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Though your summer beach trips are just getting started and school is probably the last thing you want to think about, back-to-school season is coming up sooner than you think.

Instead of putting off supply and clothing shopping until the day before school starts — when the aisles have been swept clean by other frantic parents and students — it helps to take a proactive approach and prepare ahead of time. 

By shopping online, you can take your time to browse a larger selection of products and take advantage of any exclusive online offers that will help you save money. 

These online retailers know that back-to-school shopping is stressful, so many offer free, fast shipping and pick up policies, special perks, and student-centric services to make the process as easy as possible.

They're also the best choices for your wallet. Individually, each supply's price might not make you blink an eye, but the costs will add up by the time you reach the end of your list. Shop at these online stores to find the best deals, bulk prices, and everyday low prices. 

Below you'll find a breakdown 8 online stores and the various perks and advantages they offer for back-to-school shopping: 

Target

Shop back-to-school at Target

Affordability, style, and selection are why Target remains a shopper favorite. Target offers a variety of features and services to make back-to-school shopping easier than ever:

• School List Assist: Teachers submit their school supply lists here, so all you need to do is search for your class and Target will instantly match the list to the items you need. You can add everything to your cart in one click. 
• On to College: Dorm room and apartment shopping lives here. When you shop online and pick up the order in a store, you'll save 15%. You can also start a college registry to get some help preparing for your next four years. 
• School & Office Supplies: Shop your favorite brands alongside Target exclusives. New releases like its cheap tech basics brand "heyday" make Target a major competitor to Amazon.   
• Drive Up: If you're especially pressed for time — like realizing you forgot an essential item on your way to your first day of class — you don't even have to leave your car to pick up your order. Shop from the Target app, then have a store team member load your trunk once you arrive at the store. 

Boxed

Shop back-to-school at Boxed

When it comes to buying in bulk, the best place to shop isn't Costco or Amazon — it's actually a membership-free site called Boxed. It's never a bad idea to stock up on the supplies you're going to use often, including pens, pencils, and Wite-Out, and Boxed's competitive prices provide even more reason to do so. Shop the "Office & School" department for your school needs, and if you need dorm essentials, you can also find grocery items, bath and body products, and cleaning supplies.

You get two samples with each order, receive re-order reminders when you're probably almost out of toilet paper or shampoo, and can create group orders with the whole household. You only get free shipping for orders over $49, but they ship quickly in one to three business days, or you have the option to sign up for Boxed Up, which gives you free priority shipping on all orders. 

Amazon

Shop back-to-school at Amazon

Amazon is one of the few places where you can find books, electronics, furniture, clothing, personal care products, and food at really great prices, put them all in one cart, and receive your order at your door within a couple days. Prime Day is a popular time to knock out the long school supply list since everything you need will probably be on sale. Shop general office and school supplies, and if you're a college student, you have your own hub to start your shopping. 

Here are more reasons why Amazon is an especially good site for college students to shop: 

• They get 50% off Prime memberships and can get started with a free six-month trial here.
• They can save money by renting instead of buying textbooks. 
• There are usually Amazon lockers located on or near college campuses, so they can pick up their package from a secure location. 

Summer is synonymous with fun road trips, beach getaways, and even amusement parks. But just like any good plan, these things don’t always go as planned, especially in the case of amusement parks.

From unsafe rides to motion sickness to heat exhaustion, there are a lot of things that can go wrong at amusement parks. Despite the occasional amusement park horror story, people still line up in droves for the food, games, and newest attractions.

These 14 people have shared stories so scary, gross, and mind-boggling that you may never want to step foot on a ride again. Although INSIDER can't independently verify any of the claims, they sure are fun — and also cringe-worthy — to read.

Multiple rides got stuck, and the park offered us pizza to make up for it.

"We went on a roller coaster where you're essentially standing with a bike seat in your a--. We got stuck on that ride three times, totaling up to two hours. They offered everyone affected free pizza.

"A few rides later, at the top of our drop, every other cart drops but ours. We were stuck at the top for another two hours. I don't have a fear of heights, but the girl beside us was puking and it was pretty high up, and I can only imagine the wind taking her puke and ruining someone's day. Anyways, two hours pass and without warning, they drop us, and I, of course, think I'm going to die. I didn't obviously, but they offered us pizza for the inconvenience.

"I think about this now and it makes [me] astounded how [easily] 13-year-old me was satisfied."— Redditor Ghalian

I was dehydrated and got a heat stroke.

"My friend's dad took my friend and me to an amusement park one summer when we were 11. It was located in Houston, and if you've ever been to Houston during the summer, you know it's hot as f---. We woke up late that day and went straight to lunch beforehand, where I ate a cheeseburger, salty fries, and a soda. So at this point, I'd had absolutely zero water leading up to our arrival at the park.

"We finally get inside and traverse the park to get in line for our first ride which had an estimated one hour wait time. Well about 30 minutes into the wait, I started feeling a little odd. I was getting light headed, and things were very oddly fading in and out into different shades of yellow. I had no idea what was going on, so I tried to tell my friend's dad, but it was too late.

"At this point a remember everything turning a very dark shade of yellow, I couldn't speak, and the last thing I remember was watching my deep yellow-hued vomit being broadcasted all across the lady in line front of me. I woke up in the medical center of the theme park and was diagnosed with a severe heat stroke that nearly killed me. Safe to say he made sure we drank plenty of water in the summer going forward."— Redditor ron_e123

Someone hit me with a pumpkin.

"Someone threw a small plastic pumpkin off of a ride going probably 40 mph and it hit me directly in the throat while I was standing in line."— Redditor loreola

• McDonald's restaurant crew members typically work under a number of managers.
• Business Insider spoke with numerous current and former McDonald's employees about their own experiences with the chain's management.
• They provided a few suggestions for current and future leaders at the fast food chain.

SEE ALSO: McDonald's employees share 7 things they learned from working at the fast-food giant

DON'T MISS: McDonald's employees reveal their 20 favorite menu items — and one bonus secret menu item everyone should try

SEE ALSO: McDonald's employees share the 6 menu items they'd never eat

Focus on training

Four McDonald's crew members told Business Insider that they would advise management to make training a priority.

A former crew member from Virginia told Business Insider that orientation was a "glorified PowerPoint"— and a misleading one at that.

"McDonald's specifically outlines the responsibilities of each station, as if they are all independently managed by one person," the ex-employee told Business Insider. "When you start working there, you quickly see that they expect you to manage multiple roles and stations at the same time, essentially doing the work of two to four people."

The ex-crew member added that "... the only way to get permanently designated to a position instead of being moved as needed is to be better at everyone else at that one job."

Another employee from Minnesota said that managers should keep employees "up to date on stuff."

And another employee from New York said that managers should focus on teaching crew members soft skills, namely ones that allow them "... to work with and handle difficult people while somehow still getting the job done."

