President Obama lifted the decades-old US embargo on selling arms to Vietnam during an official visit on Monday, effectively knocking down one of the last vestiges of the Vietnam War.

During a news conference in Hanoi, Obama remarked that "if you consider where we have been and where we are now, the transformation in the relations between our two countries is remarkable."

Almost 1,000 miles south of the Vietnamese capitol city, the "where we have been" is on display in Ho Chi Minh City at the government-run War Remnants Museum, established in 1975 as the Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes.

Throughout the exhibits, the museum details the history of Vietnamese conflict with France, China and the United States – including a gallery dedicated to the "crimes" of the "American War." The outdoor courtyard is filled with captured or abandoned American aircraft, helicopters, tanks and artillery.

On a recent trip to Vietnam, I visited the museum and spent a while outside looking at all the old US vehicles. Below were some of the items on display.

SEE ALSO: 11 spectacular photos of jets spitting fire with their afterburners

A-37 fighter-bomber

U-17 Plane

A-1 Skyraider

Afterburners are a feature on jet engines that inject more fuel and oxygen for a quick and massive boost. For modern day fighter jets, the increase in thrust could be anywhere between 40 to 70 percent. 

Due to the high fuel consumption rate, the use of afterburners is limited to a few minutes in scenarios such as taking off on short runways or during combat.

During these few minutes, the bright plume of fire is produced, creating the following eye-catching effects.

SEE ALSO: These are the 9 fastest piloted planes in the world

An F/A-18F Super Hornet takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

An F-22 Raptor jet engine is tested in a full afterburner state. Airmen test aircraft engines like these in a specialized hangar, known as a "hush house", to ensure that all components are functioning properly.

A US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off on a mission at dawn from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Oracle is suing Google for up to $9 billion.

The two were back in court this week, with an all-star list of witnesses.

At issue is Google's use of 37 application programming interfaces in its Android software that came from a programming language called Java that's owned by Oracle.

The software industry is in a tizzy over this case because if Oracle wins and Google has to pay up, it could set off an explosion of lawsuits in the industry.

The trial has been going on for years, across three phases. The jury is currently deliberating.

No matter what the jury decides, the loser will likely file an appeal. 

In the meantime, many stars of the tech world were called to the stand and a lot of memorable things happened. 

Here's a look at some of those highlights, as well as an overview of what this case is about.

SEE ALSO: Larry Ellison explains why life isn't about money: 'At some point, you can't spend all of it. Trust me, I've tried'

Oracle first filed the suit in 2010, claiming copyright infringements and patent infringement. Oracle lost the patent infringement case. But in a twist of events, it won the copyright case.

An appeals court found that Google copied parts of 37 APIs. That's code that lets software apps talk to each other and share data. Google did not take the whole APIs, but it used the same names and operations, then wrote its own code to implement the functionality.

One weird moment was when Oracle's lawyers compared what Google did to the Harry Potter books, saying it was as if Google took chapter titles.

While the job isn't as glamorous as many people think, being a flight attendant does come with its own unique set of perks, among them the ability to travel the world at little cost and the flexibility to arrange your work schedule.

Because of this, the competition among flight attendant candidates is so fierce that, for certain airlines, applicants compete with thousands of other applicants.

"You want to have your résumé ready to go because sometimes airlines like Southwest or JetBlue only open the application window for just a few hours for people to upload their résumé," Annette Long, a flight attendant with 13 years of experience, tells Business Insider.

It's even been said that it's harder to get invited to the Delta flight-attendant training center than to get into Harvard University.

"It's very competitive, and people get passed over all the time," Long says about becoming a flight attendant.

If a candidate has a compelling enough résumé, they may face a variety of interview techniques including video interviews, Q&A sessions, and in-person meetings. Long says that many flight attendants apply and interview several times before getting the job, having to wait six months to a year between interviews because job openings are so scarce.

"When you make that first impression, you've gotta do it perfectly — you don't get a second chance," she advises. Here are some of Long's tips for aspiring flight attendants to leave a lasting good impression.

