LONDON – Since the financial crisis, the global banking sector has been forced to cut down on its excesses, lending more conservatively and just generally taking on less risk. But where in the world has the safest banks?

Business Insider decided to take a look into the countries around the world with the safest banks, using the World Economic Forum's recently-released Global Competitiveness Survey, which offers a bundle of indicators to show the health of a country's institutions.

One of those is the perceived safeness of banks.

WEF used its executive opinion survey to ask "in general, how do you perceive the soundness of banks?"

So the measure isn't based on any objective economic or accounting measure, but rather by the perceptions of the population. The countries are ranked from 1 (banks need more money) to 7 (banks are generally sound).

The survey showed that people in the UK and US really don’t trust their banking systems after the 2008 financial crisis. The UK was ranked 59th and the US came in at 24th, below the likes of Guatemala, Panama, and Honduras.

Check out the countries with the safest banks below.

T14. Malta: 5.9 — "Capital buffers retained by local banks are among the highest in Europe, and Maltese banks have consistently returned solvency ratios that are almost double the EU average," a recent report on the country's financial sector said.

T14. Taiwan: 5.9 — While Taiwanese citizens are largely pretty happy with the soundness of their banks, earlier in October lender Far Eastern International Bank was subject to a hack in which $60 million was stolen.

T14. Slovakia: 5.9 — "Slovak banks have a strong capital-adequacy performance, and a stronger funding position than their regional neighbours, with domestic deposits covering a larger share of loans, making banks less reliant on external funding," a 2015 report from the Economist Intelligence Unit said of the Slovakian financial sector.

The benefits of reading books are countless.

Books have been proven to make us more empathetic, equip us to deal with uncertainty and anxiety, and help to prevent cognitive decline through middle age into our advanced years.

With so many advantages — not to mention the fact that they give our eyes a much-needed rest from back-lit, digital screens — picking up a book is something we should all incorporate into our daily routines.

However, making it through a hefty novel can seem like a daunting task.

Business Insider teamed up with book review website and recommendation platform Goodreads to create a list of the highest-rated, most popular, and most culturally relevant fiction books which consist of 250 pages or less.

The books were selected by Goodreads staff based on their high ratings and positive reviews from Goodreads users. Each entry on the list contains the book's page count, its average rating from Goodreads users, and a synopsis from the publisher.

Scroll down to discover the 25 best books on Goodreads under 250 pages, ranked by user rating in ascending order.

"The End We Start From" by Megan Hunter — 3.53 stars

"In the midst of a mysterious environmental crisis, as London is submerged below flood waters, a woman gives birth to her first child, Z. Days later, the family are forced to leave their home in search of safety.

"As they move from place to place, shelter to shelter, their journey traces both fear and wonder as Z's small fists grasp at the things he sees, as he grows and stretches, thriving and content against all the odds."

140 pages.Check out "The End We Start From" on Goodreads here.

"The Buddha in the Attic" by Julie Otsuka — 3.6 stars

Julie Otsuka’s follow-up to "When the Emperor Was Divine" tells the story of a group of young women brought from Japan to San Francisco as "picture brides" nearly a century ago.

"The Buddha in the Attic traces the picture brides’ extraordinary lives, from their arduous journey by boat, where they exchange photographs of their husbands, imagining uncertain futures in an unknown land; to their arrival in San Francisco and their tremulous first nights as new wives; to their backbreaking work picking fruit in the fields and scrubbing the floors of white women; to their struggles to master a new language and a new culture; to their experiences in childbirth, and then as mothers, raising children who will ultimately reject their heritage and their history; to the deracinating arrival of war."

129 pages.Check out "The Buddha in the Attic" on Goodreads here.

"All the Birds, Singing" by Evie Wyld — 3.62 stars

"Jake Whyte is living on her own in an old farmhouse on a craggy British island, a place of ceaseless rains and battering winds. Her disobedient collie, Dog, and a flock of sheep are her sole companions, which is how she wanted it to be. But every few nights something — or someone — picks off one of the sheep and sets off a new deep pulse of terror.

"With exceptional artistry and empathy, 'All the Birds, Singing' reveals an isolated life in all its struggles and stubborn hopes, unexpected beauty, and hard-won redemption."

24o pages.Check out "All the Birds, Singing" on Goodreads here.