Listen to employee preferences

A McDonald's crew member from Minnesota told Business Insider that management should make sure to take into consideration employees' "preferences," especially when it comes to scheduling.

"Rolling breaks out an hour into a shift isn't a good way to keep us around," the employee told Business Insider. "Make sure to take care of your workers, they do have preferences as well. Also, try to remember what the employees are interested in."

A Georgia-based crew member told Business Insider that they felt some managers did not respect "time constraints when scheduling employees."

A crew member from outside of Chicago added that managers should have more "consistency" when it comes to assigning certain tasks, like clean-up duty.

Be nice to your team

"We understand that you guys have your own politics and workload to worry about, but don't take out your frustration on us just because we're under you," a Virginia-based former crew member told Business Insider. "That's not how you inspire leadership."

And that goes beyond just holding off on yelling at employees.

"Treat employees like people, not numbers," another McDonald's employee told Business Insider.

• Before the Environmental Protection Agency started regulating pollution in the nation's air, water, and land, things were dire. These photos show how bad it was.
• We've made significant progress since then, but there's still a lot of work to do to keep our environment and those who live in it healthy.
• The Trump administration's EPA aims to roll back a number of environmental protections, though Scott Pruitt resigned on July 5 amid ethics scandals.
• The new acting administrator of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, is likely to continue with a similar agenda.
• Now that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has announced his retirement, many experts think a number of environmental regulations could get overturned.

As the story goes, the chemical-filled Cuyahoga River in Cleveland burst into flames on June 22, 1969, possibly ignited by a spark from a passing train.

That had happened at least dozen times before on the Cuyahoga. Additional fires were known to blaze up on rivers in Detroit, Baltimore, Buffalo, and other cities.

River fires were far from the only environmental disasters in the US at the time. A spill from an offshore oil rig in California coated the coast in oil and pollutants. Smog and car exhaust choked cities around the country.

In the late 60s, Americans were growing more aware of how unregulated pollution and chemical use were endangering the country and the people in it. People were ready for a change. 

In his 1970 State of the Union address, President Richard Nixon said: "We still think of air as free. But clean air is not free, and neither is clean water. The price tag on pollution control is high. Through our years of past carelessness we incurred a debt to nature, and now that debt is being called."

Nixon followed that up with a list of requests to Congress and later that year announced the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA.

Soon after it was founded, the EPA began a photo project called Documerica that captured more than 81,000 images showing what the US looked like from 1971 to 1977. More than 20,000 photos were archived, and at least 15,000 have been digitized by the National Archives.

The EPA's role since then has varied from administration to administration.

Trump's former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt worked to roll back a number of rules that were previously put in place to protect air and water. Many reports suggested Pruitt's primary aim was to eliminate most environmental protections and dismantle parts of the regulatory agency.

But on July 5, in the wake of a long list of scandals, Trump announced he'd accepted Pruitt's resignation.

Pruitt had announced plans to kill the Clean Power Plan, the Obama administration's main initiative to fight climate change by lowering emissions. Under Pruitt, the EPA also reversed a ban on a pesticide that can harm children's brains and moved to rescind the Clean Water Rule, which clarified the Clean Water Act to prohibit industries from dumping pollutants into streams and wetlands.

Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, was Pruitt's deputy and is now acting administrator of the EPA, so it's likely that he will pursue a similar agenda.

The resignation of Pruitt, along with the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, raises new questions about the future of environmental regulations in the US. Kennedy, who plans to finish his work on July 31, was the swing vote in a number of environmental cases, including the one that granted the EPA the ability to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. A new Trump nominee may be more likely to overturn key environmental protections, according to legal experts.

As a reminder of what the US looked like before many of the EPA's policies were in place, here's a selection of the Documerica photos from the 1970s.

SEE ALSO: Half of the Great Barrier Reef has died since 2016 — here's what happens if all coral reefs on Earth die off

Many of these photos show life in America at the time, but several also document concerning environmental issues.

Smog, seen here obscuring the George Washington Bridge in New York, was a far bigger problem.

Smog was common, as this shot of Louisville and the Ohio River from 1972 shows.

Silicon Valley investor and once-prolific tweeter Marc Andreessen is back on Twitter with a new avatar — it's a bald Charlie Brown clutching a book — and a summer reading list.

Andreessen, cofounder of buzzy venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, abruptly left Twitter in the fall of 2016, deleting all his tweets after writing, "Taking a Twitter break!"

The early Facebook investor and creator of the first popular web browser had been well known for his authoritative Twitter presence, firing off tweetstorms and retweeting messages about tech, economics, and politics, at all hours of the day. Andreessen has nearly 700,000 followers on the social media site.

Now he's back, if only to share a summer reading list.

He tweeted on Thursday, "Thread: Books I've recently read and recommend."

Here they are:

SEE ALSO: Andreessen Horowitz is launching a $300 million fund to invest in crypto — and it hired its first-ever female general partner to lead the effort

"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman (2013)

Andreessen says: "Captivating dive into human decision making, marred by inclusion of several/many? psychology studies that fail to replicate. Will stand as a cautionary tale?"

Buy it here: Amazon

"Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts" by Annie Duke (2018)

Andreessen says: "Compact guide to probabilistic domains like poker, or venture capital. Best articulation of 'resulting,' drawing bad conclusions from confusing process and outcome. Recommend for people operating in the real world."

Buy it here: Amazon

"Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns, and One Intact Glass Ceiling" by Amy Chozick (2018)

Andreessen says: "On the bus/in the plane with the Hillary campaign. Revealing in many dimensions at once, and highly entertaining. Best book on the 2016 campaign so far?"

Buy it here: Amazon

• Delta Air Lines unveiled renovated seats in its Boeing 777 aircraft.
• All three sections of the planes will be renovated, with seats in the main cabin expanded to 18.5 inches wide.
• Main-cabin rows will feature nine seats per row. Most airlines pack in 10. 

In an effort to increase customer comfort and get a leg up on the competition, Delta Air Lines is renovating all seats within its fleet of Boeing 777-200s.

On Monday, Delta announced a "full-fleet interior renovation" that will in part widen economy-class seats to 18.5 inches. For comparison, American Airlines' and United Airlines' seats are about 17 inches wide.

"The upgraded 777 design is part of Delta's multibillion-dollar investment in the overall customer experience," the airline said in a statement on its media website.

The biggest change is for travelers is in economy class, or the main cabin: They'll have more room to spread their legs. Previously, Delta used an industry-standard 3-4-3 seat arrangement for economy class: three seats on the left, four in the middle, and three on the right. Delta's new main-cabin configuration will feature nine seats across — three in each section — rather than the 10 across used by American and United.

