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

Since you don't have all day to scour the web for noteworthy sales and discounts, we rounded up the best bargains for you to shop in one convenient place.

1. Wayfair's Clearance items are up to 75% off

Wayfair is a one-stop-shop for some of our favorite stores for home decor, and right now you can save up to 70% on thousands of items by shopping its outlet sale. You can save on everything from furniture to bedding, to lighting, so chances are you'll definitely find a way to save on the home upgrade you've been thinking about. If you've never shopped at the store before, don't worry, we have some suggestions to help you get started.

Shop Wayfair's outlet sale here.

2. Save 20% on cooking goods at Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma carries all the tools a home chef needs to create a professional kitchen in their house. From now until November 14, the store is having a "friends and family sale," which offers a 20% discount nearly site-wide. You also get free expedited shipping. Just use the promo code "FRIENDS" at checkout. While you can save on just about anything, we recommend Silpat's muffin pan, which is a Williams Sonoma exclusive. We tried the pan recently and were blown away by how easy it was to make perfect muffins every time.

Shop Williams Sonoma's friends and family sale here.

3. Save up to 30% on final sale items at Bonobos

Bonobos makes some of our favorite dress pants, and right now you can save up to 30% on everything in its final sale section by using the offer code "SUPERSALE" at checkout. The section is full of everything from full suits to swim trunks, but we're highlighting the company's "weekend warrior" pants, which made our list of the best dress pants you can get under $150. Originally $98, you can get a pair for under $48 right now.

Check out Bonobos' final sale section to save here.

4. Save 15% when you buy two or more pairs at MeUndies

MeUndies is responsible for some of the most comfortable underwear we've ever tried, and right now you can save 15% when you buy two or more pairs and use the offer code "UNDIES15" at checkout. The startup has multiple styles of underwear for both men and women, and over a dozen prints to choose from, so you're set whether you want something classic or adventurous. An important thing to note is that this deal isn't available to MeUndies subscribers, who get a 15% discount on all of their orders already. This offer ends today.

Shop all of MeUndies styles here.

5. Save up to 70% on over 54,000 items at Macy's Thanksgiving sale

Macy's carries everything from clothes to kitchen accessories, and you can save on over 54,000 items until November 14 thanks to its Thanksgiving sale. No promo code is required to take advantage of the deal. While there are tens of thousands of great deals to enjoy, this $190 discount on Tag's four-piece luggage set is one of the best. For $79.99, you get a checked bag, carry on, travel tote, and dopp kit, which is everything you'll need to travel during the holiday season.

Shop Macy's Thanksgiving sale here.

6. Save 20% on Staub's cast iron cookware at Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Staub's French-made cast iron cookware is legendary for its iconic look, longevity, and even heat distribution. Right now, you can save 20% on all of Staub's cookware at Bed, Bath, and Beyond until November 13. No promo code is required. The festive coquette above is shaped like a pumpkin and oven-safe up to 500 degrees. It's just the thing to bring a little bit of fall to your table this Thanksgiving. 

Shop Bed, Bath, and Beyond's Staub sale here.

7. You can save 30% off Anker's car chargers at Amazon

Anker makes the best charging accessories I've ever tested, and many of its best car chargers are 30% off thanks to an Amazon deal of the day. This sale covers everything from chargers to cables, but the standout deal is a $28 discount on the Roav Viva, a car charger with two USB ports and Amazon's Alexa built inside. I tested the Viva for myself a few months ago, and it hasn't left my car since.

Shop Anker's car accessories sale.

8. Sapira's mattresses are $225 off and come with a free pillow

Several mattress startups have popped up recently, but after testing a lot of them, our reviewer decided that Sapira's was the best of the bunch. It starts at $995 for a twin, which is more than most of its competition, because it uses a combination of memory foam and inner springs to provide the perfect level of support. Right now, you can save $225 on any Sapira mattress and get a free Leesa pillow (regularly $75) thanks to a pre-Black Friday sale. But don't delay, the sale ends tonight.

Shop Sapira's Mattresses here.

9. Save up to 40% on couches and sectionals at West Elm

West Elm has impressed us with its well-made furniture and bedding, and right now, you can save up to 40% on its sofas, sectionals, and chairs. The sale includes in-stock and made-to-order selections, and most items come with free "white glove service," which includes bringing the furniture into your home and assembling it for you. This deal ends tonight, so if you've been looking to upgrade from the couch you've used since college, now's your chance.

Shop West Elm's sale here.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2018: Insider Picks is going to handpick the best deals for readers all day long

Join the conversation about this story »

• Facebook went down for some users on Monday afternoon. 
• As of press time, DownDetector.com reported more than 1000 instances of issues connecting to the site.

If you're having trouble connecting to Facebook, you're not alone. The site appeared to go down Monday afternoon, and more than 1,000 people promptly reported connection issues on DownDetector.com, a website that tracks site downtime. 

On DownDetector's live map, the issue appeared to be concentrated on the East coast of the US. 

Many took to social media websites like Twitter to report the outage.

This story is developing — check back for updates. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Review: Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL are the best smartphones you can buy right now

• Home Depot will kick off its in-store sales event at 6 a.m. on Black Friday, which falls on November 23 this year.
• The retailer will keep its stores closed on Thanksgiving.
• On the home improvement retailer's website, online Black Friday deals will unroll at 6:00 a.m. ET.

Home Depot is starting up its in-store Black Friday sales early on November 23.

The home improvement retailer will open its doors at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. A company spokesperson told Business Insider that the stores will also close at their regularly scheduled times.

Unlike many other retailers, the company's doors will remain shut on Thanksgiving Day this year.

Home Depot's online Black Friday deals will roll out on the retailer's website at 6:00 a.m. ET on Black Friday.

Read more: What you need to know about Black Friday this year

Home Depot's website promises shoppers plenty of deals on power tools, electronics, lighting, furniture, appliances and holiday decorations.

The company recommends downloading Home Depot's product locator app in order to better navigate stores. The app provides customers with store maps and inventory lists.

