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."

The Boeing 747 jumbo is one of the most famous planes in aviation history. The plane, referred to by many as the "Queen of the Skies," helped revolutionize air travel for the masses when it arrived on the scene in 1969. It's been going strong for over 40 years.

Even though Boeing has sold more than 1,500 747s, the airline industry shifted toward smaller and more fuel-efficient twin-engine jets in recent years, such as the Boeing 777. As a result, the company has had a difficult time finding buyers for the iconic jumbo jet. 

But the resilient Boeing 747 is still alive and very much in production. Recently, Chris Sloan of Airways News had the opportunity to take a guided tour during Boeing's media days of the Everett, Washington, factory where the airplane maker assembles the jumbo.

Here's what he saw. 

SEE ALSO: Airbus could solve a huge problem with jumbo jets

In the late 1960s, a group 50,000 Boeing employees came together to create the first 747 jumbo jet in an astonishing 16 months.

Although the 747 is less popular these days, it's still featured in the fleets of such airlines as British Airways and ...

... Delta.

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%

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season six, including speculation of future events.

The second half of season six was off to a fiery start with Sunday's "Blood of My Blood." One of the key scenes revolved around the High Sparrow, King Tommen, and the Lannister/Tyrell alliance. We watched as Tommen joined forces with the Faith Militant, effectively making Westeros a theocracy and undermining his parents' plan in one fell swoop.

Now Jaime is heading to the Riverlands, and the sneak peek at the upcoming episode — "The Broken Man"— has a lot of promising hints. The vague description released for the episode says: "The High Sparrow eyes another target. Jaime confronts a hero. Arya makes a plan. The North is reminded."

Let's take a look at what (and who) we can expect in episode seven of "Game of Thrones," plus we toss some predictions into the mix.

Jaime will arrive at Riverrun, the castle historically occupied by the Tully family (Catelyn Stark's childhood home).

He's going to meet with the Blackfish, a.k.a. Brynden Tully — Catelyn's uncle and a renowned fighter who has taken his castle back from the Freys.

The Blackfish was present at the Red Wedding, but happened to go outside to relieve himself right before the massacre began.

Look up habits of successful people, and one thing comes up over and over: Successful people wake up early.

But before you attempt to reprogram your sleepy brain, consider this: While, yes, early birds do get some worms, naturally late risers get some perks, too.

One Spanish study suggested that night owls who sleep in may be more intelligent than their day-bound peers, and Italian researchers found evidence that "evening types" might be also be more creative.

It may not be compatible with a standard office job, but as these 15 people prove, waking up late is definitely compatible with success.

This is an update of a story originally written by Rachel Sugar.

SEE ALSO: 21 successful people who wake up incredibly early

DON'T MISS: 8 bad habits that are ruining your sleep

Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti 'sleeps in' to 8:30 a.m.

In the grand scheme of things, 8:30 a.m. barely qualifies as "sleeping in," but in the context of business, it's virtually afternoon. 

In The Wire, Peretti — who also cofounded The Huffington Post — breaks down his incredibly civilized morning routine. "I usually sleep in to about 8:30," he explains. Then he separates out the business or sports section of The New York Times ("the only two sections my wife lets me take"), grabs New York magazine, and heads for the subway.

New Yorker writer and TED speaker Kathryn Schulz does her best work in the middle of the night

Schulz is hardly the first writer to find that she's at her most alert when everyone else is at their most asleep. Not that she's necessarily happy about it. "I sometimes think I would give anything to be a morning person," she writes in New York magazine.

Instead, her writing brain kicks in at about 10 p.m., she explains. Just after 3 a.m., she's faced with a choice. "If I put my work away and go to bed, I will fall asleep almost instantly, and can be up and functional again by nine." Or she can stay up for the rest of the night, napping for a few hours "from six to eight, or eight to ten."

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio is 'not a morning person'

The mayor, who is known for his occasional tardiness, has been upfront about his ideal schedule. "I am not a morning person," he once confessed on the campaign trail. "I think we should reorient our society [to] staying up late, but I don't think that's happening right now."