"The comfort of our customers — across all cabins — is a top priority," Savannah Huddleston, a Delta representative, said in a statement to Business Insider on Thursday. "That's why we've committed to remain at 9-abreast seating in the Main Cabin as we modify our 777s, versus the new norm of 10 across. With 9-abreast, we're able to offer wider Main Cabin seats — the widest of our international fleet — and more preferable seat options."

The wider seats come with a personal power outlet for passengers and an 11-inch TV screen to watch movies or shows. This sounds pretty impressive, especially when considering that American Airlines announced last year that it would eliminate screens on the back of seats in its new 737s.

Another improvement is in Delta's premium-economy section, called Premium Select. This smaller section of the plane has only eight seats across (in a 2-4-2 format) to provide more legroom and space for passengers to move around.

Finally, Delta's first-class cabin, known as Delta One Suites, will have sliding-door accesses to a private cove filled with entertainment options, a personal table, and a 24-inch-wide reclining seat.

Delta says the renovated 777-200s will have 296 total seats: 220 seats in the main cabin, 48 in Premium Select, and 28 in Delta One Suites.

Check out the new pictures below.

SEE ALSO: I flew business class on Delta and paid only $5.60 — here's how I did it

Delta One Suites feature a sliding door and a personal cove to relax in.

The renovated first-class cabin offers travelers both luxury and privacy, with 24-inch-wide seats.

Delta says its new business-class experience seeks to create a "comfortable, residential feel."

Whether it's caused by stress, boredom or simply the knowledge that a frozen pizza is in your freezer, late-night snacking is a common form of dietary self-sabotage.

And your late-night binge habit might have more side effects than waking up with a bloated feeling — obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are just some of the health conditions that have been linked to night eating.

A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania found that late-night eating might make your hormones go haywire, leading to a host of health risks.

"Eating later can promote a negative profile of weight, energy and hormone markers - such as higher glucose and insulin, which are implicated in diabetes, and cholesterol and triglycerides,” study author Namni Goel said.

And in the short-term, late-night snacking has been linked to fitful sleep, impaired cognitive function, and even acid reflux.

Of course, if your late-night munchies work for you, there’s no need to switch up your food schedule. But if you're trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle and can’t seem to kick this habit, here are a few tricks you can try.

Understand the health risks of eating at night.

Your late-night snack habit could be leading not only to disease risk but also to discomfort during the day.

If you’re in need of motivation to kick the habit, read up on the connection between nighttime eating and weight gain, indigestion, heart disease, poor sleep, and more.

Basically, it’s all about keeping your eye on the prize. If you’ve been struggling with fitful slumber, keep the connection between night snacking and sleep disruption in mind and you might find it easier to keep the fridge shut after dinner.

Know that whatever you’re tempted to eat at night will be around tomorrow morning.

That aforementioned freezer pizza isn’t going anywhere. If you find your brain trying to convince you that you absolutely need a nighttime snack, promise yourself that you’ll eat the food in question for breakfast or lunch tomorrow instead. I bet you won’t even want it anymore by then — or, if you do, it’ll be even more satisfying.

Make sure you’re getting what you need during the day.

You might be letting your late-night food habit slide because you feel unsatisfied by what you ate during the day. "I had such a healthy salad for lunch," you might say to yourself, "so I deserve a few treats now."

One way to avoid this line of thinking is to make sure you’re eating enough during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If your lunchtime kale salad feels like a jail sentence, add some meat, extra fruit, or whole grain bread to make it feel more filling. And at dinner time, don’t skimp on the side dishes until you’re sure your late-night habit is kicked.

If you want to take it a step further, you might want to restructure your day so that lunchtime is your biggest meal. Research from Vanderbilt University in Nashville found that our bodies perform better when we make lunch the main food event of the day and keep dinner as light as possible.

• Whether you're an adventure seeker or beach bum, it's important to plan your summer travel around the type of activity and culture you're after.
• If you're an executive with an always-on-the-go lifestyle, a place like Montana will allow you to unplug and slow down. 
• For those who want to take a cross-country journey, California's 656-mile-long Highway 1 has legendary views from its winding roads that you won't want to miss. 
• Out of these 15 destinations for a summer vacation, one of them will be just right for the type of traveler you are.

Summertime, and the living is easy . . . but the travel choices can be so hard. This is the season when much of the world goes into full vacation mode and when nearly every type of traveler — from families and groups of friends to romance-chasing couples and respite-seeking CEOs — makes time for a getaway. But with so many alluring destinations out there, where should your adventures start?

Our handy guide breaks down 15 perennial summer favorites by type of traveler, so you can zero in on your passions and interests and then get out there and explore. So whether you're a hiker, foodie, road-tripper, or overworked exec, read on to discover a whole host of picks around the world that will have you enjoying the season right down to its dog days. Now all you need to do is pack your bag.

SEE ALSO: This luxury travel agency will plan a custom travel adventure at the press of a button — and you could be on flights the next day

Vail, Colorado

Best for: Hikers

The Centennial State may be best known for its winter pursuits, but when the snow melts along the Rocky Mountains, those world-class peaks and trails become prime areas for hikers. For a varied selection of hiking options — and great pit stops at the end — look to the areas around Vail. The popular Booth Lake Trail (often called "the quintessential Vail hike" for its stunning mountain and alpine stream views) can be done in half- or full-day treks, with the former leading you to a waterfall. The Berry Picker trail on Vail Mountain is also not to be missed, offering two intensity options — the tougher trail brings you to the top of Eagle's Nest, where you can enjoy a brunch at Game Creek Restaurant, while the easier downhill version will have you celebrating at Vail Brewing Company or 10th Mountain Whisky & Spirits.

If you prefer not to go it alone, consider booking a guided hike via Walking Mountains Science Center, whose guides are all certified first responders and nature experts. The popular Gore Creek Trail, a 10-mile round-trip journey that takes you along a creek and through meadows, Aspen groves, and fir and spruce forests up to an alpine tundra, also has playful add-ons like the Take a Llama to Lunch experience, in which a llama will ferry a locally sourced meal for you to enjoy at a creek-side picnic spot. When it comes time to turn in, soothe your well-used muscles at the Hotel Talisa, a member of the Luxury Collection portfolio. Following a recent $65 million renovation, the hotel now offers relaxing perks like a standout spa with outdoor pools, a Mat & Moët yoga-and-Champagne program, and a daily Champagne happy hour. (Sensing a theme here? Us, too.)