Home Depot also advises shoppers to keep "in the know" by signing up for savings alerts and text alerts, following the brand on Facebook and Twitter, and getting a hold of the company's Black Friday ad.

Read more about Black Friday 2018:

• Walmart is kicking off Black Friday on Thanksgiving with millions of free cookies and cups of coffee
• Black Friday sales are starting soon — here's when stores will open
• Online retailers are in a bitter competition for holiday shoppers — and customers are winning
• Amazon just ratcheted up the war for holiday shoppers with an unprecedented promotion
• These are the best stores to shop for toys now that Toys R Us has died

SEE ALSO: Americans are pumping the brakes on home remodeling, and that might spell bad news for Home Depot and Lowe's

DON'T MISS: Home Depot employees share 10 insider facts many shoppers don't know

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This new solar-powered home development store is coming after Home Depot

Holding out for a PlayStation 4 this holiday? Perhaps you're waiting on a killer Xbox One X deal? Or maybe you just want to complete your set of both major game consoles from Sony and Microsoft?

No matter who you are, there are great deals to be found on every model of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this holiday — from the base level PlayStation 4 "Slim" and Xbox One S to the super-powerful/super-expensive Xbox One X. 

Here's everything you need to know to be ready for this year's biggest Black Friday video game console deals:

SEE ALSO: Xbox announced a bunch of new stuff over the weekend — here are the 8 things to get excited about

1. The PlayStation 4 with a free copy of "Spider-Man" is maybe the best deal of all this holiday.

The PlayStation 4 usually costs somewhere in the ballpark of $300. You can find them with games included for a slightly better deal, and you can buy used PS4 consoles that cost less — but the general price for a new PlayStation 4 is about $300.

During the week of November 18 to November 26, that price is dropping by $100 outright. 

To be clear: You can buy a PlayStation 4 for just $200 during the week of Black Friday. 

That alone is a super good deal; that it comes with one of the best games of 2018 is a huge bonus. "Spider-Man" on PlayStation 4 is excellent— a game that anyone with a PlayStation 4 should play regardless of their interest in the comic books/movies of the same name. 

There are a bunch of other great deals from Sony, from game discounts to PlayStation VR bundle discounts. Check out the full video from Sony right here:

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2. The Xbox One X for $400 is the first major discount on the most powerful home game console available.

The Xbox One X — the beefed-up version of the Xbox One released just last year — is a powerhouse. It's whisper quiet, capable of producing 4K visuals, and shockingly tiny. It's also very expensive, starting at $500 without any games included.

But during Microsoft's Black Friday sales week, November 18 to November 26, the console is getting its first major price drop: You can snag the Xbox One X for just $400.

Still expensive? Yes! But significantly less expensive than it once was.

• Dr. Sudip Bose is a former major in the US army and is an Iraq warveteran. 
• In 2002, he achieved a near perfect score on the medical board exam. To prepare, Dr. Bose would quiz himself frequently, spacing out information and scrambling the order in which he learned it.
• He told Business Insider how he uses those same memory today tricks to remember names or give presentations as a public speaker.

The human brain has 100 billion neurons making trillions of connections — but somehow, you still can't remember your new coworker's name. 

"I remember things in ridiculous ways," Dr. Sudip Bose told Business Insider. "I mean, I have a mnemonic to get dressed in the morning, like UPS: underwear, pants, socks."

In 2002, Dr. Bose achieved a near-perfect score on the medical board exam, out-scoring 3,650 other test takers. To prepare, he would quiz himself frequently, spacing out information and scrambling the order in which he learned it.  Dr. Bose is also a former major in the US army (he's an Iraq war veteran known for treating Saddam Hussein after US capture), and he told Business Insider a lot of his memorization techniques came from military training — he would picture his drill sergeant in front of him when he studied. 

Today, he uses the memory tricks he learned as a student to remember names or give presentations as a public speaker. Here are his go-to strategies:

First of all, relax

A lot of learning is unconscious, and relaxing about a subject makes it easier to learn.

"If you're like 'I gotta memorize this, I gotta memorize this' it makes it harder. So I think one thing is finding relaxation," Dr. Bose said.

Make the information matter to you

When Dr. Bose was in high school, he said history bored him to the point of drooling puddles over his textbook. But as he learned more about his connections to history — his father was a history buff and grandfather was a freedom fighter in India — he began to care more.

And medicine, he remembers, became very real to him when we went to combat. "I have to learn this stuff," he remembers telling himself, "because someone is going to be in front of me and they'll die if I don't know it."

Read more:  I'm an ER doctor who runs my own company, and my best health advice and business advice is the same

Create visual or sensory association

"Work with the memory," he said. "Think of the memory like a scratch pad or dry erase board and play with it. Make associations, draw pictures — not just reading with a highlighter, but actively working with the material. And then when you're working with it, make associations: visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory."

Pay attention to what you're learning

It may seem obvious, but Dr. Bose said it's important to pay attention in the first place. 

"We've all been in that situation where it's like, 'Hey I'm Tom, nice to meet you,' da da da and 30 seconds later you're like, 'what was his name again?'"

He continued: "You have to focus on the person's name, actually pay attention when they're saying it, and then you have to repeat it. Like, 'Hey, what do you do Tom? Do you prefer Tom or Thomas?'" Dr. Bose said.

Repeat it

It's easy to remember something for a few minutes, or even hours at a time. It's much harder to recall your memories after time has passed.

"Sitting there reading it with a highlighter underlining, there's only so far that will go," Dr. Bose said. "Maybe that will get it into short term memory, but then allow yourself to forget it and be retested on it — and in a different format."

He compared it to learning a dance routine: Instead of practicing from the beginning every time, it's more effective to practice small pieces out of order until you're familiar with each combination of steps.

Embrace the discomfort of learning

"The people who struggle more with the knowledge actually remember it more," Dr. Bose said. He explained that quizzing or repeated testing (though uncomfortable!) makes a big difference in whether you can recall something later. 

