowhere. Mosquitoes will find your backyard like every time their eyes close they see a map leading directly there. If you want to limit the number of times you have to cut a backyard barbecue, cabin fire pit, or dinner out on the patio short this summer, buying insect repellents that work is about as foolproof as you can get.

Before the summer gets into full swing and you’re covered in bug bites like me, why not fix the problem before it even starts?

Below are 16 of the best insect repellents on Amazon to help you get started. I took into account customer reviews, authenticity ratings, and best-selling products.

SEE ALSO: 8 essentials everyone needs to start a garden from scratch

A rechargable mosquito and fly racket

Zap-It! Rechargeable Mosquito, Fly Killer and Bug Zapper Racket, 3000 Volt, $19.99

An insect killer for your lawn

Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer for Lawns, Granule Net WT. 10 lb, $19.75

The best-selling natural insect repellent

Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Natural Insect Repellent, 4 oz. Pump Spray, $4.97 - $33.59

Early Snapchat users will remember the days when filming a snap while listening to music was impossible.

Snapchat has come a long ways from those early days.

A partnership with Shazam made the messaging app into a way to discover and share music with friends or watch music videos. 

Here's how to use all of Shazam's features in Snapchat: 

SEE ALSO: This is Snapchat's latest attack in its Stories war with Facebook

Open Snapchat and press a finger on the screen until Shazam opens up. If the song title and artist is all you're looking for hit dismiss. To listen to the song, hit song info.

Use the app of your choice to listen — or, if you're in the mood for karaoke, scroll down to see the lyrics.

If you don't have Spotify or Apple Music, you can also click the video link to listen and watch online.

The INSIDER Summary

• Lorde just dropped her second album "Melodrama."
• It's been three years since the pop singer released her debut album "Pure Heroine."
• Here are some interesting facts about the 20-year-old's newest album that'll give you an idea of what it's all about.

On Friday, former teen prodigy Lorde released her sophomore album, Melodrama. (It’s out now for all you lucky Aussies and Kiwis.) Now a seasoned 2o-year-old — with plenty of swear words sprinkled throughout the album to prove it — the album will look to evade the sophomore slump and establish Lorde as a legitimate pop force. But with more than three years (mostly) away from the music scene making this album, there’s a lot of blanks to fill in. What’s this album even about? We’re here to tell you that and more.

SEE ALSO: People are calling Lorde's long-awaited new release 'the best pop album of 2017'

It's about a house party

Lorde’s latest is a loose concept album centered around a single house party, the events leading up to it, and all that might entail for your average 20-something (yes, even Lorde). “With a party, there’s that moment where a great song comes on and you’re ecstatic,” she told The New York Times Magazine, “and then there’s that moment later on where you’re alone in the bathroom, looking in the mirror, you don’t think you look good, and you start feeling horrible.” Part of the mood switch also comes from the fact that Melodrama was written in the aftermath of Lorde’s first real breakup, though she’s adamant it’s not a breakup album: “It’s a record about being alone. The good parts and the bad parts.” “Everything written about on the album, give or take a couple of lines, all took place in New Zealand, is about me and my friends,” she’s also said.

Jack Antonoff co-produced and co-wrote the whole thing.

On Lorde’s first album, she only worked with one person, Joel Little, whom she tried to collaborate with again on Melodrama, but he wasn’t the right fit this time. Instead, she worked exclusively with fun. and Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, who co-wrote and co-produced the whole album with Lorde from his Brooklyn apartment and various other New York City studios. “I was like, ‘Let’s just gather around a piano and see how you’re feeling, and see what has happened to you since your last album that’s really worth sharing,’” Antonoff told Rolling Stone of their writing process.

She turned down Max Martin’s advice.

Though Lorde kept her circle tight, she did seek out pop-production wizard Max Martin’s advice about the melodic structure of the album’s lead single, “Green Light,” because his opinion is widely regarded as the best in pop. Martin called the song “incorrect songwriting,” which Lorde says “wasn’t an insult, just a statement of fact.” Lorde also thinks the the final result is “a strange piece of music,” which is why she trusted her gut and stuck with the original vision she and Antonoff had for the song.

On Friday, a judge found that 20-year-old Michelle Carter was guilty of involuntary manslaughter after sending texts that encouraged Conrad Roy III to kill himself when both were 17.

The teens had met in 2014 while on family vacations in Florida. In the months after, they started sharing stories of profound emotional instability through Facebook and text messages.