The Seychelles

Best for: Romantics

When it comes to reconnecting à deux, few things beat an island getaway — especially when you've got that island pretty much all to yourselves. Ringed by some of the most stunning beaches around and blessed with consistently pleasant temps all year, the Indian Ocean archipelago offers both fun in the sun and a unique culture rich with African, French, British, Indian, and Islamic influences. For some quality couple's time, though, check into one of the private islands resorts — some of which are convenient to exploring other islands, while others have a more Castaway feel. Set on the private island of Félicité, Six Senses Zil Payson features 30 pool villas and multi-bedroom residences, coral-fringed beaches, and a variety of activity picks. Stay on-property to swim with turtles (or simply lounge with your loved one) and enjoy a private dinner in the Wine Vault, or island-hop by boat, take a scenic helicopter tour, or ferry over to Praslin or La Digue islands for golf, nature walks, and bike rides through vanilla plantations.

Couples looking to seriously disconnect (or reconnect) should head to Four Seasons Seychelles at Desroches Island, which opened earlier this spring. A bit farther flung, everything at the private island property is designed for relaxation. Start the day with an in-villa couple's yoga session, end it by cuddling up at the outdoor cinema, and in-between, grab a chef-prepared picnic and bottle of wine before bicycling off to a different intimate picnic spot along the nearly nine miles of pristine coastline.

Newport, Rhode Island

Best for: Families

Generations of families with names like Vanderbilt and Astor have spent their summers along the Rhode Island coast — so why not join in on the tony tradition when it comes to your multigenerational getaway? Lined with wide beaches and yacht-filled marinas, and dotted with fabled mansions and outdoor attractions (including a few vineyards), the East Coast gem offers something for all ages. Stroll along the paved, 3.5-mile Cliff Walk path to take in views of the coastline, explore the Ballard Park nature reserve, shop the cobblestoned streets of downtown, and enjoy a scenic trip along the famous, 10-mile-long Ocean Drive to catch a glimpse of beautiful homes and lighthouses. Several of the historic mansions in the area offer family-friendly tours: A dedicated kids' audio tour of the iconic, 70-room Breakers tells the stories of some of the children that once lived here, while The Elms' tour features a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the staff quarters. Rent a boat or take a sailing lesson via Sail Newport, or take a dip into the ocean from the beach — Easton's Beach is a particular favorite, thanks to its lobster rolls and vintage carousel.

To be in the thick of it all, make recently renovated Hotel Viking your home base while in Newport. Set atop the Historic Hill neighborhood, the property offers a Beach Butler service (including round-trip transport to the shore, umbrellas, chairs, breakfast, and a gourmet picnic lunch) as well as kid-pleasing perks like dedicated children's menus at the restaurant and spa, daily ice cream socials, and interactive games in the lovely courtyard — plus elegant suites with plenty of room for all.

One of the most heartbreaking things that can happen in a relationship is finding out that you’ve been cheated on, but what if you’re the one your significant other is cheating with? It can be just as big of a betrayal, but it can also be harder to tell if it’s happening, especially if your relationship is still new.

These signs cropping up in your relationship could mean that your partner is cheating with you. 

They are mysteriously missing from social media.

If the person you’re dating says they don’t use social media at all or refuses to accept your friend requests, that’s a sign that they don’t want the people in their life to know that you exist.

"I think that today, especially for younger generations, Facebook or social media visibility is something that a lot of people put importance to," marriage and family therapist Jaclyn Cravens Pickens told Cosmopolitan. "So, if we're seeing things like refusing to accept friend requests or follow requests on social media, not allowing relationship information to be posted on their page, not having congruent relationship statuses, I think all of these things may end up being a warning sign."

You've never met their friends and family.

It’s normal not to meet the friends and family right away when the relationship is new, but if you’ve been together for awhile and you still haven’t met anyone in your partner’s life, you should definitely be concerned, according to Glamour.

Someone who’s married or in another relationship will avoid anyone in their life finding out they’re cheating at all costs, so meeting their family would definitely be off limits.

They rarely stay with you overnight.

Someone who isn’t staying with you overnight is probably someone who’s expected to be somewhere else every night. It makes sense if they’re not into it when things are new; some people like to take things slow. But if you’ve been together for a long time and it’s still happening, it might be time to reevaluate.

This move is extra shady if the person you’re with has no issue getting intimate during business hours but always has to leave by a certain time.

Drake and Post Malone are in a league of their own in popular music this year, according to Nielsen's mid-year report on the music industry. 

The two rappers, whose versatile music has allowed them to top charts across multiple genres, took the top two spots on Nielsen's ranking of 2018's most popular artists by total album-equivalent consumption, a metric which includes all music sales, streaming figures, and digital downloads. 

Drake's Billboard No. 1 single "God's Plan" led all songs in on-demand streaming and total consumption. Post Malone's single "Psycho" came in second in both categories. 

Malone's album "Beerbongs & Bentleys," released in April, beat out the original soundtrack for the film "The Greatest Showman" to lead Nielsen's list of year's most popular albums by total album-equivalent consumption.

Here are Nielsen's 10 most popular artists of 2018 so far, ranked by total album-equivalent consumption:

SEE ALSO: The 5 songs on Drake's new, 25-track album 'Scorpion' that are actually worth listening to

10. Taylor Swift

Total album-equivalent consumption: 1,068,000
Album sales: 285,000
Digital songs: 986,000
Streaming on-demand audio: 1,027,226,000

9. Eminem

Total album-equivalent consumption: 1,081,000
Album sales: 302,000
Digital songs: 917,000
Streaming on-demand audio: 1,031,565,000  
 
 

8. The Weeknd

Total album-equivalent consumption: 1,104,000
Album sales: 178,000
Digital songs: 500,000
Streaming on-demand audio: 1,314,121,000  

SEE ALSO: Walmart employees share 7 things they want to tell customers, but can't

DON'T MISS: Walmart employees share 5 annoying things they wish shoppers would stop doing

SEE ALSO: Walmart employees share 8 insider facts about shopping at the big box store

Making assumptions about the services offered at your local store

Walmart does offer product care plans and a trade-in program that allows shoppers to exchange devices for gift cards.

But one Walmart employee of nine years told Business Insider that it was a mistake for customers to just assume "we have an electronics repair facility here."

If you're in doubt, it's best to skip the wild goose chase and try calling ahead.

Failing to plan out your shopping trips

Shopping for a big holiday weekend blowout?

Well, just assume that everyone else is following suit.

An associate of 12 years told Business Insider that it was a mistake to wait "until the last minute to shop," especially when it comes to busier times of the week or year.

The employee added that some shoppers fail to understand that "they aren't the only people that will show up. So, yes, there will be lines at the registers. Plan better — plan early."

A Reddit poster who said they worked in the electronics department at Walmart noted that Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays typically garner the biggest crowds.

Skipping an important return hack

A Walmart store manager told the savings-oriented blog The Krazy Coupon Lady that there's a way to return products ordered online with less hassle.

If you end up ordering an item on Walmart.com that you don't actually want, you can return it through the chain's mobile express returns system.

"You just get a QR code from your Walmart app, bring your item to the store, skip the line, and scan your QR code on the credit card machine," according to The Krazy Coupon Lady.