SEE ALSO: A flight attendant says this is the most common misconception people have about her job

DON'T MISS: 13 tough interview questions you may have to answer if you want to become a flight attendant

Consider your surroundings during a video interview

"Have a clutter free background: nobody wants to look at your dirty dishes or your bedroom," Long says.

She suggests sitting in a dining room or other less cluttered area and propping your laptop or phone up so that it's still and you're not moving around with it.

Most airline video interviews are recorded, she notes, and you're not actually dealing with a live person, so not paying attention to the details is a missed opportunity.

She also suggests keeping the recording device at eye level so you're not looking down at it, "because isn't that the most horrible angle to be seen at?"

Dress conservatively

Whether you're conducting a video interview or are interviewing in person, Long suggests dressing conservatively. "You want them to be able to imagine what you'll look like as a flight attendant in uniform," she says.

This means sticking to solid-colored blazers and suits and keeping prints to a minimum. "They look busy on a screen and this detracts from someone looking at your video — you don't want them looking at your dress," Long says.

She says you don't have to be fashionable, but you need to be clean and well-groomed. "I think if you're unkempt, that's an instant turnoff. If you've got visible tattoos, they need to be able to be covered up. And you're not going to want to be in an interview with a purple streak in your hair," she says.

Clean up your social media

"Lock it down — if you're on Instagram and you've got your sexy selfies, you wanna take those down," Long says. "If a recruiter were to look at that, they're not going to hire you. You want to come across as polished and poised and professional."

Pirch is redefining what it means to try before you buy. The startup retail company just opened a massive new store in SoHo, Manhattan's most shopping-centric neighborhood, and it's packed with fun, interactive gadgets.

The gimmick: All of the home appliances and fixtures that Pirch sells actually work in the store, so you can experience them firsthand and imagine them in your home. The refrigerators chill, the faucets and showerheads run water, the ovens beep, the washers wash.

Pirch was cofounded in 2009 by wo formerly retired executives in the home and real-estate development business, CEO Jeffery Sears and chairman Jim Stuart. Both men had similarly terrible experiences trying to buy home fixtures and appliances. In 2011, they opened the first Pirch store in San Diego. Later, they opened eight more across the country.

Pirch offers a completely different shopping experience. Let's take a tour through its brand-new SoHo location, which was built in an old metalworks building. It's one of the biggest stores in the neighborhood, and the company's largest location yet.

SEE ALSO: 17 things every guy should have in his bathroom

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Pirch focuses on three areas of home appliances: kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor space. All its merchandise is laid out in a highly interactive space. "We thought, 'How would we want to be treated?' And so we built a place where people were received as guests," CEO Jeffery Sears told Business Insider.

Pirch is attempting to disrupt what it says is a $40 billion luxury appliances market. Pirch has raised a total of $127 million in venture capital, including $62.8 million from L Catterton, who also previously invested in Restoration Hardware. 

Any shopping trip at Pirch starts with a stop at the Bliss Café, a full-service coffee counter stocked with complimentary cappuccinos, cucumber water, and lemonade that customers can grab as they enter the store.

From the café, you are free to move around the three levels of the 32,000-square-foot store. Everything is interactive, from the running faucets to the beeping dishwashers. "Look but don't touch" does not apply here whatsoever.

Adele has come a long way for a 28-year-old.

The "Hello" singer is reportedly set to sign a recording deal with Sony Music worth $130 million, which would be both the largest record deal for a British artist and the largest amount for a woman, beating Whitney Houston and Madonna.

Adele's previous contract with independent label XL expired with her last album, "25," which broke just about every sales record it could. So it's no surprise Sony scooped her up. It will get exclusive rights to release her music going forward.

She might be big but she's not the biggest. Check out the most valuable record deals ever:

SEE ALSO: The incredibly successful life of Adele

10. Prince — $100 million (1992)

The Purple One took in more than Michael Jackson or Madonna in his deal with Warner Bros., which came after his hugely successful "Batman" soundtrack for the company. But the brilliant late musician frequently battled with his label for control of his music and identity.