Bloomberg has opened a new European headquarters in London with enough space for over 4,000 staff.

The 1.1 million sq ft site — based in two buildings joined by bridges — is located between the Bank of England and St Paul's Cathedral in London's famous Square Mile.

It features a giant 210 metre ramp at its heart that aims to encourage collaboration between workers and a pantry with free snacks and views over London.

The office will be opened by Bloomberg's billionaire founder and CEO, Michael Bloomberg, on Tuesday. Guests will include Norman Foster and Sadiq Khan.

Here's what it looks like:

The office is spread across two 10-storey buildings.

It features 9,600 tonnes of Derbyshire sandstone.

The office is located on top of a site of historical importance. The site was previously home to the ancient Temple of Mithras and Roman London's commercial centre.

The finds included 400 fragments of writing tablets. One of the tablets is the first hand-written document known from Britain and the first reference to London ever recorded.

You'll have to shell out at least $999 to own Apple's new iPhone X. 

If you want Apple's top-of-the-line leather case to go with it, be prepared to spend $100 more. 

Apple will be selling a leather folio case, which includes a flap that covers the phone's screen, for the iPhone X. Just added to the company's website, the case will come in four colors — a dark "cosmos" blue, taupe, black, and "berry" red — and will cost $99.

That's a big jump in price from Apple's previous leather cases. A standard leather case for the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus costs $49.99, as do the other new leather cases for iPhone X.

That said, the folio case will do things those cases can't, including waking up your phone when you open it and putting your phone to sleep when you close it. The case can also store your credit cards, ID, and cash.

The new case isn't yet available and likely won't be until the iPhone X itself is on sale. Apple will begin taking preorders for its new flagship phone on October 27 through its website. The iPhone X will hit retail stores on November 3.

Here's a closer look at the new leather folio case in its four colors:

SEE ALSO: This titanium iPhone case costs $1,345 — more than the most expensive iPhone it could possibly protect

SEE ALSO: Here's what to say when you only have 3 minutes to make a great impression

1. Should you always negotiate salary?

You might have heard people say things like, "You should always try to negotiate salary because otherwise you might be leaving money on the table." But while it's true that you should often try to negotiate, there are times when it doesn't makes sense. If you asked for $X and the employer offers you that amount or even more, asking for more will make you look like you're operating in bad faith. And if the employer makes you an unusually generous offer that's above the market rate for the work, and you're happy with that offer, you may look out of touch if you ask for more. But in most other cases, it's true that it's a smart move to see if there's any room for an offer to increase.

2. At what point should you start trying to negotiate salary?

Wait until you have a job offer, so that you have a number to respond to. Plus, once an employer offers you a job, they've decided that they want you. You have more standing to negotiate, and they have more interest in agreeing on terms, than before an offer is on the table.

3. What exactly should you say when you negotiate?

People often think they have to present a detailed case to back up a request for more money, but generally it's enough to just say something like, "I'm really excited about the job, but I was hoping that you might be able to do something closer to $X on the salary." Another way to say it: "Do you have any flexibility on the salary? The number I had in mind was $X, based on the responsibilities of the position and the experience I'd be bringing to it." Or: "If you're able to go up to $X, I'd be thrilled to accept." (Important: After you say this, stop talking, even if it feels awkward. Sometimes people get nervous, keep talking and end up undercutting themselves.)

In September, McDonald's announced that it had added a new set of espresso-based drinks to the menu: a caramel macchiato, a vanilla cappuccino, and an americano. 

The new drinks were controversial among franchisees, who said that the new offerings took too long to make and required unnecessary, expensive equipment.

However, on Tuesday, executives said that the McCafe initiatives had paid off in sales. The fast-food chain reported that sales at stores open in the US for at least one year rose 4.1%, marking the chain's third consecutive quarter of increasing sales. 

Coffee is "a $30 million business in the US," McDonald's US President Chris Kempczinski said in a call with investors. And, there are four specific things that McCafe can bring to McDonald's business that other fast-food items can't. 

Here's why gourmet McCafe is a key part of McDonald's future: 

SEE ALSO: McDonald's newest menu items should terrify Starbucks

It provides a reputation boost.

One of franchisees' biggest complaints about the new drinks was that they were merely copying Starbucks. 