While de Blasio's schedule — including his oft-discussed 9 a.m. gym sessions— is hardly unheard of, it's a far cry from the larkish routines of recent predecessors. Bloomberg was known to jog at 5 a.m., and Giuliani was in meetings with senior staff by 8 a.m.

We are now one month from the NBA Draft. With the lottery setting the order for the first 14 spots in the draft, many of the experts have weighed in with their mock drafts.

We have collected the mock drafts of 12 experts to get a consensus on how the draft is starting to develop and to see how all 30 picks of the first round might go.

Below we take a look at the player or players most commonly picked by the experts at each spot.

The experts: Chad Ford (ESPN), Andrew Sharp (SI.com), Scott Howard-Cooper (NBA.com), Aaron Torres (FoxSports.com), Jonathan Givony (The Vertical), Derek Bodner (USA Today), Sam Vecenie and Gary Parrish (CBS Sports), Ed Isaacson (Yahoo Sports), HoopsHype, Kevin O'Connor (SB Nation), and Jason McIntyre (The Big Lead)

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers — Ben Simmons, F

Experts: 8 out of 12

School: LSU

Other possibilities: Brandon Ingram

Key quote from Ford: "There will be a lot of debate in the Sixers' front office on whether to take Simmons or Brandon Ingram. But I think they'll lean toward Simmons ... Philadelphia coach Brett Brown knows him from his days coaching in Australia. Brown desperately needs a playmaker, and new GM Bryan Colangelo wants a player who can contribute right now."

No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers — Brandon Ingram, F

Experts: 8 out of 12

School: Duke

Other possibilities: Ben Simmons

Key quote from Sharp: "He shoots well from all over the floor, he's got a perfect frame to turn into a great defender, he plays hard, and he improved as the year unfolded ... Next year's Lakers will basically be a college team, or possibly a six–month fraternity party thrown by Walton. I already love them so much more than everything that happened under Byron Scott."

No. 3 Boston Celtics — Dragan Bender, F/C

Experts: 7 out of 12

Country: Croatia

Other possibilities: Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray

Key quote from Givony: "Power forward has long been a position of need for the Celtics, and it was abundantly clear in the playoffs that Jared Sullinger is not a solution because of his struggles defensively. Enter Bender, whom many feel has a huge upside in today’s NBA because of his defensive versatility, perimeter shooting and outstanding feel for the game."

We read a lot about this or that morning ritual that will make you productive. But what about one that makes you happy?

Research shows that being happy actually makes you more productive. So let’s kill two birds with one stone and focus on smiles.

What’s the first step? Here’s a little secret: Happy mornings don’t start in the morning …

SEE ALSO: This billionaire follows the same routine every morning, no matter where he is in the world

1. Have something to look forward to

Happy mornings start the night before. Make sure before you go to bed you have something to look forward to tomorrow.

Research shows anticipation is a powerful happiness booster. It’s 2 for the price of 1: You get the good thing and you get happy in anticipation of the good thing.

Got nothing you’re looking forward to? Schedule lunch with a friend or promise yourself you’ll do something you enjoy. It’s one of the secrets of the happiest people in the world.

Via "The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want":

People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.

(To learn how to be happier and more successful, click here.)

Okay, you’ve got something you’re anticipating planned for the next day. Now what do you actually do first thing in the morning?

2. Manage your mood

Research shows your mood in the morning affects your mood for the rest of the day:

“We saw that employees could get into these negative spirals where they started the day in a bad mood and just got worse over the course of the day,” said Steffanie Wilk, associate professor of management and human resources at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.

What makes you happy early in the day? Do that.

Are you often stressed in the morning? Then ask yourself, “What gives me a feeling of control?”

Anything that increases your perception of control over a situation — whether it actually increases your control or not — can substantially decrease your stress level.

Via "Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long":

Over and over, scientists see that the perception of control over a stressor alters the stressor’s impact… Amy Arnsten studies the effects of limbic system arousal on prefrontal cortex functioning. She summarized the importance of a sense of control for the brain during an interview filmed at her lab at Yale. “The loss of prefrontal function only occurs when we feel out of control. It’s the prefrontal cortex itself that is determining if we are in control or not. Even if we have the illusion that we are in control, our cognitive functions are preserved.” This perception of being in control is a major driver of behavior.