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:

• It's important to have good lighting at your desk so you don't strain your eyes while typing away on your computer or going over documents.

• There are dozens of different desk lamps to choose from in all kinds of styles, but the Lumiy Lightblade 1500S desk lamp is the best one you can buy to light up your workspace in style.

• Amazon Prime Day 2018 will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, July 16 and will run through Tuesday, July 17. Many of our picks may be on sale. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime here to access the deals.

Society may be moving away from paper toward digital records, but desk lamps continue to have a role in the workplace or in the home even if you’re rarely hunched over your desk, staring at a pile of paper these days.

The best desk lamps take full advantage of LED lighting technology, creating lamps that are both stylish and energy efficient. The great quality of light you receive from LED makes these lamps enjoyable to use anytime you need a bit of extra light.

Some people may even prefer a desk style lamp on a nightstand near the bed because they work great as a reading lamp for those times when you prefer a printed book over an iPad. We've researched dozens of desk lamps to find the best ones for different people's needs.

After all, it takes the right type of desk light to help inspire the brightest of ideas! (Feel free to groan aloud; we did as we wrote it.)

Here are our top picks for the best desk lamps:

• Best overall: Lumiy Lightblade 1500S Lamp 
• Best desk lamp for techies: TaoTronics wireless charging lamp
• Best traditional design: Torchstar Traditional Banker’s Lamp 
• Best cordless desk lamp: Luxe Cordless LED Lamp 
• Best affordable desk lamp: TaoTronics LED Lamp 
• Best high-end desk lamp: BenQ e-Reading LED Lamp 
• Best colorful desk lamp: Tomons Nature Wood Swing Arm Desk Lamp
• Best antique finish desk lamp: Malvern 20-inch Desk Lamp 

Updated on 07/06/2018 by Malarie: Added the TaoTronics wireless charging desk lamp and the Tomons lamp. Also updated prices and formatting. Removed out of stock items.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

SEE ALSO: The best standing desks you can buy for your home or office

The best desk lamp overall

Why you'll love it: The Lumiy Lightblade 1500S desk lamp offers a host of useful features, making it a versatile choice for those who need a lamp that serves many purposes.

We love the versatility in the Lumiy Lightblade 1500S desk lamp, as you can adjust it to meet whatever lighting needs you may have. The Lightblade 1500S has a USB charging port in the base of the lamp, which is an extremely convenient feature you’re sure to use regularly, according to the Cosy Offices review.

The 1500S has a pivoting head that lets you swing the light bar into the perfect position over the desk. Additionally, the Lumiy 1500S lamp offers easily adjustable color brightness and color temperature through a touch switch on the lamp’s base. You can bring the brightness down from 1,100 lux to 500 lux or adjust the color temperature from 6,600k to 1,800k.

In its review, Reactual says the Lumiy Lightblade desk lamp’s LED light bar provides a light quality that’s very similar to natural sunlight. That makes it easier on the eyes and better for artists who need neutral lighting that won't skew color hues.

Many Amazon customers love this desk lamp and give it great reviews. One buyer said this Lumiy 1500S desk lamp has an excellent build quality and offers a host of desirable features. Most agree that it's a great lamp, but some mention quibbles. Another Amazon customer said the lamp emitted a low noise when it was plugged in and turned off. It seems to be a rare problem, though.

If you need an energy efficient LED desk lamp that looks a bit modern, provides natural light, and works in a variety of situations, the Lumiy Lightblade 1500S desk lamp is a winner.

Pros: Great set of helpful features, excellent light quality, LED power savings, includes USB charging port in the base, head will pivot to fit different sized desks, offers variable brightness and color temperature settings

Cons: Black desk lamp seems to collect fingerprints, price is a little high, modern look isn't for everyone

Buy the Lumiy Lightblade 1500S Black Desk Lamp on Amazon for $69.95

The best desk lamp for techies

Why you'll love it: TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp has a fast wireless charger and a USB port built in so it can charge your phone and another device besides.

If you like products that serve multiple purposes, you'll love the TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp with its built-in wireless charger, USB charging port, and many adjustable settings. Since this is a guide for desk lamps, we'll talk about that aspect first.

You turn the lamp on and off with the tap of a finger on the touch-sensitive power button. There's also a ring that regulates the brightness of the lamp and a button that you can tap multiple times to get five different color temperatures for your light. That way, you can decide how bright and how blue you want your light. 

Because I have the TaoTronics lamp next to my bed, I typically have it on the lowest brightness setting and the highest color temperature setting. But when I really need light, I can amp up the brightness with a swipe of my finger. And this lamp gets bright — very bright.

You can also adjust the direction of the light, thanks to the nifty blade-like design of the lamp head. The lamp's head tilts up to 135 degrees and rotates up to 180 degrees, and the arm can be tilted up to 150 degrees and it swivels 90 degrees. It's a very modern design, and it does take up space, but this lamp is incredibly functional. 

The wireless charging pad built into the lamp's base can charge your iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus with the optimal 7.5 Watts of power. If you have an Android phone, you get 10 Watts of power for quick wireless charging. There's a small rubbery ring on the wireless charger, so your phone won't slide off. I use it to charge my phone every night on my bedside table, and it works like a charm.

TaoTronics also added a USB port in the back of the lamp so you can charge your phone with a cable instead. You could also charge your phone wirelessly and charge another device via a cable at the same time, which is great for multi-device households and tech nerds like me. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Wireless charging, USB-A charging port for another device, varying light color/temperature and brightness, lamp's head is adjustable

Cons: Modern design may not appeal to all, takes up space

Buy TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp with Fast Wireless Charger on Amazon for $49.99

The best traditional desk lamp

Why you'll love it: Desk lamp designs don’t get much more traditional than the Torchstar Traditional Banker’s Lamp with its emerald green shade and brass-toned base.

If the contemporary style of most modern desk lamps does nothing to inspire you, we have the answer. The Torchstar Traditional Banker’s Lamp has the classic style of desk lamp that you see in old-timey movies. It’s such a classic look that when you look in the dictionary under the term traditional desk lamp, a picture of this lamp should be included.

The satin brass finish on the base, classic pull chain, and antique style emerald green lamp shade are very retro and old school. You can rotate the lamp shade to direct the light where you need it. In its review, Musichaa loves the classic mid-century look of the Torchstar Banker’s Lamp. The Fab Healthy Life review points out that the metal base and post are well made and sturdy, too.

One Amazon buyer loved the distinctive look of the Torchstar desk lamp, adding that it fit the size of the desk perfectly. However, another Amazon customer reviewer reported the desk lamp arrived with shipping defects and the bulb generated too much heat. This seems to be a rare occurrence, though, as most buyers were thrilled with their purchase,

The Torchstar desk lamp uses an E26 style light bulb, so you can use replaceable incandescent, fluorescent, or LED light bulbs with it. It's nice to have a choice in which type of bulb you use, though we do recommend you go with a LED bulb for energy efficiency.