"Time-consuming products like this do not belong on McDonald's menu," one franchisee told Mark Kalinowski, a Nomura analyst. 

However, at $2, McCafe beverages are significantly less expensive than Starbucks' — and they still push a more gourmet image than most McDonald's menu items. For comparison, a tall caramel macchiato at Starbucks costs nearly twice as much, at $3.95. A tall Starbucks cappuccino costs $2.95.

Infrequent customers can be turned into regulars.

According to executives, building out the coffee menu is key to making McDonald's a habit, not just an infrequent treat. 

Customers buy breakfast as well.

If customers are already at McDonald's for coffee, they're primed to buy something off of McDonald's breakfast menu — and vice versa. 

After beating the Cubs in the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the World Series for the first time since 1988.

That drought doesn't come close to the longest in MLB history, but after a lengthy period of sustained winning, but little postseason glory, the Dodgers are finally over the hump. With one of the wealthiest ownership groups in baseball, money has fueled much of their success, but the front office tandem of Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi is also one of the best in the business, demonstrating an uncanny ability to find impact players on the cheap.

With 473 wins over the past five seasons (including 104 in 2017 alone), these Dodgers are one of the most fearsome clubs in recent memory. Below, we take a look at how the team was assembled.

Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations

When acquired: Prior to the 2015 season

How acquired: Hired by the Dodgers after resigning from his previous post with the Tampa Bay Rays.

2017 salary: ~$7 million, plus incentives

Contract: 5 years, $35 million

One thing to know: The Dodgers had deep pockets long before they installed the current regime, but it's Friedman who has done much of the work to create the front office's foward-thinking culture. The Tulane graduate cut his teeth as an executive with the small-market Tampa Bay Rays, with whom he was named Sporting News' Baseball Executive of the Year for 2008.

Dave Roberts, manager

When acquired: Prior to the 2016 season

How acquired: Hired by the Dodgers after leaving his role as bench coach of the San Diego Padres

2017 salary: Unknown

Contract: 3 years, with a team option for a fourth

One thing to know: In just two seasons as a manager, Roberts has already earned respect throughout the game. The former outfielder was named 2016 National League Manager of the Year, and he's known for his deft deployment of analytics as much as he's known for his rapport with the players.

Corey Seager, shortstop

When acquired: 2012

How acquired: The 18th pick of the 2012 MLB Draft

2017 salary: $575,000

Contract: 1 year, $575,000. Seager will likely receive his first big raise in 2019 when he will be eligible for arbitration for the first time. He is not eligible for free agency until 2022.

One thing to know: Seager has quickly blossomed into one of the best all-around players in the game, but he might not even be the best shortstop from his draft class. Carlos Correa and Addison Russell were both selected ahead of him.

It's pretty amazing that a tiny smartphone camera lens can produce photos almost as good as bigger and heavier dedicated cameras.

I've just tested the cameras on two of the top smartphones you can buy right now — Apple's iPhone 8 Plus and Google's Pixel 2 XL — and they both take great photos. More than ever before, they're narrowing the gap between smartphone cameras and expensive DSLR cameras. 

However, the companies behind each smartphone's camera have their own philosophy of how photos should look, much like camera brands. It's really up to you to decide which company's philosophy you like better. With that said, I personally can't agree with Apple's philosophy when it comes to colors, and I'd consider it a flaw, at least when I compared the iPhone 8 Plus photos to the Pixel 2 XL's.

Apart from that, most of my judgments against either phone's camera is nitpicking at this point. 

See how the Pixel 2 XL's camera compares to the iPhone 8 Plus:

SEE ALSO: Google's Pixel 2 smartphone uses the same waterproofing material that off-road cars use

In this shot, both the Pixel and iPhone took great photos.

They only really differ in the overall color "temperature," where the iPhone tends to make photos appear warmer than they actually are by adding yellow-ish tint to most of the building facades. The colors in the Pixel are more accurate. 

Overall, the iPhone's photo looks generally better, as colors on the Pixel photo appear more monotone compared to the iPhone's photo.

Here's another similar shot, but the iPhone's warmer tones went too far.