9. Whitney Houston — $100 million (2001)

Houston signed the biggest deal in the history of label Arista at the time, with a multi-album contract. Sadly, this would be the start of a downward spiral for the artist, who managed to release only three more albums before she died in 2012.

8. Madonna — $120 million (2012)

Similar to its deal with Jay Z, Live Nation in its "360 deal" paid for not just Madonna's future albums — which continue to sell — but also for rights to promoting her high-ticket world tours.

Mercedes-Benz changed the luxury-SUV market in 1998 with the M-Class. Never before had the automotive world seen a vehicle with such ruggedness, civility, and performance wrapped in Mercedes-Benz packaging.

But only recently did the German brand go all in on SUVs. Mercedes-Benz now offers six SUVs/crossovers for sale in the US, with a seventh model arriving early next year. At the bottom of the range is the entry-level GLA crossover; the venerable G-Wagon is perched atop the lineup.

The vehicle leading Mercedes' SUV revolution is its new compact GLC crossover. The GLC debuted late last year as the replacement for the boxy GLK crossover (and, yes, we know the whole "GL" nomenclature is confusing — we actually have a chart stuck to the wall to make sense of it). Although the GLK was an appealing vehicle, it could never quite successfully go toe-to-toe with rivals Audi and BMW.

Things have changed with the arrival of the GLC. In 2015, the Mercedes GLK and early-production GLC models accounted for 5.7% of the US market for compact luxury SUVs. So far this year, that number is way up, to 9.1%. Through April, the GLC has outsold both the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3 by a significant margin.

Mercedes-Benz recently dropped off this 2016 CLC300 4Matic test car clad in a groovy matte "Magno Dakota Brown" paint job for Business Insider to drive (matte-finish cars are something of a trend now). Though the 2016 GLC300 4Matic starts at $40,950, our options-laden test car left the showroom with an as-tested price of $64,530.

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise credited

SEE ALSO: This stunning car should make Audi and Porsche worry

With the arrival of the GLC, Mercedes has a new weapon to take on the segment-leading Audi Q5 and BMW's X3, as well as Porsche's high-performance Macan.

The GLC is an upgrade from the outgoing GLK in every respect. That starts with the styling.

The GLK's Tonka-truck looks have been replaced by an elegant design based directly on the Mercedes C-Class.

An MBA can be a shortcut for ascending the career ladder and boosting your salary. While attending one of best b-schools in the world can be an attractive option — Business Insider published its list of the world's 50 best business schools in December — for some working professionals it's not feasible, making online programs a great alternative.

U.S. News & World Report recently released their ranking of the best online MBA programs, evaluating schools based solely on data related to their distance education MBA programs in five categories: student engagement, admissions selectivity, peer reputation, faculty credentials and training, and student services and technology. (You can read a full breakdown of the methodology here.) Note that because of multiple ties, the ranking only goes through No. 15. 

Temple University's online MBA program took the top spot, followed by Indiana University at Bloomington, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Read on for the rest of the 19 best online MBA programs in the country, according to U.S. News.

SEE ALSO: The 10 most popular free online courses for professionals

15. TIE: University of South Florida at St. Petersburg

U.S. News score: 76

Cost per credit: $907 (out-of-state), $462 (in-state)

University of South Florida at St. Petersburg employs the same qualified faculty to teach its online MBA courses. The program is based on flexibility in scheduling and coursework and accessibility to faculty.

15. TIE: University of North Texas

U.S. News score: 76

Cost per credit: $693 (out-of-state), $303 (in-state)

The online MBA program offered at University of North Texas can be completed in as little as 14 months. In addition, students are taught by the same tenured faculty who teach in the traditional MBA program.

15. TIE: University of Nebraska at Lincoln

U.S. News score: 76

Cost per credit: $531

Courses in University of Nebraska at Lincoln's online MBA program are accelerated with eight- week terms and employ the same faculty as the on-campus program. Ninety-six percent of students are employed when they enroll.