And don’t check email first thing. Studies show it stresses you out:

A new study released Thursday by the University of California, Irvine, which was co-written with United States Army researchers, found that people who do not look at email on a regular basis at work are less stressed and more productive.

(For more on what the most productive people do every day, click here.)

You’re anticipating something good and you feel in control. Cool. What’s next? Food.

3. Eat breakfast

Do you skip breakfast? I recommend you skip skipping breakfast. Eat something. It puts you in a better mood and increases willpower.

Kids who skip breakfast misbehave more than kids who eat their Wheaties. After a snack, all the children are little angels again.

From "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength":

All the children in a class were told to skip breakfast one morning, and then, by random assignment, half of the children were given a good breakfast at school. The others got nothing. During the first part of the morning, the children who got breakfast learned more and misbehaved less (as judged by monitors who didn’t know which children had eaten). Then, after all the students were given a healthy snack in the middle of the morning, the differences disappeared as if by magic.

Think it’s just kids? Wrong. Not eating breakfast can lead to murder. Literally.

From "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength":

…just by looking at the response to the glucose test, the researchers were able to predict with greater than 80 percent accuracy which convicts would go on to commit violent crimes.

So eat something. (And don’t kill anybody.) Going to just scarf something down quick? Bad idea.

Savor your breakfast. Take some time to really enjoy it. Research shows savoring — appreciating the good moments — is what separates the happiest people from the average Joe.

Via "Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth":

The key component to effective savoring is focused attention. By taking the time and spending the effort to appreciate the positive, people are able to experience more well-being.

(For more on how to savor the good things in life and be happier, click here.)

Feeling good so far. Now it’s time to do something that doesn’t feel so good …

It's a good time to be a Golden State Warriors fan.

After winning the championship last season, the Warriors broke the NBA's regular-season wins record this year, winning 73 games and losing only nine. The previous record holder was the 1995-1996 Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls. Golden State is the favorite to win it all again this season.

The Warriors' dominant run over the past two years has been a source of great pride for its famously loyal and raucous fans.

But it's also created a lot of new fans among the Silicon Valley techie crowd. 

What many of the bandwagon fans might not know is that the Warriors used to be the league's laughingstock for years and years.

Here's a look back at the Warriors' tortured past:

SEE ALSO: We Went To The 49ers' Amazing High-Tech Stadium — And We Don't Want To Go To Any Other Stadium Ever Again

The Warriors have been on a good run over the past two seasons. They won the championship last season and set the league's best record this year. Their best player, Steph Curry, will likely win his second straight MVP award.

That's turned a lot of people into Warriors fans. It's not hard to spot someone wearing a Warriors jersey in downtown San Francisco these days. But it was a rare sight just a couple of years ago.

The Warriors' home arena has seen a flood of celebrities and tech bigwigs show up on courtside too. Here's Oracle CEO Larry Ellison — the fifth-richest man in the world — in a suit.

While some coworkers may have no qualms about letting you know they despise you, others will try to remain diplomatic and professional but will hide those hard feelings.

"Most coworkers won't overtly show their disdain for you so as not to cause trouble or jeopardize their own careers," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.""They may make life difficult for you, but they'll probably try to stay under the radar. Still, there are subtle red flags that they're not out for your best interests."

You'll want to know those signs, says Taylor, so you can spot them when they're present and turn things around before it's too late.

"Of course, it's impossible to be liked by everyone in the office," she explains.

But you should always strive to be sensitive to the needs of your fellow coworkers, remain upbeat and friendly, communicate openly, and give colleagues the benefit of the doubt.

"Those who do this have a far brighter career future," she says. "Plus, when [we]  have strong, healthy workplace relationships, you will be more effective and accomplished in your job."

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage,"agrees.

"When your coworkers like you, everything becomes easier," he says. "People have your back when you need it the most, you can ask for and get favors more easily, people will volunteer to help in times of need, and you can get far better cooperation even across departments."