On its own, the iPhone's photo looks fine. But once you compare it with the Pixel's photo, it's clear that the iPhone tends to make photos far warmer than they should be. It's a clear sign that Apple's philosophy is to make photos warmer than the original scene, and this is where I'd consider the iPhone camera is flawed. It's especially noticeable in the trees, which look almost yellow in the iPhone photo instead of green in the Pixel photo, and it's not a great look. Skin tones on people's faces also look orange on the iPhone's photo rather than their more accurate skin tones in the Pixel photo. 

Google's philosophy is to let a scene and its colors speak for itself rather than adjusting the color temperature.

Then there's the iPhone's secondary "telephoto" lens, which has a 2x optical zoom. The Pixel phone doesn't have a secondary lens.

The iPhone has a 2x optical zoom, which the Pixel doesn't have, so we can't compare photos in this instance. 

No one loves Halloween more than 44-year-old model Heidi Klum. 

Every year since 2000, Klum has hosted over-the-top Halloween parties for her famous friends — and every year she arrives in a costume that's somehow more jaw-dropping than the last. 

She takes this stuff seriously: In fact, nobody gets into her parties unless they're in costume. 

"I always put on my invitation, 'Costume required,' because if you're not dressing up, you're not getting in,"she told People in 2011.

Klum is already hard at work on her 2017 look — and she's dropping cryptic hints about it on Instagram. But until the big reveal on October 31, here's a look back at all of Klum's fabulous outfits over the years.

Klum was just 27 when she hosted her first party in 2000. That night, she rocked a goth Pippi Longstocking kind of look.

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She arrived on horseback for her Lady Godiva costume the next year.

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Lady Godiva was an English noblewoman — and legend says she once rode her horse through the streets of Coventry, England while naked. 

She kept it much simpler in 2002, dressing up as Betty Boop.

• Sears Canada, which is separate from Sears' business in the US, is liquidating all of its assets.
• As it closes stores, everything has gone on sale.
• The resulting photos are apocalyptic.

Sears is shuttering its Canadian locations — and the stores are descending into chaos.

Earlier in October, Sears Canada announced it would seek court approval to liquidate its remaining stores and assets in the nation.

Now, liquidators have taken over the locations. First, they bumped up the prices on items that were previously on sale, Consumerist reported. Now they're dragging prices down until everything is gone.

The result is apocalyptic. Many Sears locations in the US are looking pretty shabby right now. But, as seen in photos published by Consumerist, even the worst Sears in America looks pretty good in comparison.

Here's some of the worst carnage yet of the retail apocalypse.

SEE ALSO: One of Sears' crucial 100-year supplier relationships has died

Sears Canada liquidation sales began on October 19 and are expected to continue for 10 to 14 weeks.

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Stores are covered in signs proclaiming that "EVERYTHING MUST GO."

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By the end of the weekend, everything had been marked down 20% to 50% at most Sears locations.

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Black leggings are a closet staple because they are comfortable, warm, and easy to pair with almost anything. These traits also make them a great fashion idea for Halloween, so don't overlook this piece when creating your last minute DIY costume. 

INSIDER rounded up 15 creative Halloween costumes that you can make wearing leggings. Some of these looks require a few more key pieces than others, so be prepared to purchase one or two other essentials. 

Selina Kyle from "Gotham"

What you need: Black leggings, a gray hoodie, and a black leather jacket. 

Pikachu from "Pokémon"

What you need: Black leggings, a yellow shirt or dress, fake ears, and costume makeup. 

Mia Wallace from "Pulp Fiction"

What you need: Black leggings, a long-sleeve white button down shirt, and a short black wig or a faux bob.

• The BMW 5-Series is now in its seventh generation.
• The carmaker can't make a bad car — but has it lost something in the thrills department?
• We spent a few day with a 530i to find out.
• BMW has had decades to set the bar, and it has gotten very good at that responsibility to the legacy of the 5-Series. It cannot disappoint, and it doesn't. Nor does it thrill.

Reviewing the heart of the BMW lineup has suddenly and unexpectedly become tricky. We're talking about the 3 Series and 5 Series sedans, vehicles that have established the bar for luxury, performance passenger cars since the 1980s.

It was BMW vs. everybody else back then — and everybody else was losing — but over the decades, the competition has come on and come on strong. The Ultimate Driving Machine is now challenged by German rivals Mercedes and Audi, as well as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, Cadillac and even Alfa Romeo with the new Giulia. Passenger cars have also seen their markets fade as consumers have shifted to crossover SUVs.