Pros: Excellent traditional look in a desk lamp, all metal base and post, reasonable price point, can accept any type of E26 bulb, easy lamp to set up and use, 6-foot power cord

Cons: No flexibility in position of bulb, some bulbs cause excessive heat

Buy the Torchstar Traditional Banker’s Lamp on Amazon for $56.99 (originally $60.16)

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

"Ant-Man and the Wasp" is now in theaters and while everything appeared to wrap up nicely at the film's end, if you stayed through the credits you missed a very important scene that leaves a lot up in the air.

While the majority of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" is filled with laughs, there are probably a few lingering questions you have afterward. How is Scott going to get out of his current jam? Will we ever see Ghost again? And how was Janet Van Dyne's makeup so fresh after being trapped for in the Quantum Realm for 30 years?

Keep reading to see the biggest questions we have after "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

What happens if Scott Lang is sucked into the time vortex?

In the first end-credits scene for "Ant-Man and the Wasp," Janet Van Dyne warns Lang to avoid slipping into a time vortex because they won't be able to save him. If he did, what would happen? Would he travel backward or forward in time? Or would he be lost to time forever? Maybe Lang will have no choice but to find out if he wants to escape the Quantum Realm.

How will Scott Lang get out of the Quantum Realm?

No one is around on that roof to help Scott Lang return back from the Quantum Realm and no one else probably knows he's there. We're hoping Lang has an emergency Pym particle disk to make him larger to escape like he did in the first "Ant-Man" movie. 

Otherwise, we're betting once Tony Stark makes it back to Earth (he has to, right?) that he'll have a way to track Lang. You can read more on how Lang will most likely escape the Quantum Realm here.

Is Ghost permanently cured or did Janet give her a temporary fix?

At the end of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet Van Dyne appears to heal Ava by using Quantum energy from her fingertips and transferring it. 

But if you were paying close attention to the movie's first end-credit scene, it appears Ava isn't out of the woods yet. Scott Lang heads back into the Quantum Realm to gather particles. He says they're healing particles for their new ghost friend. Does Ava need treatments in order to stay in one reality?

Most of us know what it’s like to watch TV and see a commercial for a new product that genuinely seems like it could change our lives. But with so many "As Seen On TV" products out there, it’s hard to tell which ones actually work. 

Next time you’re browsing the "As Seen On TV" aisle, keep these products in mind as the ones that have been tried and tested. A product doesn’t have to be expensive or made by a popular manufacturer to be quality, and some of these might actually surprise you.

Snuggies are actually super comfortable.

The Snuggie has been around for years, but that doesn't make it any less functional — and it's ridiculously inexpensive. People really seem to love them, considering over 20 million Snuggies have been sold. 

For just $14.99, you've got a blanket with sleeves that will keep you warm no matter what you're doing. And if you don't mind looking a little silly, it's kind of perfect if you work in a freezing cold office. You can buy them basically anywhere and they come in all kinds of color varieties (and even in the shape of a mermaid's tail). 

The Turbie Twist is perfect if you have long hair.

Anyone who's ever had long hair knows that getting out of the shower can be a major pain. Enter the Turbie Twist, the towel that's perfectly sized for your hair and comes with a button fastener, so you can put your hair up in a towel securely without giving yourself a headache from a heavy towel. It boasts an almost perfect five star rating on Amazon. 

Sold at stores like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and even Amazon, the Turbie Twist is only $8.99. It's definitely worth a shot to see if it works for you, especially if you dread dealing with your wet hair after a shower.

The Ove Glove guarantees you won't burn your hand in the kitchen.

Yes, the Ove Glove is basically a pot holder, and we all have tons of those — but this one works better than whatever's in your kitchen. It covers your whole hand, protecting you from accidental burns on the oven rack, and it's extra thick, meaning that you won't accidentally burn yourself through the pot holder, which has happened to us all at least once. What more do you want for $9?

 The Ove Glove has four and a half stars out of five on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews.

• Vitamins and supplements can be beneficial, but they might not always improve your health as much as expected. 
• Here are some warning signs your vitamins might not perform the way you think they will.

You regularly buy vitamins and supplements to improve your health and vitality, but will they perform the way you think they will? Here are the warning signs to watch out for when purchasing supplements.

The label boasts more than 100 percent of the US RDA

More is better, correct? Not so fast, warns Sreekant Cherukuri, MD, an otolaryngologist in private practice in Munster and Hobart, Indiana, who runs a website called SmartCeuticals. “If any vitamin or mineral states that it contains more than 100 percent of the US Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for that nutrient, stay away,” he says. Fat-soluble vitamins—namely A, D, E, and K—are stored in the body and can accumulate and cause harm.”High doses of certain fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin E have been linked to cancer.” Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamins B and C, when taken in too-large doses, will just leave your body in urine. “Your money literally goes down the drain.” These are some of the vitamin mistakes you may not realize that you are making. If you take vitamins or supplements, check the label to make sure the US RDA is 100 percent or less.

The pitch sounds too good to be true

Vitamin and supplement manufacturers are not allowed to make claims that their product can reverse, prevent, or diagnose any disease or condition, but that doesn’t mean they don’t or won’t. “If the claim is outrageous and suggests the product is indicated for any disease as opposed to general health, that’s a warning sign,” Dr. Cherukuri says.”If it sounds too good to be true, walk away. They won’t help and they may harm.” Check out these six vitamin myths you have to stop believing.

The bottle doesn’t have a legit seal of approval

It’s a good idea to look for third-party validation that says what you are buying is actually in the bottle. The “US Pharmacopeia Verified” mark, ConsumerLab Seal of Approval, or an NSF seal are good signs that you are getting what you paid for. “I’d be highly skeptical of any other seals as many companies may create fake ones to gain your trust and your business,” says Dr. Cherukuri. Here are some other secrets vitamin manufacturers don’t want you to find out.

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:

• There's an above-ground pool for almost every space. Whether you're going for a permanent structure or a seasonal one, we've got a pool in our guide that will work for your specific needs.

• Overall, we like the Intex Ultra Frame swimming pool best because it has a steel frame and heavy-duty triple-ply laminate walls.

Above-ground swimming pools are expensive and a ceaseless chore. Between balancing chemical pH, cleaning, repairing, replacing filtration systems, and winterizing, other people's pools are surely the best pools. Still, it's an invaluable luxury to have a place to cool off within the confines of your own backyard, and there are reasonable ways to accommodate a swimming pool without committing to a nightmarish list of maintenance tasks.