Being well-liked will boost your morale, which in turn will make you more productive, focused, creative, and successful in everything you do, he says.

Here are 17 subtle signs your coworkers secretly hate you. Keep in mind that you may just be misreading their body language or tone — the workplace is certainly not immune to human misunderstanding and no one's a mind reader.

But if you notice you're the only victim of these behaviors, it probably means they don't like you.

SEE ALSO: 21 signs your boss secretly hates you

1. Your gut tells you they don't like you.

If you feel like your coworkers don't like you, it could just be in your head, but it could also be true. If they treat you differently than everyone else, you're probably not their favorite person. Trust your gut and continue looking for other signs if you have a strong feeling about this.

3. They can't maintain eye contact with you.

It's difficult to look someone straight in the eye when you don't like or respect them, says Taylor. If you notice your colleagues avoid eye contact while speaking with you, those are probably the reasons.

"They're afraid that you may be able to detect hostility, so the path of least resistance is for them to look away or avoid being around you wherever possible," Taylor suggests.

3. They don't smile when you're around.

We're not talking about the occasional bad day or mood swing. If your coworkers make a conscious effort not to smile when you're in the room, something isn't right.

Few things have the power to transport people like the cinema.

Who can forget Robert Williams' "Good morning, Vietnam" or Marine Corps DI Hartman's memorable quotes?

The following list is of our favorite military movies.

SEE ALSO: An amazing look inside the US Air Force's headquarters in Europe

"The Longest Day" (1962)

"The Longest Day" tells the story of heroism and loss that marked the Allies' successful completion of the Normandy Landings on D-Day during World War II.

The film stands out due to its attention to detail, as it employed many Axis and Allied D-Day participants as advisers for how to depict the D-Day landings in the movie.

"Lawrence Of Arabia" (1962)

Based on the exploits of British Army Lieutenant T. E. Lawrence during World War I, "Lawrence of Arabia" tells the story of Lawrence's incredible activities in the Middle East.

The film captures Lawrence's daring, his struggles with the horrific violence of World War I, and the incredible British role in the foundation of the modern Middle East and Saudi Arabia.

"The Great Escape" (1963)

"The Great Escape" is based on a novel of the same name, which was a nonfiction account of a mass escape from a German prison camp in Poland during World War II. The film follows several British German prisoners of war as they try to escape from the Nazis and make their way back to Allied-controlled territory. 

Over the past few years, Jaguar Land Rover has been one of the fastest-growing car companies in the US market. However, most of this growth has been thanks to the Land Rover part of JLR. In 2015, JLR's US sales surged 26% to more than 85,000 cars, but only about 14,000 of them were Jags. In fact, the Jaguar brand's sales fell 8% last year. 

For 2016, Jaguar is making an all-out push to even things up with its corporate sibling. At the core of Jag's strategy is the introduction of three new cars. 

The new second generation XF is the first of Jaguar's new lineup to land on our shores. The new XF will soon be joined by the BMW 3-Series-fighting XE sedan and the highly anticipated F-PACE crossover SUV.

Although the first generation XF remains very aesthetically pleasing, after nearly a decade in the public eye, it was time for a change. 

"Since we now produce the smaller XE, the XF has to grow up a little bit," Jaguar design director Ian Callum told Business Insider in an interview. "Perhaps become a little less sporty and a little more practical."

"My balance was to really keep it as sporty as possible, but at the same time give it a lot more room on the inside," Sir Ian added. 

So, the question must be asked: "Is the youthful sports car still alive in the soul of this grown up Jag?"

The 2016 Jaguar XF starts at $51,900, while the XF S starts at $62,700. Our well-appointed XF S test car left the showroom with the price tag of $74,655. 

Jaguar recently dropped off a glacier white 2016 XF S for Business Insider to sample. Let's find out if it's ready to carry the brand into a new era. 

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise credited.

SEE ALSO: I drove Chevy’s answer to that Tesla everyone is going nuts over

Jaguar debuted the first generation XF to rave reviews in 2008.

After nearly a decade on the market, it was time for a new XF. For 2016, Jaguar's midsize luxury sedan arrives in the US with a whole new look.