The seventh generation of the 5-Series arrived for the 2017 model year, and I was pretty excited to check out the new sedan. My relationship with BMW four-doors has always been that I enjoy the compact 3-Series, don't entirely get the full-size 7-Series, and truly adore the just-right, mid-size 5-Series, which has been around in one form or another since the early 1970s.

BMW flipped us the keys to a supremely well-optioned 2017 530i (base price: $51,200; as tested: $72,135), a rear-wheel-drive version with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. And we spent a weekend grappling with its charms.

Photos by Hollis Johnson.

SEE ALSO: FOLLOW US on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

No argument: BMWs look good in blue. In this case, Mediterranean Blue Metallic, an extra $700.

The reason I like the 5-Series is that I find all the proportions to be right. The lines from front to back are long enough, the hood-line and belt-line combine for pleasing effect, and the front fascia with BMW's signature kidney grille is exactly the right distance from the cabin.

It's a nice-looking car, stately, with a hint of sportiness and flash.

• El Día de los Muertos (or the Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday of prayer and remembrance for those who have died.
• In Mexico, people dress up in skeletal costumes, visit and decorate the graves of loved ones, and build altars with food and flowers.
• It's a bittersweet holiday.

Día de los Muertos honors those who are no longer alive by inviting them to visit the people they left behind.

People in Mexico (and around the world) observe the holiday with offerings of food, flowers, and music for the dead, as well as skeleton costumes and candy for the living.

Here's what this bittersweet time looks like in Mexico.

El Día de los Muertos (or the Day of the Dead) is a holiday of prayer and remembrance for those who have passed away.

It's a public holiday in Mexico, but it's also observed in places with large Hispanic populations like Bolivia, Peru, and parts of the US.

The ancient holiday dates back 3,000 years to the Aztec belief that the dead revisit Earth for one day every year.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Cooking and hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful.
• Between turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and many more side dishes, it can be overwhelming to determine an efficient cooking schedule. 
• INSIDER worked with Dan Holzman, chef and co-owner of The Meatball Shop, to come up with a Thanksgiving timeline that will help you figure out when to start cooking every dish.
• Keep reading for our detailed timeline and prep schedule. 

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year in the US, at least when it comes to food.

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful no matter how many guests you're expecting, given that there's a seemingly endless menu of classic side dishes, pies, and of course, a huge turkey. 

INSIDER spoke with Dan Holzman, chef and co-owner of The Meatball Shop mini chain in New York City, about the best way to plan out your Thanksgiving menu, as well as when you should start cooking each dish.

"If you are the type of person that loves to get stuff out of the way, there are a bunch of dishes and prep work that you can do ahead of time," Holzman said. "But from an efficiency perspective, there's a lot of down time in between roasting a turkey or even making mashed potatoes." 

Here's what you should be prepping beforehand: 

One week before:

• Make and refrigerate cranberry sauce.
• Prepare turkey or vegetable stock (if you are using homemade).

The day before:

• Bake all desserts, including pies.
• For stuffing, prepare dried bread one to two days in advance.

With proper planning, however, it's possible to make a full dinner primarily the day of. It's also possible to avoid most of the hassle and stress typically associated with the food-centric holiday.  

With that being said, keep reading for our timeline of when you should cook every dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Cranberry sauce

When you should start cooking: About a week before Thanksgiving.

Cranberry sauce will last up to a week and a half in the refrigerator, so it's the perfect dish to prepare in advance.

Plus, making cranberry sauce requires giving it several hours to cool down to achieve the right texture, as "the thickening process happens when [cranberry sauce] cools," according to Holzman. 

2. Pies

When you should start cooking: The day before Thanksgiving.

Pies may be the last dish that you'll eat on Thanksgiving, but they can be one of the first menu items that you prepare. Baking pies the night before Thanksgiving is an easy way to get ahead and avoid stress on Thanksgiving day. 

"The oven space on Thanksgiving is the number one commodity," Holzman said.

Since pies require precious oven space and very specific temperatures, it's best to prepare desserts ahead of time.

3. Turkey

When you should start cooking: Season the turkey the night before, and start cooking it Thanksgiving morning.

While it's best to actually cook your turkey on Thanksgiving day, Holzman recommends seasoning your turkey the night before. Since it's the main event, the turkey should be the first dish you start cooking in the morning. 