We've looked through everything from easy-setup and inflatable all-vinyl pools to metal-framed, vinyl-sided, and all-metal pools to come up with a handful of great swimming pools that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Inflatable and easy-setup pools are the most affordable, but they also carry the shortest lifespan, and generally don't fare well in the elements over time. In contrast, vinyl pools reinforced with metal and all-metal pools stand a much better chance against wear and tear, weather, and time. All-metal pools can also be left up and winterized, so the daunting proposition of packing up and storing a heavy, confusing mess of plastic and metal goes out the window.

Whether you want to deck out your backyard with a permanent all-metal pool that you can winterize rather than throw away or just give your kids a small pool for splashing around, we've got you covered.

Here are our picks for the best swimming pools:

• Best overall: Intex 16' x 48" Round Ultra Frame Pool
• Best kid's pool: Step2 Play and Shade Pool
• Best budget pool: 12' x 30" Intex Metal Frame Pool
• Best frameless pool: Intex Easy Set Pool
• Best all-metal pool: Heritage Georgian Above-Ground Pool Set

Read more about our picks in the slides below.

The best swimming pool overall

Why you'll love it: The Intex 16' x 48" Round Ultra Frame pool fits up to 8 people and is sturdily built with steel and three-ply laminate walls. 

A steel-reinforced vinyl pool is probably the best intersection between affordability and quality for most people looking for an above-ground pool, and we like the Intex 16' x 48" Round Ultra Frame Pool best. We also find that pools around 48" in height should be deep enough to keep you cool, though we don't recommend setting up a diving board beside them.

Although it's not the easy-to-set-up inflatable pool that's prone to tears, nor is it the all-metal year-round option that you can winterize and cover, this pool is functional and reliable. Plus, you won't have to worry about it bursting and flooding your backyard while you're away for a week or two on summer vacation.

The pool even has a built-in aerating filtration pump to help keep water clean and clear. Stagnancy is among the primary enemies of all pools, and without a filter, all sorts of lovely bacteria are prone to collect and proliferate. Some reviewers complained that the pool does not include a skimmer, but you can pick one up on Amazon for a low price. 

Intex makes other, larger sizes, but if you're going to be storing the pool for the winter, it takes up too much space and requires too much work to disassemble for most people.

If you're after a rectangular pool, which is much better suited for swimming laps, then the 24-foot model is the best deal — just make sure you have the room to store it!

Reviews are largely mixed around the web, but the more critical ones seem to be those who'd be better off with a framed pool. Still, frameless pools can be tricky to maintain and set up, and probably aren't for everyone.

Safety and The Spruce both rated the Intex Ultra Frame highly, and Sears shoppers give the round Intex Ultra Frame a solid 4.5/5 stars. More than 150 Amazon reviewers give the rectangular version an average of 4/5 stars.

Pros: Durable, reasonably-priced, built-in filtration pump, easy to set up, 48" deep

Cons: Skimmer not included, flimsy ladder, has to be taken down for winter, ring may deflate quickly, might want to switch pump for a sand-filtered one

Buy the 16' X 48" round Intex Ultra Frame Pool at Sears for $319.99

Buy the 24' x 52" rectangular Intex Ultra Frame Pool on Amazon for $1,049.99

Shop for other sizes of the Ultra Frame and other Intex pools at Wal-Mart

The best kid's pool

Why you'll love it: The Step2 Play and Shade Pool requires almost no assembly, comes ready with toys, and shades your little tyke from the sun's vicious rays.

Step2's Play and Shade Pool has about everything you'd need to keep a pair of toddlers busy while you soak up sun and drift into a novel on the chaise lounge. Very little assembly is required, and a single adult can pop this puppy together in a few minutes flat. Filling it won't take much longer.

Ribbed floors keep slipping and sliding at a minimum, and a set of spinning funnel cups and a water wheel have a good chance of distracting young children for hours (at least, it did me).

Our favorite thing about this little pool has to be the umbrella, and the incorporation of toys into the stand is brilliant. More than 300 Amazon reviewers agree, highly recommending Step2's Play and Shade, which has an average rating of 4.6/5 stars.

The only other kid's pool we love is the Yaheetech Pet Swimming Pool, which, admittedly, is designed for bathing dogs and cats, but most certainly doubles for small children, too. We like it particularly because it's foldable and portable, and not made of plastic that will eventually degrade and crack under the sun.

Compared with the Play and Shade, you will have to get a little more creative with an entertainment source for your beloved child, but we have faith in you and your parenting ingenuity!

And, if you don't have a creative bone in your body or you just want to spoil the heck out of your little rugrat, the Little Tyke's Slam and Curve— complete with not one but two slides and a basketball hoop — might be the coolest innovation in inflatable pools yet, save for maybe the Pirate Bay Blast Zone Bouncy Castle, which comes with an even heftier price tag.

Pros: Entertaining, shading, and easy to assemble

Cons: Made of cheap plastic that will not likely last long, especially if kept in direct sun

Buy the Step2 Play and Shade from The Home Depot for $59.99

Buy the Yaheetech Pet Swimming Pool on Amazon for $55.99

Buy the Pirate Bay Blast Zone Bouncy Castle on eBay for $719.99

The best budget swimming pool

Why you'll love it: Affordable but much more reliable than inflatable pools, the Intex Metal Frame pool comes with a filter and a puncture-resistant 3-ply lining.

The Intex Metal Frame is the more budget-friendly option from Intex that's slightly less robust than our top pick. It's probably not suited for winterizing in most places, but it's fairly easy to take down at the end of the season.

At any rate, if you're careful enough with this pool, it should last several summers, which is about all you'll get out of any pool made from plastic or vinyl. Be gentle, don't demand too much of it, and, as with any pool, keep it clean. If you follow those basic rules, you'll most likely be a happy customer.

The only main issue that seems to be mentioned a lot in buyer reviews is that the pump is too small, so you may want to consider upgrading the 550 gallon-per-hour pump that comes in the box.

The Intex Metal Frame earned praise from most of Amazon's nearly 1,200 reviewers, and a respectable 3.9-star average rating. Just keep in mind that this pool is considerably more fragile and vulnerable than our top pick, and be especially careful climbing in and out of it. Also be sure to store it somewhere protected for the winter, and insider if possible.

Pros: Affordable, reasonably sturdy, pump included

Cons: Thin frames and feet, filtration pump may be too small

Buy the 12' x 30" Intex Metal Frame pool on Amazon for $149.99 (originally $159.99)

Shop other Intex pools on sale at Wal-Mart

• The best places to visit in August are already on savvy travelers' lists.
• Business Insider looked at airfare trends, climate data, and peak travel times to find the best places to visit in August 2018.
• They include tropical paradises in the Caribbean and Malaysia, a fudge festival in Michigan, and a Buddhist celebration in Sri Lanka featuring elephants and fire-dancing.

August is one of the most popular months to travel for Americans, with millions of people squeezing in one final summer vacation before the weather cools down.