The new XF is the work of Jaguar design boss Ian Callum, whose résumé includes ...

Thick skin is a must if you have skin in the multi-billion-dollar New York City real estate game. Just ask Fredrik Eklund.

The feisty Million Dollar Listing New York star and multi-millionaire realtor has had to learn to hold back his emotions when a client gets persnickety and demanding. He says he no longer takes it personally. He bites his tongue so he doesn't swallow his words.

"Whether you're in real estate or not, if you work with difficult clients, you have to constantly remind yourself that it's not you, without losing your cool," he tells Entrepreneur over the phone. "It's about them and their expectations, but it's your job to get them over to work with you on the terms you think are doable."

Related: Why This Famous Millionaire Real Estate Broker Karate-Kicks Before a Big Meeting (and Thinks You Should, Too)

To do just that — to overcome their objections, and get them to come over to your side and seal the deal — Eklund offers the following four tips for dealing with tough customers:

SEE ALSO: 5 evidence-based tips to increasing your mental toughness

1. Command the driver's seat and steer strong.

With millions and sometimes billions of dollars at stake, some of Eklund's clients get cold feet from time to time, particularly if they've never worked with him before. Such was the case with a recent client.

This individual enlisted the former IT entrepreneur's services for a lead involving a $200 billion-dollar, 20-unit mansion development in New York's Westchester County. Cautious from the outset, the developer had designs on "test driving" Eklund. He wanted him to sell one of the Tarrytown mansions first as a test to see if Eklund could handle selling the rest. 

"I had to remind myself that, yes, he was being difficult, but he doesn't know me," Eklund says. "He doesn't know what I'm capable of and that I know in my heart that I can get the job done."

He did get it done, but not without sewing up an agreement with the shrewd developer first that locked Eklund in to sell all of the remaining homes. "I had to stick to my guns. I had to let the resistance pass through me and slide off my back," he says. "If I got too emotional and backed down, the deal wouldn't go through. It wouldn't last." 

Related: Star of 'Million Dollar Listing' Says Anyone Can Make Money in Real Estate

2. Forget email and the phone. Meet face to face.

When you're dealing with a trying personality, get personal and meet in person right off the bat. "Don't mess around with email and the phone," Eklund says. "If someone is a truly difficult client, having lunch is always better because you talk about your families, you strike some common chords and build rapport and understanding, then it's much more likely they'll be reasonable."

Besides, too many social-emotional cues can be missed on the phone and in digital communications. If you really want to save the sale, don't waste your time on either medium.

3. Use your funny bone to break the tension, but not too much.

"I use humor to soften up tough clients," the high-kicking Swede says. "There's a fine line between making someone laugh and making fun of them, and you don't want to be too much of a jokester by turning a very difficult situation into all-out comedy."

You can, however, have a little fun at your own expense to lighten the mood and, ideally, to help disarm your client in a tense moment.

"Watch out," Eklund says, "because if you come on too strong and you take yourself too seriously, especially with a sensitive person, the deal is over before it even begins."

Related: 7 Strategies to Succeed With That Demanding, Difficult Customer

In January, I completed the Elon Musk Challenge, spending just $60 on food for the month.

More recently, I simulated the lives of millions of Americans who earn minimum or nearly minimum wage and lived on an $8.15-an-hour salary for 30 days.

After completing these challenges in one of the most expensive US cities — New York — I've learned a thing or two about how to effectively stretch a limited amount of money. While both of these scenarios were extreme, many of the strategies I used can be applied to my everyday life — and perhaps yours.

If you're looking to save more and spend less, here are my 10 best tips.

SEE ALSO: A Yelp employee publicly complained to the CEO that she couldn't afford to buy groceries — and I tried living on her salary to see how true that is

Use cash

When you have to stick to a tight budget, ditching your plastic cards for cash can make a world of difference. Simply withdraw a predetermined amount of money for the week and commit to spending just that amount. (Leave your credit cards at home if you'll be tempted to swipe them.)