"The resting process is an absolutely imperative part of the cooking process," Holzman said. Most people overcook their turkeys in the oven and overlook letting them rest, rendering the final product dry and rubbery.

By taking your turkey out of the oven before it is fully cooked, you'll allow the heat to redistribute, allowing heat from the outside to seep in, leaving you with a perfectly cooked, juicy turkey, Holzman explained. 

To finish off the process, Holzman suggests carving the turkey, and then broiling it in the oven to complete cooking and crisp the skin.

Since Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican and frequent critic of President Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2018, he has received overflowing support from lawmakers in both parties.

Flake made his announcement after he tore into the Republican Party during an emotional speech on the Senate floor. The senator, who refused to endorse President Donald Trump in 2016, criticized the president and warned his colleagues of becoming complacent.

Here's what other lawmakers said following Flake's announcement:

SEE ALSO: Anti-Trump GOP Sen. Jeff Flake will not seek reelection, saying it would require him to condone behavior that he cannot condone

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

"I'm very saddened and disappointed to hear that @JeffFlake is retiring from the Senate," Graham said on Twitter. "Jeff is one of the smartest, most independent-minded senators in the Republican conference."

"His retirement will be a great loss to the body," Graham continued. "@JeffFlake is a good man who will continue to make contributions to our nation and the conservative cause for years to come."

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona

McCain praised Flake's service and said it will be reviewed as one of "honor, brilliance, and patriotism, and love of country."

"I know you have served Arizona and the country," McCain said. "And there's one thing that I'm absolutely sure of, and that you will continue that service."

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York

"He is one of the finest human beings I've met in politics," Schumer said in a statement. "He is moral, upright, and strong and he will be missed by just about everybody in the Senate."

Air travel has changed drastically throughout the decades. 

From the very first flight in the early 1900s to seat-side, hand-carved hams in the 1950s, to today's touch screen entertainment system, air travel has come a long way.

Keep scrolling to see what air travel looked like in every decade.

1920s

The 1920s was the first era where aircraft existed that were designed exclusively for passengers. Planes during this time usually held fewer than 20 passengers, reached a cruising altitude of 3,000 feet or less, and were slower than traveling by train because they were flying at speeds of around 100 mph, had to stop to refuel often, and could only travel by day.

Flying in the 1920s was also an uncomfortable experience for passengers because it was super loud and cold, as planes were made of un-insulated sheets of metal that shook loudly in the wind. The cabins were also completely unpressurized. Nonetheless, air travel continued to gain popularity.

1930s

In the 1930s, female flight attendants, called stewardesses, were first introduced to make flying more comfortable. Their roles were similar to current-day flight attendants.

Not only was the service better, but airplanes themselves had become more comfortable. They were soundproofed, heated, and the seats were padded and upholstered. The planes could also fly much higher, reaching an altitude of around 20,000 feet, which reduced turbulence and made travel by aircraft a lot faster (around 200 mph). The first pressurized commercial transport aircraft was introduced in 1938.

Cabins were also roomier, and seating was more creative with couches, reclining chairs, and swiveling seats.

1940s

Air travel significantly changed during the second Wold War, as aircraft were being developed for the purpose of war, rather than commercial flight.

However, once the war ended the US and Europe were left with a lot of planes, as well as large airbases with long runways, which they repurposed for commercial flight. New airports were built closer to Europe's main cities, like today's London Heathrow Airport, which was finished in 1946, and transatlantic flight, like between New York and London, became a daily occurrence.

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

For the first-time homeowner, there’s a long grocery list of things they’re going to need and a tighter budget to fill those needs.

They’ll be buying matching bowls and plates, new silverware (have they really had 17x more forks than spoons all this time?) and trying to fill their new place with decorations and nicer versions of whatever was suiting the same purpose in their childhood home or college dorm.

Since they might not have as much money as they wish when just starting out, the most thoughtful gifts often intersect with the most useful ones. The only reason they will want a piece of artwork you picked out or a portable reflection pool is if they can sell it and then stock the hallway closet with toilet paper from the sale.

Below, we collected 17 gifts that the first-time homeowner really wants, needs, and will appreciate from any of their loved ones.