Here's how a relationship that led to one young man's suicide and another young woman's guilty sentence unfolded:

SEE ALSO: How a chain of text messages led to one teen's death and another one's trial

On June 16, a Massachusetts judge found Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter for sending texts that encouraged a young man that she had called her boyfriend to kill himself.

Source: Business Insider

In the summer of 2014, Roy started sending Carter texts in which he shared thoughts about killing himself. Carter first listened to Roy and offered support, but she later started sending messages that said Roy's family would "get over it."

Source: Business Insider

"Everyone will be sad for a while but they will get over it and move on," Carter texted when Roy expressed worries about what his suicide would do to his family.

Source: Business Insider

Professional golfers can have careers that are highly lucrative.  

Their careers can last well into their 40s and 50s and there are events nearly year-round with tours all over the world. That means lots of opportunities to take home a paycheck.

Below, we take a look at the 30 highest-paid golfers of all time. While the list is skewed towards recent players, there is good mix of both current and previous generations, as well as both PGA Tour and European Tour greats.

Career earnings and wins include both the PGA Tour and the European Tour.

30. Brandt Snedeker — $36.9 million

Nationality: American

PGA Tour earnings*: $32.0 million

European Tour earnings*: €4.5 million

Major championships: 0

Overall wins: 9

* PGA Tour earnings are through March, 2017 and European Tour earnings are through July, 2016

29. Hunter Mahan — $37.5 million

Nationality: American

PGA Tour earnings: $29.8 million

European Tour earnings: €7.3 million

Major championships: 0

Overall wins: 6

28. Jordan Spieth — $37.8 million

Nationality: American

PGA Tour earnings: $29.5 million

European Tour earnings: €7.8 million

Major championships: 2

Overall wins: 9

Jeronimo Yanez, the Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Philando Castile last July, was acquitted Friday.

The 29-year-old had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm, and faced a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Castile's death garnered national attention last July and prompted protests over police killings, after Castile's girlfriend Diamond Reynolds livestreamed the aftermath of his shooting on Facebook.

Yanez had shot Castile during a traffic stop. He argued in court that he believed Castile had been trying to grab a gun. Reynolds, however, said Castile had only been reaching for his driver's license.

Shortly after the verdict was announced, the city of St. Anthony announced it would dismiss Yanez from the police department.

Castile's family members reacted angrily, with his mother, Valerie, standing and swearing as the verdict was read. She and other family members immediately tried to leave the courtroom, and did so after security officers briefly barred the way.

Outside the courthouse, Valerie Castile said Yanez got away with "murder," noting that her son was wearing a seatbelt and in a car with his girlfriend and her then-4-year-old daughter when he was shot.

"I will continue to say murder," she said. "I am so very, very, very ... disappointed in the system here in the state of Minnesota. Nowhere in the world do you die from being honest and telling the truth."

"He didn't deserve to die the way he did," Philando Castile's sister, Allysza, said, through tears. "I will never have faith in the system."

Yanez, who is Latino, testified that Castile was pulling his gun out of his pocket despite his commands not to do so. The defense also argued Castile was high on marijuana and said that affected his actions.

Yanez stared ahead with no reaction as the verdict was read. Afterward, one of his attorneys, Tom Kelly, said the defense was "satisfied."

"We were confident in our client. We felt all along his conduct was justified. However that doesn't take away from the tragedy of the event," Kelly said.

Here's what you need to know:

SEE ALSO: The Cleveland police officer who shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice has been fired

What we know about the shooting

Yanez shot Castile on July 6, 2016, during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, a suburb of Minnesota.

The video Reynolds livestreamed on Facebook went viral almost immediately.

In the video, which also features Reynold's then-four-year-old daughter in the backseat, Reynolds can be heard calmly speaking to Yanez and describing the events that had unfolded.

Reynolds says in the video that they had been pulled over due to a busted tail light, at which point Castile informed Yanez he had a firearm and was reaching for his wallet when Yanez opened fire.

In the video, Yanez can be heard shouting expletives and yelling, "I told him not to reach for it," as Reynolds responds, "You told him to get his ID, sir. His driver's license."

Reynolds testified at trial. In addition to her' Facebook Live video of the shooting's aftermath, prosecutors also obtained footage taken from the police cruiser also captured video and audio of the incident. It was played for the first time in public at the trial.

What we know about Yanez

Yanez, who is 29 years old and Latino, has worked for the St. Anthony Police Department since 2011.

He is believed to be the first police officer in Minnesota to be charged with killing a civilian, according to the Star Tribune. His defense attorneys have maintained that he shot Castile in self-defense.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, have emphasized that Castile was not resisting or fleeing when Yanez shot him.