"When I study something," he continued, "I work with the material, I apply it to something, I relax about it, I test, I forget it, and then come back to it and really work with the discomfort of being like 'shoot, I don't remember this.'"

"Whatever your career is, or if you're just living your life, the act of learning, lifelong learning, and memorization is a big component," said Dr. Bose. "It never stops."

SEE ALSO: I turned the 3-step process that saves lives in the ER into a system that helps me solve problems as a CEO

DON'T MISS: I'm an ER doctor who runs my own company, and my best health advice and business advice is the same

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A memory champion who has memorized 10,000 digits of pi reveals how to improve your memory in minutes

• In a recently resurfaced photo from last year's prom, a group of boys at Bamboo High School in Wisconsin made the Nazi salute.
• The school district said it is "investigating" the incident "and will pursue any and all available and appropriate actions, including legal, to address."
• One student said the pose was the photographer's idea.
• The photo was circulated Sunday after it was posted by the since-deleted account @GoBaraboo, with the caption, "We even got the black kid to throw it up #BarabooProud."

A school district in Wisconsin says it is investigating a now-viral picture in which a group of high school students made the Nazi salute before prom last spring.

According to reports, dozens of students who are members of the Baraboo High School class of 2019 posed as such before a dance last spring. At the time, they were high school juniors.

But prom was months ago. So why is this picture resurfacing now, in November?

On Sunday night, the picture was posted to the since-deleted Twitter account @GoBaraboo. "We even got the black kid to throw it up #barabooproud," the tweet said.

It's unclear who ran the since-shuttered account.

Read more:Most Americans think Trump has encouraged white supremacists, and some are worried he has become a 'legitimizing voice' for hate groups

One student says the photographer encouraged the pose.

Although most in the picture are smiling and appear to be enthusiastic, not everyone seemed so happy to be there.

One BHS student, Jordan Blue, told journalist Jules Suzdaltsev that he felt uncomfortable with the pose, which he said was the hired photographer's idea.

"I couldn't leave the photo as it was taken within 5 seconds," Blue explained of his frozen, pained expression. "The photographer took the photos telling us to make the sign, I knew what my morals were and it was not to salute something I firmly didn't believe in." 

Although they have since been taken down, the prom pictures were previously available on the website for Wheel Memories, a local motorcycle photography business run by Peter Gust and his family. The pictures are still available via the Wayback Machine. Now, in their place, Wheel Memories has uploaded a statement addressing the removal of the photos. 

"Due malevolent behavior on the part of some in society; this page has been modified," the page says. "It is too bad that there are those in society who can and do take the time to be jerks; knowingly and willingly to be jerks! The internet can be a wonderful tool but for some there is an overwhelming urge to destroy."

The statement concludes with an apology: "To anyone that was hurt I sincerely apologize."

The school district says it is investigating the photo.

In a statement on Twitter, the school district said it is looking into the situation.

"The photo of students posted to #BarabooProud is not reflective of the educational values and beliefs of the School District of Baraboo," the district wrote on the platform. "We are investigating and will pursue any and all available and appropriate actions, including legal, to address."

Lori Mueller, the superintendent echoed that statement on her Twitter account. Mueller declined to comment further on the matter to INSIDER, as the investigation is still ongoing.

On Monday morning, the following was sent to Baraboo School District families in response to the now-viral photo. In the letter, Mueller said that the photo was not taken on school property or at a school property. 

"If this gesture is what it appears to be, the district will pursue any and all available and appropriate actions, including legal, to address the issue," Mueller wrote. 

She concluded the letter and press release: "The Baraboo school district is a hate-free environment where all people, regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or ancestry, are respected and celebrated."

This isn't the first controversy to come out of a high school in the US this year. In Utah, a high school made waves for holding a Men's Week featuring sexist signs about women belonging in the kitchen. Then, in Alabama six students were criticized posting a picture themselves standing on a black student who was lying face down on the floor, with the caption, "we got us one."

A representative for Wheel Memories and Jordan Blue didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• A pair of Chengdu J-20 stealth fighters performed a demonstration flight at China's largest aviation expo with their missile bays open, showing off the onboard weapons for the first time.
• The fighter carries four medium-to-long-range air-to-air missiles and two short-to-intermediate-range missiles.
• Chinese experts say that the powerful aircraft can rival America's F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters, although its capabilities have never been tested in combat.

China's most advanced stealth fighter showed off its six onboard missiles for the first time on Sunday at the country's largest airshow.

A pair of Chengdu J-20 stealth fighters tore across the sky with their missile bays open during a demonstration flight on the last day of Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.

The flight coincided with the 69th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese air force.

In the main bays, the J-20 appears to be carrying four beyond-visual-range PL-15 medium-to-long-range air-to-air missiles, according to The War Zone. On the sides of the aircraft are a pair of lethal PL-10 short-to-intermediate-range air-to-air missiles that could prove useful in a dogfight, as well as engagements on the edge of visual range.

The government-controlled Global Times, citing Chinese experts, argued that "the move displayed the J-20's superiority" over US stealth fighters like the F-35 and F-22 and the growing confidence of the People's Liberation Army.

Chinese experts criticized the F-22 for its outdated technology and the F-35 for its inherent defects. One expert, Song Zhongping, previouslycommented that "the J-20 will engage with rivals in the future who dare to provoke China in the air."

While the Chinese stealth fighter has participated in combat training exercises, the J-20, unlike its American counterparts, has never been deployed in actual combat.

It is also held back by its inferior engine technology. The aircraft was expected to receive a new engine, but it remains unreliable in testing, indicating that for now, the pride of the Chinese air force continues to depend on Russia for its engine technology.

With upgraded engines, the J-20 will likely become a much more capable weapon.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Navy SEALs explain the dangers of overplanning in both the military and business

• Stocks were lower Monday for a third straight day.
• Technology was pressured amid worries of slowing iPhone demand.
• Oil gained as Saudi Arabia signaled it would cut production in December.