SEE ALSO: 5 hacks an interior decorator says will make your small apartment seem a lot bigger

A trusted cookbook to get them started on cooking

If it's your first house or apartment, it might also be your first time really relying on your own prowess in the kitchen. A well-known, trusted cookbook like this one is both helpful and thoughtful. 

Gift an Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa cookbook

A Blue Apron gift card for groceries

While they get settled in, groceries or a trip to the store are things they might not want to have to worry about. A Blue Apron gift card is one thoughtful way of taking one more thing off their plate by just delivering a bunch of healthy, pre-portioned meals to their doorstep instead. 

Gift a Blue Apron gift card

A Brooklinen gift card to get some of the best sheets money can buy

Brooklinen sheets are classic, clean, and incredibly comfortable, which is why they're one of our favorite Insider Picks. They'll probably want to pick it out for themselves, but a gift card is a perfect way to give them a luxury they'll be extremely happy to have, but maybe don't want to spend the money on right now. 

Gift a Brooklinen gift card

It's not easy to keep a marriage going for any amount of time, but staying together happily for more than 50 years is a feat to truly be proud of. 

INSIDER asked real couples and their family members for photos of them back when they first fell in love and them today. What we discovered is that love keeps you looking good. 

Tim and Allana O'Shea

Tim, 71, and Allana, 70, will have been married for 50 years on March 16, 2018, but their first date was almost a disaster, their daughter Kelly told INSIDER. 

"My mother was not very impressed at first," Kelly wrote. "She spent hours getting ready for the date only to find out that my dad's idea of a date was taking a 6-pack of beer to the beach."

But things looked up later when Allana needed a date to a school dance and called Tim. They fell in love and decided to elope on March 16, 1968. Kelly said they are best friends and couldn't imagine life without the other. They recently bought a house at the Jersey Shore. 

Judy and Richard Columbus

Columbus, Ohio, is a special place for Judy, 78, and Richard, 79. Not only is it part of their namesake, but the couple met as students at Ohio State University. They've been married for almost 58 years and reside part of the year in New York and part in Palm Desert, California.

Ben Bryant and Elizabeth Hepburn

Ben Bryant and Elizabeth Hepburn met each other on July 26, 1967 at Summer stock, and were so enamored with each other that they married on November 25 of that year.

They were married for about 30 years when they eventually separated, then divorced in 1999.  But this story has a happy ending, as they eventually reconciled and remarried in 2010, a process that Ben wrote about in one of his memoirs: "Waiting For Elizabeth (A Love Story)." 

• Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong are on trial for the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
• The two claim they thought they were participating in a game show.
• Malaysian police brought them back to the scene of the crime this week — an airport.

The two women on trial in Malaysia in connection with the murder of Kim Jong Nam were taken back to the scene of the crime on Monday — the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Kim Jong Nam was North Korea leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother. Siti Aisyah, who is Indonesian, and Doan Thi Huong, who is Vietnamese, are accused of rubbing a highly toxic nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam's face.

Both have pleaded not guilty and claim they were told it was a game show prank.

Along with the suspects, judges, lawyers, and scores of police were also brought to the airport. Many of the pictures, seen below, are from the check-in area, where authorities say Kim Jong Nam was attacked.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the life and death of Kim Jong Nam

Armed police were everywhere in the airport.

Here's what it looked like the day of the attack: A still image from a CCTV footage shows a man purported to be Kim Jong Nam, circled in red, talking to airport staff after being attacked.

During Monday's tour, Doan Thi Huong was escorted by police around the airport. Note the Burger King "King Box" advertisement in the background.

• Trader Joe's has just about everything you could want, and at an affordable cost. 
• They even have every item you might need to cook Thanksgiving dinner. 
• From cranberry sauce to turkey, here are 15 Trader Joe's items you need to complete this year's Thanksgiving feast. 

We’ve been official for a while now, and TBH, Trader Joe’s is the best imaginary boyfriend ever. Sure, he’s a little cheap, but he makes up for it by doing stuff like cooking our entire Thanksgiving dinner for us. And have you seen his mini pumpkin pies?

Turkey and Stuffing Seasoned Kettle Chips

Trader Joe’s ($2)

Cornbread Stuffing Mix

Trader Joe’s ($4)

Fresh Young Turkeys

Trader Joe’s ($2 a pound)