The cash-only diet forces you to stay at or below budget — once your wallet is empty, you're done spending for the week (or however long you planned your cash to last). It also gives you a better idea of exactly how much money you're spending and how much you have remaining in your budget. Plus, there's something about physically handing over bills — watching your money disappear right before your eyes — that causes you to value it more.

Track your expenses every day

I take five minutes at the end of each day to record everything I bought in an Excel spreadsheet. I've found that this habit is just as effective as it is effortless, for a few reasons:

1. It allows me to notice how easily expenses can add up. You don't quite realize how quickly you can blow through cash until you start writing down each purchase. The action of recording everything provides a new awareness that keeps me in check when shopping and has helped me become more deliberate with every purchase.

2. It holds me accountable. The last thing I want to do at the end of each day is have to record unnecessary or silly expenditures.

3.It challenges me to lower my costs each day, week, and month. Recording expenses becomes a game, and you start to see how many days in a row you can spend $0, or under $5.

Where you grocery shop (and what you buy) matters

Your grocery bill is entirely under your control — you're not locked into a contract like you are with your cellphone or internet — and chances are, you can find ways to cut back.

I stayed away from luxury or organic grocery stores and did all of my shopping at the famously affordable Trader Joe's. I also stuck with the basics, quite literally: During the Elon Musk Challenge, I purchased nine items, such as peanut butter, pasta, and oats.

The Elon Musk Challenge was extreme (and not entirely healthy), but it is possible to eat healthy on the cheap. You just have to know what to look for. Check out the healthiest foods at the grocery store for the least amount of money and 19 ways to eat healthy on a budget.

Back in 1991, the US Postal Service issued stamps of the solar system's then-nine planets.

Although Pluto has since been demoted to dwarf planet, it had the only one that read "not yet explored."

So when NASA launched its New Horizons spacecraft in 2006, the lead scientist stuck that stamp onto the probe.

To celebrate New Horizons and its outdated postage flying by Pluto in July 2015, the USPS just issued two "Pluto —Explored!" souvenir postage stamps.

The Post Office is also releasing stamps to honor the solar system's eight official planets; you can buy them all online starting May 31.

Here's every one of the news stamps in their full philatelic glory:

Pluto, and its great big heart, as seen by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015.

The New Horizons spacecraft, which flew by Pluto in 2015, sending us the first up close images of the dwarf planet.

Mercury, taken by NASA's Messenger spacecraft in 2011-12.

We all want to get to the gym, be more productive, be kinder to our loved ones… and then we don’t do it. Why?

Well, building solid personal habits can be hard.

In fact, research shows it takes an average of 66 days to build a new good habit.

From Oliver Burkeman’s Help! How to be slightly happier and get a bit more done:

On average, her subjects, who were trying to learn new habits such as eating fruit daily or going jogging, took a depressing 66 days before reporting that the behaviour had become unchangingly automatic.

But it doesn’t have to be that difficult.

I’ve written before about the secret of how to break bad habits, so now let’s take a look at the scientific tricks to building good habits — and ones that stick.

For instance, wouldn’t it be nice if you could build three good habits for the price of one?

Actually, research says you can …

SEE ALSO: 10 habits of chronically unhappy people

1. Start with "Keystone Habits"

Exercising isn’t just good for you. It’s also a "keystone habit." It’s a good change that often triggers other good changes, passively.

When I spoke to Charles Duhigg, author of the excellent book "The Power of Habit," he explained that exercise leads people to unknowingly create other, often unrelated, good habits.

It makes you eat better. And helps you use your credit card less. And makes you more productive at work. Here’s Charles:

There’s this fundamental finding in science that some habits seem to matter more than others. When researchers look at how people change their habitual behaviors, they find when some changes occur, it seems to set off a chain reaction that causes other patterns to change as well. For some people, exercise is a good example of this. When you start exercising habitually, according to studies, you start eating more healthfully. That makes sense. You start feeling good about your body. For many people, when they start exercising, they stop using their credit cards quite so often. They procrastinate less at work. They do their dishes earlier in the day. It seems to be evidence that for many people, exercise is a keystone habit. Once you start to change your exercise habits, it sets off a chain reaction that changes other habits as well.