"Final Fantasy" is one of the longest-running video game series of all time, with roots dating back to 1987.

The next entry in the fantasy role-playing franchise, "Final Fantasy XV"— you read that right, fifteen — is due out later this fall. From what we've seen so far, it looks like one of the most visually stunning games we've ever seen. If nothing else, it's the most gorgeous any "Final Fantasy" game has ever been.

"Final Fantasy XV" takes place in Eos, a beautiful world that mixes elements of sci-fi and fantasy.

You play as Noctis, the prince of the Kingdom of Lucis.

Noctis spends a lot time driving around with his buddies, going on adventures through the gorgeous world of Eos.

Sunday's "Game of Thrones" took us farther beyond the Wall and deeper into the mythos of the White Walkers than ever before. We found out the origin of the death-seeking White Walkers and saw the last stand of Leaf, the "leader" of the enigmatic Children of the Forest.

HBO released a visual effects breakdown that takes us behind the scenes of both the climactic cave battle and into the make-up chair as we see how they create the terrifying White Walkers and the mysterious children. The actors endure a 10-hour hair, make-up, and prosthetic process to get transformed.

Keep reading to see how the "Game of Thrones" make-up team brings the creatures beyond the Wall to life.

Here's actress Kae Alexander who plays the Children of the Forest leader Leaf on "Game of Thrones."

The entire make-up process can last as long as nine to ten hours.

Alexander has prosthetics glued onto her entire body in addition to hours of hair and make-up.

Glossophobia — the fear of public speaking — is one of the most common phobias among Americans today.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a whopping 74% of people suffer from speech anxiety. 

And, as most people know, when we're nervous or anxious, our minds and bodies tend to do weird things that we can't always control.

However, if you make a conscious effort, you may be able to avoid some of the common mistakes public speakers make.

Here are some habits you'll want to avoid, along with their potential consequences and suggested remedies:

SEE ALSO: How to talk about money in a job interview without making it awkward

1. Not tailoring your message to your audience

As Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours."

On the other hand, if you don't talk to your audience about themselves, they most likely won't listen, says Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc. and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results.""Speakers frequently fall into the bad habit of giving generic off-the-shelf presentations that are not tailored to address the needs of this particular audience. Listeners know when the speaker has not done their homework, and their response ranges from disappointment and frustration to anger and disengaging."

To avoid this, ask yourself: Who is my audience? What are their burning issues? How does my message help them? How much do they know about my topic? What will I ask them to do in response to my message? "All the best practices in public speaking depend upon this first tenet: Know Your Audience." 

2. Eye dart

From beginners to veterans, the majority of speakers fail to maintain meaningful, sustained eye contact with their listeners. "Unconsciously, their eyes scurry from person to person, darting around the room, without ever pausing to actually see the recipients of their message," Price says. "A lack of eye contact implies a list of offenses: insincerity, disinterest, detachment, insecurity, shiftiness, and even arrogance."

To visually connect, maintain eye contact for at least two to three seconds per person, or long enough to complete a full phrase or sentence. Effective eye communication is the most important nonverbal skill in a speaker's toolbox.

3. Distracting mannerisms

There are at least 20 common tics to tackle, including: clenching or wringing your hands, pacing back and forth, keeping your hands in pockets, jingling change or keys, twisting your ring, gripping the lectern, licking your lips, adjusting your hair or clothing, fidgeting with a pen, bobbing your head, placing your arms behind your back, and touching your face. "One or more of these habits can distract the audience from your message and jeopardize your credibility," Price explains.

As a remedy, record yourself speaking and watch the playback. "Practice often to increase your comfort level and reduce anxiety. Take a public speaking class or enlist the help of a local coach to eliminate distracting mannerisms and habituate purposeful movement."

Museums don't always contain winding galleries of classic paintings and sculptures.

New York City's Mmuseumm, in fact, looks nothing like that: The 20-square-foot exhibition space is housed inside a former freight elevator in lower Manhattan.