"No reasonable officer, knowing, seeing and hearing what Officer Yanez did at the time would've used deadly force under these circumstances," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi told media. "There simply was no objective threat posted to Officer Yanez."

Some policing experts have raised questions around law enforcement seminars Yanez attended, including one called "The Bulletproof Warrior" conducted by private company Calibre Press. The seminar has been criticized for fostering paranoia among officers, although the firm says the course is actually designed to save lives.

The challenges in prosecuting police officers

As has been the case with many fatal police encounters in recent years, it is notoriously difficult to prosecute police officers. Just this month, for instance, Tulsa Officer Betty Shelby was acquitted of manslaughter in the shooting death of Terence Crutcher, which occurred just months after Castile's death.

Experts have suggested that despite being presented with video evidence of the shootings, juries — especially those made up of white Americans or middle-class black Americans — are still reluctant to overcome the so-called "halo effect" surrounding police officers that presumes their innocence.

"The interesting thing about video footage is that it's still subject to interpretation," Delores Jones-Brown, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told Business Insider last summer.

"It takes a motivated prosecutor and a good prosecutor to convince whoever they have to convince that what you're seeing on the video is illegal behavior."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Coast Guard national security cutter Waesche stopped into San Diego for a brief pit stop to grab fuel and offload 18 tons of cocaine on Wednesday, and we got a sneak a peek inside.

Waesche just finished its patrol near Central and South America, where it seized cocaine and smugglers during seven drug interdictions. It brought drug seizures from fellow cutters still in the region as well, offloading 18 tons of cocaine to the DEA for destruction — worth about $554 million on the street.

"There is a lot of cocaine moving across the water," said Capt. James Passarelli, who originally hails from Phoenix, Arizona but has been serving in the Coast Guard for the past 25 years.

The Waesche went out for about two months this time, though it typically deploys for three. Nowadays, they are fed intelligence leads and use drones and maritime patrol aircraft to "push our borders out" to stop the drugs closer to where they are coming from, according to Passarelli.

Though smugglers are constantly adapting as the Coast Guard gets better. On this latest deployment, the Waesche seized a self-propelled submarine and a low-profile vessel that even the captain admitted was "very stealthy."

Business Insider was invited to tour the cutter with Passarelli to get an understanding of what the service is doing to stop drugs from getting to American shores. As the captain explained, it's a "whole of government story" that involves the Department of Justice, State Department, the US military's Southern Command, and DEA, just to name a few.

Here's what it's like inside.

SEE ALSO: Why Green Berets are the smartest, most lethal fighters in the world

After patrolling off the coast of South America for the past two months, US Coast Guard Cutter Waesche made a pit stop in San Diego to fuel up and offload its haul of drugs before heading to its home port in Alameda, California.

It brought back a lot of drugs: 18 tons worth, which included what the Waesche was able to nab, along with other drug interdictions carried out by fellow cutters in Central and South America.

We wanted to see what it was like on a Coast Guard Cutter, and the service was happy to oblige.

The INSIDER Summary:

• It can be tough to fit bulky cooking items in a small kitchen.
• But you can use many items to free up extra space.
• The best items to save space include a foldable kitchen cart, magnetic spice rack, and collapsible dish drying rack.

If you have a small kitchen, you'll know that it can be hard to find space to cook, clean, and keep your millennial pink mixer.

There are clever ways to free up extra room, though, by making use of the space you do have — even if that means mounting items on a wall or hanging them over the door of a cupboard.

Here are a selection of products that will help you declutter and make even the tiniest kitchen feel more spacious.

A spice rack

Mount this magnetic spice rack on the wall by the stove, or inside a cupboard, to free up some space.

Gneiss Spice Medium Stainless Wall Plate Base for Magnetic Spice Jars from Amazon, $25

A sink caddy

Instead of storing items next to the sink, make use of the space inside the sink to keep your sponge and dish brush in one place.

Sink caddy from Simplehuman, $17

An over-the-cupboard organizer

Hang an organizer over your cupboard door to store under-the-sink items like cleaning products or use it as a place to keep space-consuming Tupperware lids.

InterDesign Axis Over the Cabinet Kitchen Storage Organizer from Amazon, $17.83

When summer rolls into town, everyone else wants to roll out.

The best place for this is usually the beach. Thanks to the refreshing water and nice ocean breeze, it's one of the easiest ways to stay cool throughout the year's hottest months. But not all beach towns were created equal. 

Many beach towns that were once the "it place" to go have become overrun with tourists, while others have simply been overrated from the start.