Stocks fell for a third straight day Monday, with technology leading the way lower amid worries about waning iPhone demand.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.3%, while the S&P 500 lost 1.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was lower by 1.9%. The Dow was down almost 500 points.

Apple sank 4.5% Monday after the facial-recognition supplier Lumentum cut its outlook, prompting worries of slowing demand for the iPhone.

Chipmakers were hit especially hard, with AMD shedding 8.9% while Nvidia and Intel lost 7.4% and 2.5%.

Elsewhere, tobacco stocks were pressured after The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday that the US Food and Drug Administration was considering a ban on menthol cigarettes. British American Tobacco slumped as much as 11.7% in London, and Altria was down 2% in New York.

And General Electric plunged to a post-financial-crisis low of $7.72 a share after CEO Larry Culp appeared on CNBC and said he was looking at selling assets to reduce leverage. 

On the earnings front, the marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis announced a big jump in revenue and profit, but shares slid 3.6%.

And in deal news, the German database giant SAP announced it would buy the experience-management startup Qualtrics for $8 billion. That news came just days before Qualtrics was expected to go public at a valuation of more than $5 billion. Meanwhile, the private-equity firm Veritas Capital and the hedge fund Elliott Management reached an all-cash deal to purchase the US healthcare software maker Athenahealth for about $5.7 billion, a 12% premium to where shares closed Friday.

Elsewhere, the Saudi energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, told reporters the kingdom was ready to cut oil production by 500,000 barrels a day in December. West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the US benchmark, and Brent Crude oil, the international benchmark, rallied 0.8% and 1.3%.

The US Treasury market was closed in observance of Veterans Day.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Sam's Club will open its doors to Black Friday shoppers at 7 a.m. on Friday, November 23.
• Online deals will kick off at 12:01 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
• The warehouse retailer has already listed deals on high-ticket products.

Sam's Club members can take advantage of in-store Black Friday deals starting at 7 a.m. on Friday, November 23.

But early-bird shoppers and night-owl internet surfers alike also have the opportunity to shop on the Walmart-owned retailer's website for deals before that. Black Friday sales will launch on Sam's Club's website starting at 12:01 a.m. on Thanksgiving.

Read more:  Walmart is kicking off Black Friday on Thanksgiving with millions of free cookies and cups of coffee

SEE ALSO: Walmart is kicking off Black Friday on Thanksgiving with millions of free cookies and cups of coffee

DON'T MISS: The 'backbone' of Walmart's business is fading — but it was likely an inevitable shift for the retail giant

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• A new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that limiting one's social media usage to 30 minutes per day can lead to significant improvements in your well-being. 
• Specifically, less time on social media can lower rates of depression and loneliness. 
• The study is one of the first to show a cause-and-effect relationship between social media usage and mental health issues.

A new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that limiting one's social media usage to 30 minutes per day can lead to significant improvement's in well-being.

Specifically, less time scrolling through photos of friends and old high school acquaintances can lower rates depression and loneliness. 

The study — which was published in December’s Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology — was one of the first to show a cause-and-effect relationship between social media usage and mental health issues. Most studies previously  on the subject have shown only a correlation between the two. 

In the study, 143 undergraduate students were tested over the course of two semesters. The students were either put into a group that was instructed to limit their social media usage on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to 30 minutes per day, total, with 10 minutes each per platform, or assigned to a control group, where they were allowed to carry on with their normal social media habits.

After three weeks, the students were asked questions to assess their mental health across seven different areas, including: social support, fear of missing out (also known as FOMO), loneliness, autonomy and self-acceptance, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem.

“Here’s the bottom line,” the lead researcher for the study, Melissa Hunt, told Science Daily. “Using less social media than you normally would leads to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness. These effects are particularly pronounced for folks who were more depressed when they came into the study.”

Read more: Startups are pioneering a dramatic shift in how we spot and treat depression — and you can try some of their new tools right now

Neither of the groups showed improvements in social support, self-esteem, or autonomy and self-acceptance. However in both groups — perhaps by simply being a part of the study — students found their levels of anxiety and FOMO decline. In general, it's important to remember that studies like these can't test for every single factor that can affect mental health.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the reason most new console video games cost $60

• Three California wildfires continue to ravage California, destroying more than 6,800 structures and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
• With heightened wildfire activity across California, obtaining insurance is tougher than ever — more insurance companies aren't renewing policies for customers in high-risk areas and premiums are on the rise.
• Here's what you need to know about your coverage and filing a claim for fire insurance.

More than 6,800 structures have been destroyed as three wildfires continue to burn their way through California, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Thanks to heightened wildfire activity across the state, it's becoming harder than ever for California homeowners to obtain and keep fire insurance, reported the Associated Press.

"As California wildfires grow larger and more intense, an increasing number of insurance companies are not renewing policies for customers who live in areas they deem too risky to cover," wrote Laura Newberry of the Los Angeles Times. "The state estimates that more than one million California homes are considered at high risk for wildfires."

California homeowner complaints about being dropped from their plans increased threefold from 2010 to 2016, and complaints about premium hikes increased by 217%, reported Newberry, citing a California Department of Insurance report.

California Insurance Commissioner David Jones told the AP he expects more rate increases and more policies to not be renewed, particularly in high-risk fire areas.

Consequently, the search for a new or replacement policy may be a little more grueling and costly than it used to be.

What is fire insurance?

Fire insurance is a type of property insurance against fire loss or damage. Typically, a standard homeowners insurance policy will include coverage in the event of a fire.

"As long as you've been paying your premiums, the standard homeowner's insurance policy covers fire damage to your home, structures on your property, and most of your belongings,"reported Darla Mercado of CNBC. The exception is specialty items, like art or jewelry, that might need a rider for coverage, she added.

However, it's possible you'll need to pay more for additional coverage if you live in a high-risk area or if you're not able to find coverage in the open market.