Since 2012, curator and founder Alex Kalman has filled Mmuseumm's wall-to-wall, glowing shelves with 200 obscure objects — everything from vodka that was endorsed by Donald Trump to a Happy Meal from an Iranian fast food joint.

The items on display rotate every year. The newest season, which opened in late April and runs through November, features 15 micro-exhibitions that each include about 10 to 20 items.

Mmuseumm is open Thursdays and Fridays from 6 to 9pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 pm. Keep scrolling to take a virtual tour.

Mmuseumm is located at 4 Cortlandt Alley in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan. When the steel doors are shut, it's hard to know it's there.

The current season's exhibitions include "A Year in Review in Cookies," pictured below. Kalman tells Tech Insider that he collects objects from donors and organizations around the world.

Here's a close-up of one of the cookies, an homage to Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair Cover from June 2015.

The new breed of billion-dollar "unicorn" startups are popular places to work these days. 

But there's a lot of advantages to working at big, public corporations: they are less risky, have more resources, and give better liquidity options, to name a few.

For those interested in large companies, job search site Indeed.com has put together the 10 most popular tech companies to work for in the Fortune 500. It went through more than 10 million job reviews by its members to find the companies that are most highly rated on overall employee experience.

Here's the full list:

SEE ALSO: The most popular tech jobs that will get you an $89,000-plus salary

10. EMC

Overall rating: 4.1  (out of 5)

What it does: EMC provides the infrastructure and software for enterprise storage systems. (Note that EMC is due to be acquired by Dell in the coming months)

Revenue (2015): $24.7 billion

Employee review:“EMC has been one of the most influential data storage providers for several decades and for the last 19 years I have had the honor to work there working on leading edge storage products. The pay is competitive with attractive bonus incentives and better than average benefits.  The work culture at EMC is diversified and dynamic. You are challenged to be a team contributor and make a difference.” - Principal SW Engineer, Hopkinton, MA

9. Micron Technology

Overall rating: 4.1  (out of 5)

What it does: Micron builds chips for computers, servers, networking, and mobile devices.

Revenue (2015): $16.2 billion

Employee review:“This was the best place I have ever worked. The daily duties varied so often it never was boring. I always felt challenged and at the end of the day I always had a sense of accomplishment. I was encouraged to continue my education, and to continue to expand my knowledge of semiconductors. I strongly recommend Micron to anyone who wants a great job with very good benefits.” - Supervisor, Boise, ID

8. Applied Materials

Overall rating: 4.1  (out of 5)

What it does: Applied Materials supplies the equipment and software needed to build semiconductors, display and solar panels.

Revenue (2015): $9.7 billion

Employee review:“Challenging place to work but pays well. Demanding but rewarding place to work. Very corporate environment focused on bottom line. Organization is reorganized every 6 months. I worked there for many years, and it was not uncommon for me to have 1-8 new bosses in a given year. Co-workers are well qualified and hardworking. Lots of good benefits... bonuses, 401k matching, health care, etc.” - Product Manager, San Jose, CA

Earlier this month, rapper and actor Ice Cube purchased a beautiful new home in Marina del Rey, a small beachside community in Los Angeles County.

The house was built in 2011, and originally went on the market for $10 million. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, Ice Cube dropped $7.25 million on the canal-front home.

Hollywood is a small town filled with unlikely connections. Ice Cube bought the house from Jean-Claude Van Dame, an action star best known for "Blood Sport" and "Street Fighter."

Take a tour of Ice Cube's new digs:

SEE ALSO: The biggest hit song the year you were born

The 7,574 square-foot house is in Marina del Rey, California. It's not in a super secluded spot, like most celebrity residences, but it has an insane location.

Check out the listing here »

The two-story, six-bedroom house sits right on a canal, and has views of the ocean.

Check out the listing here »

Take in those views from this beautiful deck, which comes equipped with a TV and fireplace.

Check out the listing here »

For 18 years, Pommes Frites stood as a staple of New York City's East Village, serving up overflowing cones of hot Belgian fries late into the night.