Here are 11 beach towns to avoid — and where to go instead. 

Instead of visiting the touristy Waikiki, Hawaii, head across Oahu to Haleiwa.

While beautiful, Waikiki was basically designed with tourists in mind, and is a strip of luxury hotels, expensive stores, and chain restaurants flanked by an overcrowded beach.

Haleiwa, however, features the laidback vibe Hawaii is famous for. Located on the North Shore, just 45 minutes from Honolulu, Haleiwa boasts shaved ice stands (like the famous Matsumoto Shave Ice), surf shops, and casual eateries, and attracts surfers, wave watchers, and anyone looking to get away from the big city. Luckily, with a limited hotel scene, the area hasn't been consumed by tourists just yet, and was named the best small Hawaiian town by Hawai'i Magazine.

Rather than visit the overpriced Cabo San Lucas, head to Tulum.

Cabo San Lucas was popular long before the teenagers on "Laguna Beach" gushed about it, so its best days are long over. By now, it's extremely commercialized, with nary any Mexican culture left to take in. Even worse, it's now a popular destination for spring breakers. 

However, across the country you'll find Tulum, where there's still plenty of history left to enjoy — like 1,000-year-old Mayan ruins and ancient cenotes. Beach Road South is the where visitors really fall in love, as it's lined with hip yoga studios and cool bars, like the jungle-enclosed bar Gitano, as well as tons of vegan-friendly restaurants.

Before booking a getaway to Destin, Florida, consider the nearby Seaside.

If you want a picturesque seaside vacation that's both relaxing and fun, head a few miles further than Destin, which is a favorite among Midwesterners.

Check out Seaside, which was made famous by Jim Carrey's "The Truman Show," and is just as cute in real life as it is in the movie. The hotels and rentals are nicer, the beaches are less crowded, and the restaurants and shops there are generally a bit more upscale than those in Destin. Plus, there are far fewer tacky attractions.

British car and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce lifted the lid on its shiny new factory for jet engines this week.

The Trent XWB engine will be used in Airbus' A350 XWB aircraft, and it's one of the quietest and fuel efficient jet engines ever produced. 

Rolls-Royce invited company executives, German officials, journalists, and photographers to the plant just outside Berlin for the unveiling and a tour of the facility. Here’s a look at how the efficient engines take shape:

The first thing you notice about the Trent XWB engine: it’s big. Really big. Just two of these will power a 240 ton plane into the sky with 84,000 pounds of thrust each.

Specifically, they’ll be powering Airbus A350X WB (extra wide body), one of the French plane maker's most in-demand models.

Here’s what the engine looks like up close when installed under the wing.

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.

Shopping for your dad can be frustrating. When it comes to getting him any sort of gift, your conversation probably goes something like this: "Dad, what do you want for Father's Day?""I don't know. You don't have to get me anything."

If you have the funds, but aren't sure what to get him this year, you've found the right guide. We picked 32 presents dads will love — even yours. They run the gamut, from a fancy bottle of Napa Valley's finest Cabernet Sauvignon to the perfect carry-on suitcase, a new everyday watch, or a coffee brewer that doubles as cool kitchen decor.

These ideas are suited for every type of dad. Whether this is his first Father's Day or his 40th, whether he's a tech geek, a music lover, or an outdoorsman, there's bound to be a gift he'll love in this list.

Having trouble figuring out what to get your dad for Father's Day? Browse all of Insider Picks' 2017 Father's Day gift guides here.

A patriotic watch

If you have some cash to burn, but not a ton, MVMT's timepieces look great on a wrist. This one's red, white, and blue nylon NATO strap is a thoughtful choice for dads who are veterans.  

MVMT Patriot Watch, $140

A Blue Bottle Coffee subscription

If your dad drinks coffee, getting him a high-quality blend he might not have tried, but will likely really enjoy, is a thoughtful gift worth considering. Blue Bottle Coffee focuses on honoring flavor profiles, finding the best beans in the world, and shipping those beans to you within two days of roasting so they always taste their best. You can read our full review here. 

Blue Blue Coffee Voyager Pack, $17.50

A new everyday wallet

Wallets are one of those items that get a lot of wear and not a lot of care in return. There's a good chance your dad's is coming apart at its seams or bulging uncomfortably from his back pocket. Or, maybe it's in some other sad state of affairs.

If that's the case, the Note Sleeve wallet from Bellroy will be a welcome improvement to whatever his back pocket currently holds.

Bellroy Leather Note Sleeve Wallet, $89.95