In this case, you can get insurance through surplus lines — policies that protect against financial risks regular insurance companies won't take on and aren't required to follow same state regulations, according to the AP.

As a last resort, there's the California FAIR plan. They cover up to $1.5 million for a structure and its contents in high-risk properties, according to the Los Angeles Times, but that's basic coverage — "in some cases [it] won't be enough for full replacement of a lost home and property," wrote LA Times reporter David Lazarus.

What does fire insurance cover?

Whether you have basic coverage with the California FAIR plan, or you have limitations on your homeowner's policy, it's important to know the extent of your coverage.

"If your whole house burned down, it used to be that you had guaranteed replacement,"Hunter told CNBC. "Insurers started to rethink this and apply an absolute limit on what they will pay."

A "replacement cost" of your home covers the cost of a damaged home with a similar home, but some insurance companies can limit that at 20% over the face value of the policy, explained Mercado.

This can be particularly problematic in a largely damaged area, which can result in an uptick in prices, Hunter said. He added that insurers may also not cover additional expenses of "bringing your damaged home up to new building codes."

Lazarus recommends purchasing an extended replacement cost endorsement, which covers extras above the policy limit in the event of any unexpected cost increases, and additional coverage for code-upgrade insurance to cover other things a basic policy might not protect.

If you're unhappy with your claim, you can always make a complaint to the insurer's consumer relations department, state insurance department, or a lawyer, said Hunter. Just don't forget to note your communication for evidence during a dispute.

How do you file a claim after a fire?

As with any kind of insurance, the first step to filing an insurance claim is documentation.

"I strongly advise homeowners and renters to take their smartphones and walk around their homes shooting a video of their belongings," Lazarus wrote. "This can provide helpful evidence if an insurer disputes, say, that you owned a state-of-the-art home-theater setup."

Keep these images on a computer drive or iCloud so they're accessible from virtually anywhere. Lazarus also recommends saving receipts, such as those from hotel rooms, food, and rentals in the event that your home is uninhabitable, for any additional living expenses (ALE) coverage your insurance policy covers.

J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, told CNBC that to have your claim processed as soon as possible, immediately report it and note the claim number.

The insurer will then send a claims adjust or for damage assessment. Hunter recommended using a local contractor as a guideline to use for an estimate, which can help you negotiate with your insurance company's contractor (who you're not required to use).

SEE ALSO: Malibu is burning: Wildfires are spreading through southern California, and photos show a hellscape on the ground

DON'T MISS: How to help those affected by the California wildfires and the heroes fighting them

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• The death toll from the California wildfires had risen to 31. Six more bodies were recovered on Sunday, the Butte County sheriff said.
• The Camp Fire in northern California destroyed an entire town in less than a day and has killed at least 29 people, making it one of the deadliest fires in the state's history. Authorities said it was 25% contained Monday morning.
• The Woolsey and Hill Fires are burning on the outskirts of LA, and Woolsey alone has burned more than 140 square miles.
• The flames are being fueled by dry, hot conditions and strong winds.
• California wildfires are becoming so frequent and pervasive that officials there say there's almost no need for the term "wildfire season" anymore.

Three dangerous wildfires are still raging in California: the Camp Fire in northern California has become one of the two deadliest in state history, and the Woolsey and Hill fires are destroying homes and businesses around LA.

The total death toll from the three fires is up to 31, and it's expected to rise, officials told reporters on Sunday.

The Camp Fire is responsible for most of the fatalities: It has claimed at least 29 lives as it burned through more than 176 square miles of land. The flames have moved at a breakneck pace since the fire started Thursday morning. The blaze quickly charred the entire town of Paradise, which was home to 27,000 people. More than 6,700 homes and 260 businesses have been destroyed so far, making the Camp Fire the most destructive wildfire in California history in terms of structures lost. 

The flames spread so fast — at a pace of 80 football fields per minute— that at least six people burned to death in their cars, the Butte County Sheriff's Department said. Over the weekend, the ground was still too hot for rescue dogs to circulate, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

Further south, in areas around Los Angeles, the Woolsey Fire killed two people in a car, forced over 275,000 from their homes, and destroyed 180 structures. It has burned at least 143 square miles of land, and was 20% contained Monday morning. The smaller Hill Fire charred over 7 square miles and was 75% contained on Monday. Both the Woolsey and Hill Fires encircled the town of Thousand Oaks, where residents were already reeling from a deadly mass shooting in which 12 people were murdered. 

"If you were affected by the Woolsey or Hill fires, the Thousand Oaks mass shooting, or both, you can call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text 'TalkWithUs' to 66746 for emotional support and resources," the LA County website reads. 

Already this year, 7,578 fires have burned across California, fueled by hot, dry conditions and aggressive winds.

The Camp Fire has killed at least 29 people

The Camp Fire started about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. Fire officials told the Associated Press on Sunday that 228 people were still unaccounted for. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the county is working with anthropologists from California State University at Chico to help identify bone fragments among ash in the area.

According to the Butte County sheriff's office, five of the people whose deaths have been confirmed were found near Edgewood Lane in Paradise, California, in or near "vehicles that were overcome by the Camp Fire." The sheriff's office was not yet able to identify those victims because of their burn injuries. 

"The fire was so close I could feel it in my car through rolled up windows," Rita Miller, who fled Paradise with her disabled mother told the Associated Press.

Other residents ran from the fire on foot, the Sacramento Bee reported.

The flames have been fueled by hot, dry conditions and spread by California's Santa Ana winds. Cal Fire issued red-flag warnings around the state on Sunday, which means that conditions are dry and windy enough to create what the firefighting agency calls "extreme fire behavior."

California Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte County on Thursday and sent a letter to President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asking for federal assistance.

Smoke from that fire is blanketing wide swaths of Northern California in a gray haze. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the air throughout much of the San Francisco Bay Area is "unhealthy" to breathe. 

Federal air monitors have suggested that older adults, children, teens, and people with heart and lung conditions should limit their time outside because of the high number of dangerously small pollutants in the air. Some people have donned masks to protect their lungs. 