With a menu of only fries and 30-plus dipping sauces, the spot gained immense popularity and had a consistent line down the block.

But when it burned down in a tragic and deadly gas explosion last March, New Yorkers mourned the loss of the beloved fry joint. Now, 14 months later, Pommes Frites is back in a new West Village location. 

We stopped by its opening day on May 23 to check out the new space. Here's what a trip to the all-fries-all-the-time spot is like. 

SEE ALSO: The best fries from every state

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Pommes Frites' new location sits at 128 MacDougal Street in the West Village, across town from its old East Village digs.

We walked in around 6:15 p.m. expecting a crazy line for opening day. It ended up being moderately full, but it was nothing outrageous. I guess not everyone counted down the days until this place reopened like my friends and I had.

The decor speaks to the Belgian theme with dark wooded walls and tables, and rustic metal details throughout. The restaurant makes the most of a small space with two long picnic tables, a high "window" seat facing a fake window, and a standing-room-only nook.

New York City and San Francisco aren't the only cities for recent grads to launch their careers.

There are plenty of other options that are more affordable without sacrificing opportunity. In fact, "18-hour cities"— cities that offer a similar lifestyle to a major city like New York but don't run on a 24/7 basis or have the same high costs — are emerging as hot spots.

"For millennials, 18-hour cities hold a lot of appeal," personal finance site Credit Sesame reports. "Their economies are typically expanding at a steady clip since it's less expensive for businesses to set up shop, which means there are lots of jobs to be had. Because they're secondary markets, rent prices in these cities aren't through the roof."

In a new report, Credit Sesame identified the top 25 18-hour cities and then ranked the top 10 based on five factors: median household income, median rent price, unemployment rate, average student-loan balance, and average credit-card balance.

Read on to see which 18-hour-cities cracked the top 10. We also included the median household income, the median rent for total households — the median rent is general and not specific to one- or two-bedroom apartments — and the unemployment rate, all of which Credit Sesame drew from the US Census Bureau.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best US cities for the class of 2016 to start their lives

10. Atlanta, Georgia

Median household income: $46,439

Median rent price: $969 per month

Unemployment rate: 12.9%

9. Charlotte, North Carolina

Median household income: $53,274

Median rent price: $902 per month

Unemployment rate: 10.8%

8. Portland, Oregon

Median household income: $53,230

Median rent price: $945 per month

Unemployment rate: 9.4%

Thousands of years of human history are at risk.

Global warming — and the rising seas that come with it — threatens dozens of natural and cultural wonders designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as World Heritage sites.

In 2014, two European researchers released a paper in the journal Environmental Research Letters that estimated more than one-fifth of UNESCO's 720 World Heritage sites are at risk from flooding or even total submersion by 2100 due to sea-level rise.

That's too many to list here, but five key sites caught our eye.

Each would be at least partly below local sea level if global temperatures reach a 3.6-degree Fahrenheit warming limit set out by the Paris Agreement.

SEE ALSO: 15 dramatic images of an Indian island that has slowly shrunk down to half its former size

1. Venice

You may have heard that Venice is sinking. The 1,595-year-old city was built on wooden foundations over 118 small islands barely above sea level.

Source: History Channel, UNESCO

Throughout its history, Venice has flooded during periods of high tides. The Venetians call these floods “acqua alta.”

Source: The Independent

Whole Foods' new chain of stores targeting millennials has finally opened its first location, and it looks nothing like the Whole Foods we know.

The first of the stores, called 365 by Whole Foods Market, opened Wednesday in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake. 

Here's what it looks like inside.

SEE ALSO: How McDonald's chicken nuggets are made

When customers walk inside the store, they should be able to see the entire store from where they stand.

That's because Whole Foods has lowered the height of all fixtures and shelving in the 365 stores to make it easy for customers to find what they need.

The no-frills store looks like a warehouse inside, with fluorescent lighting and minimal decorations.