So maybe you already exercise. Or perhaps committing to the gym seems too daunting right now. What are other keystone habits? What alchemy do they all have in common?

Keystone habits change how you see yourself. And that’s what causes the cascade of positive change. Here’s Charles:

"The power of a keystone habit draws from its ability to change your self image. Basically, anything can become a keystone habit if it has this power to make you see yourself in a different way."

So start with a habit that makes you see yourself as the kind of person you want to be.

(To learn how to end bad habits for good, click here.)

Okay, picking a habit that changes how you see yourself is like a "three-for-one" deal. That’s great. But making that one change can still be a lot of work, right?

Wrong…

2. Use "minimum viable effort"

Want to floss more often? Okay, just floss one tooth. Sound silly? That’s fine.

Just like your mom told you: focus on baby steps.

It’s okay to be a little lazy at first. The key to new good habits is to do the minimum and be consistent.

BJ Fogg, head of the Stanford University Persuasive Tech Lab, calls it "Minimum Viable Effort." Here’s what BJ says:

Make it tiny. To create a new habit, you must first simplify the behavior. Make it tiny, even ridiculous. A good tiny behavior is easy to do — and fast.

Do not be ambitious yet. That leads to failure. Consistency is what you’re shooting for here, so make the hurdle as low as possible.

And once you’re flossing one tooth consistently, try flossing two teeth…

(To learn what Harvard research says will make you happier and more successful, click here.)

Okay, keystone habits and minimum viable effort. Now how do you really make sure you actually follow through?

3. Make a plan

Think like Hannibal from the A-Team: you love it when a plan comes together. But does creating a plan make a difference when it comes to building good habits? Yup.

Researchers wanted to convince students to get a tetanus shot. They showed them grisly photos of what could happen if they didn’t. And students who saw the pictures were far more likely to say they would get the shot. But did they follow through?

Of course not. What did make students show up and do what they said they would?

Giving them a map and having them make an appointment in their calendar. In short, creating a simple plan for how to get the job done.

From Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Build Common Ground, and Reap Big Results:

A portion of students received a detailed plan on how to get to the medical clinic; they were told the times when shots were available; they were given a map with the clinic clearly circled; and they were asked to review their schedule to find a time. Of the students who received this detailed plan, 28 percent went to get a shot, compared with 3 percent of students without the plan.

Thinking about the details makes you more likely to follow through. And another small thing that makes a big difference is just writing down your plan.

From Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive:

Why might writing down our goals be so effective at strengthening our commitments? Put simply, commitments that are made actively have more staying power than those that are made passively… In all, the clear majority of those who appeared as scheduled (74 percent) were those who had actively agreed to volunteer for the program.

(To learn the four rituals neuroscience says will make you happy, click here.)

Alright, I know: planning feels like homework. Where’s the fun? Well, since you asked, I shall bring the fun…

Everyone has to start somewhere.

From making paper deliveries to selling tuxedos, the first jobs these 11 successful people shared with Business Insider weren't always the most glamorous.

Read on to see where CEOs, bestselling authors, and self-made millionaires started, and how much their first jobs paid:

SEE ALSO: Tony Robbins, Sallie Krawcheck, and 6 more successful people share their financial goals for 2016

Farnoosh Torabi worked as a hostess at Ruby's Diner.

Farnoosh Torabi, personal-finance expert, bestselling author, host of the daily podcast, "So Money":

"When I was 15, I ran to apply for my worker's permit. I couldn't wait to earn a real paycheck beyond babysitting dollars. I got a job as a hostess at Ruby's Diner in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. I think it paid $8 or $9 an hour. After taxes and the cost of my ridiculous 1950s hostess costume that they deducted from my paycheck, it amounted to barely nothing. I quit after six weeks."

John Paul DeJoria built and sold flower boxes.

John Paul DeJoria, cofounder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón tequila:

"Growing up, we didn't have much money, so I worked from a very young age building flower boxes for 25 cents, and sold them for 50 cents.

"At 11 years old, I had a morning paper delivery route with the LA Examiner and I made $33 per month. I gave the money to my mother so we could live a better life. Having a job was an honor."