The Hill and Woolsey fires have burned 150 square miles in Ventura and LA counties

The Woolsey Fire claimed its first two victims on Friday. Two burned bodies were found in a "long, narrow" Malibu driveway near Mulholland Highway, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

The flames from the Woolsey Fire have also threatened the homes of celebrities such as the Kardashian sisters and left a burned shell where Gerard Butler's home once stood. At least 275,000 other people have evacuated. As of Monday morning, Cal Fire estimated more than 370 structures had been destroyed.

As the Woolsey Fire grew on Friday, the LA County fire department wrote on Twitter: "Imminent threat! Malibu lakes residents must leave area immediately." 

LA County Sheriff's Deputies were knocking on doors there, telling everyone in the star-studded beach town to get out.

Firefighters are racing to keep flames from charring people's homes, but as the LA Fire Department's Eric Scott pointed out on Twitter, some houses are better protected than others, since green vegetation can help keep flames back.

The nearby Hill Fire is much smaller — it has burned 4,500 acres burned in Ventura County. Mandatory evacuation orders are still in place for people at the Point Mugu Naval Base and California State University Channel Islands, among other areas. 

You can view the full evacuation orders as well as shelter and donation information on the Ventura County Emergency Information site and the LA County Woolsey Fire site.

Read More: Why wildfire season is getting longer and stronger

On Friday morning, less than 24 hours after the two fires broke out, acting Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. President Trump approved some federal assistance for the California fires on Friday, but then threatening via Twitter over the weekend that there may be "no more Fed payments!" unless California forests are better managed. 

The federal government oversees 40% of California land.  

Wildfire "season," in California used to run from late summer through the fall, since autumn's Santa Ana winds help blow flames around.

But as the planet heats up, unseasonably high temperatures and drought conditions are becoming more common. So fire officials in the state are succumbing to the idea that fires may not be limited to any specific season anymore.

Bryan Logan and Kelly McLaughlin contributed reporting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

SEE ALSO: A California wildfire just demolished an entire town and forced the Kardashians to evacuate. Here’s why wildfire season is getting longer and stronger.

DON'T MISS: Here's what the wildfires look like on the ground

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• When it comes to marriage advice, parents are a great resource.
• After all, they have a lot of life experience to share.
• Here, 15 people share the best marriage advice they ever received from their parents.

My grandmother, who raised me, loved to give me relationship advice. When it came to marriage, one of her favorite sayings was, "Always respect each other. Once respect is lost, it's hard to get it back."

Toni Coleman, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach, said that parents can make a great resource for marriage advice."Parents have years of experience that have taught them many lessons about love," she told Business Insider.

Coleman said that many parents have learned what love is and is not, how it can change for the better or worse, and how, in marriage, it will be tested and tried in ways no one anticipates when they say "I do."

"If we're open to what our parents have to share, we could be spared a lot of grief learning it all the hard way," Coleman said.

Here, I asked 15 people for the best marriage advice they ever received from their parents. (Responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.)

SEE ALSO: My wife and I were in a long-distance relationship for 3 years before we got married — here's how we made it work

Allison, 31

The advice: "It's not about getting married, it's about staying married."

Tara, 42

The best marriage advice I received from my parents was to: "Love each other as you are, not as you wish the other to be." I love that advice because the person you married will change, and you will change. But if you stay focused on the good — the essence of what you love about your spouse — you can roll with the changes and stay in love.

Huib, 40

The best pieces of advice I received from my parents, and they apply to all things in life, are:

1. There will be times when things don't run smoothly, but always remember — more than half of the world's population would just love to have your worst day.
2. In every argument you have, there won't be a "winner" and a "loser," because even when you "win," you could end up losing.

• Stan Lee died Monday at the age of 95.
• His passing led to an outpouring of grief on Twitter by celebrities who loved his work.
• As the co-creator of Marvel comics, Lee created many of the franchises that dominate Hollywood today.

Stan Lee, who cofounded Marvel with his sidekick Jack Kirby and remained the comic company's figurehead for decades as it turned into the world's biggest movie franchise, died Monday at the age of 95.

News of his death triggered an outpouring of mourning from around Hollywood.

Movies based on Marvel comics — including "Spider-Man,""Iron Man," and "Captain America"— dominate Hollywood. Lee's superheroes, first put on paper decades ago, now permeate the movie industry as billion-dollar franchises.

Here's how some celebrities reacted to his death on Twitter.

"Captain America" actor Chris Evans:

"Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds:

"Aquaman" director James Wan:

Director Edgar Wright:

Author Neil Gaiman:

"Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill:

Mark Ruffalo, who plays The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

"Wolverine" actor Hugh Jackman:

"Venom" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" comics writer Donny Cates:

"Iron Man" actor Robert Downey Jr.:

"The Amazing Spider-Man" actor Tom Holland:

Rival comics company DC:

YouTube star Jake Paul:

KISS founder Gene Simmons:

Comedian-actor Seth Rogen:

Ice-T:

Jimmy Kimmel:

Director Kevin Smith:

Actor Josh Gad:

New York governor Andrew Cuomo:

New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio:

This post has been updated.

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It's completely normal to have some level of anxiety in the hours, days, weeks, or even months leading up to your wedding.

You might think that you should be calm and happy and just generally not anxious during the wedding planning process, but at some point, you'll likely feel at least a little bit anxious or stressed out.

If you're experiencing pre-wedding anxiety, there are a number of things that you can do to combat the effects. INSIDER recruited experts to share what you can do when you feel that pre-wedding anxiety start to creep in — or even avoid it as much as you can.

Give yourself a few "wedding-free" days.

It's natural that when you have something big going on in your life, you spend a lot of time thinking and talking about it, but going all-in on the wedding and not leaving any time for anything else likely isn't going to be all that great for you. You need time for a break.