Getting married or moving in with your partner inevitably changes things — your finances included.

Learning to manage your money together does not have to be overwhelming. It's something any couple can do, as long as you put in the work. "If the two of you don't make your finances a priority, they won't be one," writes self-made millionaire and financial adviser David Bach in his book, "Smart Couples Finish Rich."

Plus, two heads are generally better than one, and "the sooner you start working together, the more quickly you can dramatically improve your financial picture," says Bach.

Get started on a path to a rich future for you and your partner by following these 10 steps:

SEE ALSO: The 6 worst money mistakes couples make

1. Talk about money

As uncomfortable as they may be, money conversations are crucial— and the earlier you and your partner talk finances, the better. After all, arguments about money are a leading predictor of divorce.

"Smart couples talk about money all the time," explains Bach. "When you work together on your finances, you can compound the results. When you don't, the same can be said for the mistakes you will invariably make."

You'll want to start by understanding the financial background of your partner, finding out how your partner feels about money, and what they consider to be its purpose in their life. This will allow you to understand how they make financial decisions.

Next, you can discuss the more concrete details, such as who is responsible for paying which bills or whether you want a joint account.

"You shouldn't assume that both you and your partner are somehow automatically on the same page when it comes to the question of how you are going to organize your finances and who is going to be responsible for what," writes Bach. "If you haven't already done so, the two of you need to sit down together and specifically work all this out. The alternative is chaos and potentially major strife."

2. Write down specific goals

The first step to achieving anything is to figure out precisely what it is you're after. What do you and your partner want? It could be a vacation home, more wealth, or being able to travel the world together.

"Make your goals specific, detailed, and with a finish line," Bach writes. Next, write them down: "People who write down their financial goals get rich. It's a fact. Study after study has shown that writing down your goals makes it much more likely that you'll achieve them."

Finally, get started right away — within 48 hours, Bach suggests. "By taking this sort of specific immediate action, my goal becomes even more real to me and thus even more exciting," he explains. "It's this excitement that will ultimately create the lasting energy the two of you will need in order to see your goal through to reality."

3. Create a plan

"Failing to plan together is the same as planning to fail together," writes Bach. Simply going through the motions won't cut it — finishing rich requires a written financial plan to outline your budget and savings goals.

Step one is to understand where you're starting from: "Could you tell me your net worth? Do you know what your assets and liabilities and expenses are? Could you easily list on a piece of paper what investments you own, how much equity you have in your home, and on what and to whom you owe money?" If you couldn't come up with any answers, don't worry. That's normal, Bach assures.

Start by addressing those questions. Next, get organized by pulling together your financial records and setting up a new filing system. Once you're organized, don't stop there, Bach emphasizes: "In order to stay on track from your starting point to your destination, you have to monitor your progress." This means revisiting your investments and general financial plan a couple times a year.

As it turns out, what you say during your first day on the job doesn't just impact what your colleagues think about you — it could also end up costing you the gig.

"If you say something that's off, it sets the tone, and that could be the reason for you to be let go in your first three months," says J.T. O'Donnell, a career and workplace expert, founder of career-advice site CAREEREALISM.com, and author of "Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."

"It's natural to want to be liked — to impress and fit in quickly," explains workplace-confidence expert Michelle Kerrigan. "However, many try too hard, and talk too much when they should be listening."

Here are 19 things you should avoid saying, especially during your first day on the job:

SEE ALSO: 32 things you should never say to your boss

'In my last job ...'

No one likes a know-it-all.

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, etiquette and civility expert and author of "Don't Burp in the Boardroom," suggests walking into the new job with energy, but she also recommends a splash of humility. "Not the timid, reserved definition, but with an attitude of learning — not knowing-it-all."

'OMG, I LOVE that!'

You're already hired — there's no need to try too hard to get people to like you.

While it's nice to know that people think you're personable or that you really "get" the company, Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," says this is a waste of energy — you'll impress naturally by just being yourself.

'When do I get a raise?'

"How about getting through the ninety-day probationary period first," Randall suggests.