Choosing the perfect destination for an August vacation isn't easy. You may find yourself favoring northerly locations that are simply too cold any other time of year — think Oslo, Norway, where the sun doesn't set until close to 10 p.m., or Mackinac Island, Michigan, which draws thousands of travelers to its famous Fudge Festival each August.

You can also check out some of the greatest scenes in nature in August — it's when the breathtaking rice terraces in Ifugao, Philippines, are at their greenest, and it's also the dramatic culmination of one of nature's grandest events, the Great Migration in Kenya.

We looked at airfare trends, climate data, and cultural calendars to select 13 vacation spots that are some of the best places to visit this August. Take a look at the places we recommend for an August trip, and plan away.

SEE ALSO: 13 places to travel in July for every type of traveler

DON'T MISS: I've been to 25 countries, and there are 16 things you'll almost never find outside the US

Mackinac Island, Michigan

August is the perfect time to visit Mackinac Island, the scenic island between Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas.

On Mackinac Island — pronounced "mackinaw"— visitors can enjoy the sunny weather while  boating, fishing, and parasailing. On land, you can hop between historic sites like Fort Mackinac and Fort Holmes, both key sites in the War of 1812.

And sweet tooths will have something to celebrate too: the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival, which takes place every August and allows the many fudge shops on the island to show off their best work.

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Martha's Vineyard is heralded as one of the most classic summer getaways in the United States.

The charming island south of Cape Cod is dotted with quaint New England homes, relaxing sandy beaches, and iconic lighthouses. The sunny summer weather in August sets the perfect stage for a boat outing or a shopping trip to the town's eclectic upscale boutiques.

And although Martha's Vineyard has a reputation for being expensive, it's possible to enjoy what the island has to offer on a budget — you just have to do a lot of planning.

Seattle, Washington

The perfect time to visit the Emerald City is in August, when the sun is shining and you'll be able to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

Seattle's iconic Pike's Place Market is an excellent way to spend an afternoon — especially if you can find the secret shops that most tourists don't know about. You can also wile away the day island-hopping across Puget Sound, or for the more culinarily inclined, sampling the best of Seattle's food, coffee, and beer scenes.

Someone on Reddit recently asked the simple question"What's your Deep Web story?"

In other words, the Reddit user was asking people to share any weird experiences they had encountered while using anonymous web services to access secret websites.

Such services, including Tor, have been around for years, letting people obfuscate their IP address to make it harder to be tracked.

They also provide access to a slew of websites known as the Dark Web (or Deep Web), which can be reached only through services such as Tor. Silk Road is the prototypical example of a Dark Web site. Though it has now closed, with its notorious founder in prison, new online black markets have surfaced to take its place. 

But here's a look at some of the bizarre and creepy things you can stumble on when accessing the dark underbellies of the web, as told by the people who claim to have experienced them.

Cale Guthrie Weissman contributed to an earlier version of this post.

SEE ALSO: How to access the Dark Web, where all sorts of illegal stuff goes down online

The Dark Web may seem scary, but sometimes it's quite innocuous ...

Though people tell tales of drugs and other illicit sites, sometimes people use the Dark Web just for silly purposes.

A scavenger hunt ...

One user was playing what was called an Alternate Reality Game. This game, "No Love Deep Web," had users accessing Tor to hunt for various things.

This user got engrossed in the game. It ended with"me driving to New York to answer a pay phone at 3:00AM. That was cool."

"The next stop is ..."

Sometimes you find weird forums. Take this user's example:

I once found a forum dedicated to sharing recordings of the automated messages that tell you the next stop on trains. People would post the recordings that they presumably made themselves and then they would discuss them.

It haunts me to this day. I have so many questions.

• Some of those old childhood toys stowed away in your parents' home could be worth thousands today. 
• Some Hot Wheels could sell for more than $4,000.
• From Barbies to video games, here are the toys that could bring in the big bucks. 

There might be an action figure or toy vehicle hiding in your parents' attic that could bring in the big bucks at auction. Here's what's worth opening those dusty boxes for.

Matchbox cars

Matchbox cars might not exist today if it weren’t for a little girl in 1953 who could only bring toys to her London school that fit inside a matchbox. Her father, a partner at a die-casting firm, scaled down a previously designed road roller to comply with school rules. The miniature car was a hit among her friends, and the Matchbox brand was officially launched later that year. The most valuable Matchbox car, according to comparison website GoCompare and toy car expert Neal Giordano, is a tan and orange Magirus-Deutz Truck from 1971 that’s currently valued at $11,822. Check out the most popular toy from the year you were born.

Hot Wheels

Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler worked with a GM car engineer and a rocket scientist to create a new line of die-cast toy cars that would capture the excitement of custom hot rod culture. When Hot Wheels raced onto the scene 50 years ago, the cars were faster and cooler looking than any other die-cast cars on the market, including Matchbox. The first car released from the “Original Sweet 16” series in May 1968 was a Custom Camaro, but GoCompare found that the most valuable Hot Wheels is the Olds 442 from 1971; it’s worth $4,682.

Pokemon Trading Cards

American kids first discovered the enchanting world of Pokemon in 1998 as a video game for the Nintendo Game Boys. The trading card game debuted the following year, and the card that everyone wanted from the 1999 1st Edition (Base Set) was the holographic Charizard card (#4). What made it so desirable? Charizard was the most popular Pokemon from the video game, and his fire-breathing dragon card was one of the most powerful in that first set. Collectors are still hoping to get their hands on Charizard cards today; a near-perfect card recently sold for more than $55,000 on eBay.

Kate Middleton has become one of the biggest royal fashion icons in the world, and it looks like her style is already trickling down to her daughter Princess Charlotte.

The 3-year-old is reportedly worth an estimated $4.3 billion to the British economy, and her influence on children's fashion has a lot to do with it. She also always steals the show with her adorable Windsorwave and resemblance to the queen, but it seems like she resembles her fashionable mother most.

A look back at Middleton and Charlotte's outfits prove that the Duchess of Cambridge has mastered the art of the perfect mother-daughter style, which is no easy feat. It's tough to avoid being too matchy-matchy, yet a family as regularly photographed as Middleton's has to be coordinated in some way.

Here are 13 times Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte had the perfect mother-daughter style.

The Duchess of Cambridge gave us the first glimpse of her ability to perfectly coordinate her daughter's outfit in this family photo from March 2016.

Middleton dressed Charlotte in a puffy white coat that went perfectly with hers.

Charlotte attended her first Trooping the Colour in June 2016.

Her light-pink dress was almost the same color as Middleton's Philip Treacy hat.

In September 2016, Middleton brought Charlotte along for her trip to Canada.

Middleton wore a royal blue dress by Jenny Packham and Charlotte was at her side in light blue.