Alexa von Tobel worked in a doctor's office.

Alexa von Tobel, founder and CEO of LearnVest.com, author of "Financially Fearless":

"For my first job at age 15, I worked in a doctor's office doing everything from filing to tidying up the space. Both of my parents worked in medicine, so I loved it. I also made about $10 an hour, which I contributed to my future savings account."

Ice cream is great, but, no surprise here, it’s not great for you. Even frozen yogurt (remember that “Seinfeld” episode?) packs tons of sugar.

But one brand wants to change that. Halo Top, a trendy “healthy” ice cream brand, is about to blow up this summer.  The company's founder says he used to freeze Greek yogurt but hated the "tang," so he came up with "an ice cream recipe that kept the high-protein, low-sugar aspects of plain Greek yogurt" but ditched the aftertaste.

We tried six of its flavors to tell you which ones taste like the real deal, and which ones to skip.

You’re born, you die, and in between, you binge eat ice cream.

But while a pint of Ben and Jerry’s or similar packs around 1,100 calories, (has anyone ever scooped just one serving into a bowl? Unlikely) the activity of shoveling sugar into your body is one of those things that really only feels good in the moment.

Afterwards, you’re clutching your stomach and dying of thirst.

Jessica Siskin calls herself a "cereal killer."

She transforms Rice Krispies Treats into incredible sculptures that look like other foods, celebrities, and even household items. She documents her creations on Instagram as @misterkrisp and on her website.

It all started because Siskin didn't know how to bake. For a friend's birthday, she made a cake out of the only thing she knew how: Rice Krispies. 

The rest is history.

Meet Mr. Krisp — "the cereal killer."

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She's a creative writer with a side business making Rice Krispies Treats.

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These aren't the kind you'll find at a bake sale. They're custom-made for her New York City customers.

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Being a judge on "American Idol" has really paid off for Jennifer Lopez.

The singer recently purchased a new home in the quiet Los Angeles neighborhood of Bel Air. She dropped $28 million on the mansion, but, to be fair, that's down from the original $39,995,000 asking price, according to Curbed.

Check out Lopez's lavish new compound:

The house spans 13,932 square feet.

Click here for more information »

To get there, visitors must cross a small covered bridge.

It has seven bedrooms ...

After a decade of experimenting, failing, and learning from those failures, most of us have figured out how to navigate, or avoid, the most common money mistakes by the time we hit 30.

Still, we sometimes let ourselves — and a few money lies — get in the way.

Don't let these 15 lies hold you back.

Mandi Woodruff contributed to an earlier version of this post.

SEE ALSO: 13 things to accomplish with your money before 40

So long as my job pays well, it's OK if I hate it

By age 30, no one should be toiling away at a job that leaves them stressed out and dissatisfied with life. Sometimes you just have to say no, and have the confidence to quit.

Need inspiration? Read about this young woman who turned her back on a lucrative job on Wall Street when years of 14-hour work days made her overweight, burnt out, and miserable.

"I'm a few months into my new job [as an asset manager for a nonprofit] and it's made my life richer. I'm making an effort to breathe, smile, eat healthier and have positive thoughts about my future," she wrote.

"I took a pay cut of about 30% to change positions, but I don't think that I should be applauded for making the choice to accept less pay – I don't view it as a sacrifice."

If I turn a blind eye, somehow my finances will figure themselves out

One of the worst things you can do is to ignore financial red flags when they arise.

Check your bank account, no matter how fearful you are of how low the number might be; don't leave your credit report untouched; and take advantage of work benefits, such as the 401(k) match.

If you're broke, you might as well know it and own it. It's the only way you'll ever truly be able to do something about it.

Banks and bill collectors will get their way no matter what I do

At some time, life may get in the way and you'll find yourself on the wrong side of your bank or, worse, a bill collector.

Stand your ground. Negotiating your way to lower credit rates, car insurance, cable bills, and bank fees is possible, especially if you monitor your accounts dutifully and refuse to take no for an answer.

If you're ever in doubt, think about Kenny Golde, who managed to negotiate $220,000 worth of debt down to $70,000.