"I always recommend that couples should have at least one "wedding-free" day every two weeks," wedding planner Karishma Manwani told INSIDER. "On this day, no one talks or asks them about their wedding. A day when they can either spend time with family or friends or even go on a nice date night together and talk about everything but their wedding. This is so important! Some of my couples who live together also have a 'wedding-free zone' in their house, a space where no one speaks or thinks about anything wedding related."

Find a wedding planner or coordinator that you completely trust.

One way to prevent some of that pre-wedding anxiety is to make sure that those with whom you're working are people that you trust completely to handle things on your behalf, think of things that you wouldn't, and steer you in the right direction.

"The secret is a constant presence and a clear communication during the planning: thanks to it, the wedding planner is able to listen the doubts and to ease the fears of the couples, ensuring them about everything they're worried about," wedding planner Serena Ranieri told INSIDER. "A wedding planner's role is exactly this: being a contact point for the bride and the groom for all the necessities they may have and monitoring the entire process to be sure that everything goes smoothly, in order to make the couple feel stress-free."

A wedding planner, coordinator, or general right-hand person that you truly trust can ease a lot of stress. Having one that you don't trust, on the other hand, could potentially just make things worse.

Make sure you go over the plan for the day in advance.

Wedding days are full of emotion, so it's natural for there to sometimes be tension and anxiety mixed in with all of that excitement. If you're not sure exactly how the day will go, that can lead to some additional, unnecessary anxiety.

"A few days before the wedding, I recapitulate everything with the couple, explain all the details, show the timeline including the smallest details and info so they can feel everything is indeed taken care [of]," wedding planner Rui Mota Pinto told INSIDER.

Knowing how things are going to go will help you feel more at ease.

The love story of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles spans almost 50 years, but their journey to romance was hardly a conventional one.

Years after first locking eyes in the early 1970s, the longtime friends struck up an unlikely relationship that would take a romantic turn while they were both married to other people — Camilla to Andrew Parker Bowles and Prince Charles to Princess Diana. News of their covert love affair was a scandal for the British monarchy, especially when Prince Charles announced that he would be divorcing Diana.

The public backlash was swift and then magnified as the world mourned Princess Diana's untimely passing in 1997.

Yet, since her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005, Camilla Parker Bowles has cemented her status as one of the royals and is now the Duchess of Cornwall. 

Here's a complete timeline of the turbulent relationship between the longtime couple leading up to their 2005 nuptials.

June 1971: Charles and Camilla's love story began.

Prince Charles and Camilla Shand reportedly met for the first time at a party, setting the stage for an on-and-off relationship that would span the next five decades.

They began dating soon after. Camilla appeared to foreshadow their future relationship as she is credited with making a cheeky joke regarding her ancestor's affair with King Edward VII. She reportedly told him, "My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather. I feel we have something in common."

While the pair appeared to be smitten, Prince Charles' service in the Royal Navy quickly put a damper on their fledgling romance.

February 1973: Prince Charles returned to the Royal Navy and Camilla got engaged.

Prince Charles failed to propose before heading back to sea after months of courtship, and reportedly tired of waiting, Camilla accepted the proposal of an army cavalry officer named Andrew Parker Bowles.

July 1973: Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, setting the stage with a platonic relationship with Charles.

After Parker Bowles tied the knot that July, she and her husband developed a close friendship with Prince Charles over the next couple of years, according to People magazine. Prince Charles was even named godfather to her son Sam.

In 1984, American artist Kurt Wenner found that when he mixed his love for classical street art with his understanding of geometrics, he produced an entirely new art form — 3D pavement art. 

For the past 35 years, Wenner has led the 3D pavement art movement, creating incredible illusions on streets and sidewalks around the world that are making people question reality. Each piece seems to reach endlessly into the pits of the Earth when they are, in fact, only surface level. 

INSIDER spoke with Wenner to learn more about 3D pavement art and what it takes to create one of these masterpieces. 

Pavement art dates back to the 16th century in Europe, but Wenner put a modern twist on it by creating 3D illusions.

In 1984, Wenner combined his classical art training and his understanding of illusions to create 3D pavement art, which is also known as anamorphic or illusionistic art. This art form makes images appear to rise from or fall into the ground. 

He's has created masterpieces in countries all over the world, from New York City to Dubai.

"My artistic motivation is to rediscover, transform, and share insights from the past," he wrote on his site. "I have been fortunate to be able to share my work with millions of people and hope that it will inspire artists and the public to delve into the patrimony of European Art so they can find the wealth of ideas that are so often hidden with the passage of time."

Wenner combines classical art techniques with 3D elements.

"I originally conceived of the art form as a way to demonstrate the process of classical drawing in front of an audience," Wenner told INSIDER. "I soon found that my new perspective geometry allowed me to revisit traditional classical themes in a fresh and original way. The geometry of the perspective space also informs the structure of classical drawing, so I achieve a special harmony by using classical themes and forms."

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

For couples, the holidays are a particularly great gifting opportunity. You know what your partner loves, what small daily annoyances you can solve with a thoughtful gift, and how much they'll appreciate knowing the gesture came from you.

Odds are you want to give them something wonderful — whatever your price range is. All you need is a little direction, and a few great options to choose from. 

Below, you'll find 34 of the best gifts to give your girlfriend this year.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

SEE ALSO: 50 awesome gifts from Nordstrom — from $10 coasters to a $695 smartwatch

DON'T MISS: 55 creative and unexpected gifts for her that are all under $50

A customized map of her favorite place

Custom Map Poster, available on Grafomap, from $49

Grafomap lets you design custom maps of anywhere in the world — like the first place you met, the best trip you ever took together, or the hometown she couldn't wait to show you. It's unique, thoughtful, and pretty inexpensive.  You can find the full Insider Picks review here.

A monogrammed jewelry case from an up-and-coming leather startup

Leather Jewelry Case, available on Cuyana, $115 (+ $15 for monogram)

Keeping track of expensive, often tiny and delicate jewelry is difficult — and jewelry cases are a pretty and useful solution. Especially if you've gotten her jewelry in the past, or plan to in the future, this is a thoughtful (and personalized) gift. It's made from premium leather, comes in six colors, and can be monogrammed with her initials. Cuyana is also a cool leather bag startup she may have already heard of. 

A beautiful cashmere sweater in tons of colors for $100

Cashmere Crew, available on Everlane, $100

Everlane is a cult-favorite startup, and their $100 cashmere sweaters are one of their most popular products ever. Thanks to their transparent pricing, you get a really nice cashmere sweater for the price of a not-so-nice one — and this classic crewneck comes in 18 colors. 

If she's especially environmentally conscious, check out Reformation's cashmere. It's more expensive ($148), but it's made from 70% recycled cashmere. If you're looking for something less expensive, cashmere startup Naadam has fantastic cashmere sweaters for $75, but they're prone to sell out. 

California has been overtaken by a string of deadly wildfires, which continue to blaze in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties to the south and the town of Paradise, California to the north. 

Since the fires began on November 8, few communities have been more devastated than Malibu, a wealthy enclave that's been engulfed by the Woolsey Fire. Authorities report that the fire has spread across 91,500 acres of land and is only 20% contained. 

Nearby, the Hill Fire has destroyed more than 4,500 acres, but was 75% contained on Monday.

In Northern California, the Camp Fire destroyed the entire town of Paradise in less than a day, killing at least 42 people and decimating over 6,700 structures. The fire has already been dubbed the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.

Though the majority of deaths have taken place in Paradise, at least two people were declared dead in Malibu on Friday. Their burned bodies were found in a car near Mulholland Highway.

As the Woolsey Fire continues to rage, mandatory evacuations remain in place in Malibu. Take a look at how the luxury community has changed in the last few days. 

Malibu is home to some of the nation's most expensive properties.

A home on Billionaire's Beach recently sold for $110 million, marking the priciest home sale in LA County history.

Read more: The cofounder of the Hard Rock Cafe just sold his mansion on Billionaire's Beach in Malibu for a record-breaking $110 million

Today, the city's oceanfront properties have been reduced to charred remains.

• Jerome Corsi, a far-right political commentator and longtime associate of Roger Stone, says the special counsel Robert Mueller told him he will be indicted for perjury.
• Corsi was served a subpoena in August by Mueller to testify before a grand jury.
• Mueller reportedly has evidence suggesting Corsi could have had prior knowledge of the Hillary Clinton campaign's hacked emails, which were later delivered to and published online by the secrets-leaking organization WikiLeaks.

Jerome Corsi, a far-right political commentator and longtime associate of Roger Stone, said this week that the special counsel Robert Mueller told him he will be charged in the Russia investigation for perjury.

"They told me they were going to indict me," Corsi told NBC News on Monday.

"I fully anticipate that the next few days I will be indicted by Mueller for some form rather [sic] of giving false information to the special counsel ... or [however] they want to do the indictment," Corsi said on a YouTube livestream. "But I'm going to be criminally charged."

"I think my crime, really, was that I dared to support Donald Trump," Corsi said. "Supporting President Trump ... Now I'm going to have to go to prison the rest of my life because I dared to oppose the deep state."

Corsi was served a subpoena in August by Mueller to testify before a grand jury. Mueller was reportedly investigating whether Corsi had prior knowledge of the Hillary Clinton campaign's hacked emails — which were later delivered to and published online by secrets-leaking organization WikiLeaks — and whether he passed those emails on to Stone.

Stone, a GOP strategist and former adviser to Donald Trump, was under scrutiny by the special counsel for his connection with Julian Assange, WikiLeaks' founder, and Guccifer 2.0, an online identity believed to be part of the Russia's military-intelligence arm.

Responding to reports that Corsi will be indicted, Stone cast doubt on Mueller's investigation and indicated that the special counsel does not have enough proof against him or Corsi. He pointed out that he has taken two polygraph tests and passed both. He also said his attorneys have reviewed all his written communications with the far-right commentator.

"When those aren't viewed out of context they prove everything I have said under oath regarding my interaction with Dr. Corsi is true," Stone said. "It is possible to take individual communications out of context to create a false impression to a grand jury. Such a case would be weak and would fail. I stand by my statement to the House Intelligence Committee and can prove it is truthful if need be."

Stone added: "Watching his podcast, Dr. Corsi strikes me as a man who has been squeezed hard but refuses to do anything but tell the truth which is why they may be indicting him."

Federal prosecutors indicted 12 Russian military officers for the hack in July and provided evidence that connected WikiLeaks' ties to Guccifer 2.0.

Corsi, formerly the Washington bureau chief of conspiracy-theory-website InfoWars, suggested Mueller had material evidence for his case.

"When they have your emails and phone records ... they're very good at the perjury trap," Corsi said to NBC producer Anna Schecter.

In 2016, days before a trove of emails were leaked, Stone made several statements on Twitter that eventually attracted attention from investigators. Stone previously tweeted "it will soon [be] Podesta's time in the barrel," in reference to John Podesta, Clinton's embattled campaign manager, whose emails were breached.

Corsi later claimed to be the inspiration behind Stone's tweets that suggested Podesta's brewing troubles. One person familiar with the situation said Mueller's team was reviewing communications with Trump's associates, in which Corsi and Stone appeared to take credit for the release of the hacked emails, according to NBC News. The source added that there has yet to be evidence of their potential involvement in the email's hack or subsequent release to the public.

Corsi denied having prior knowledge of the emails. Stone reportedly described his alleged ties with Russia as a "left-wing conspiracy theory" and claimed Corsi did not tip him off about WikiLeaks' possession of the emails prior to its public release.

"For the record, I have never had any communication of any kind with Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, or Guccifer 2.0, or any Russian agents of any kind, including those mythical Russian agents who the Democrats believe wanted to throw the election for Trump," Corsi reportedly wrote on InfoWars in March 2017.

SEE ALSO: Mueller subpoenas Roger Stone associate and far-right conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi

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