Quick Tips and Swaps!!
Keep your coffee hot all morning for $5.00!
Candle warmers are GREAT for candles. They are usually about $5, they keep your candles burning at even rate and they keep your candles looking clean (you don't get all the black stuff in the candle from the wick and matches) They also burn cleaner. You don't end up with all the dirty smoke from the candle.
BUT .... candle warmers also work great as a coffee or tea warmer. I love my coffee hot, really hot. But, I get distracted, and when I get around to having a sip it's already cold. So the morning ends up with a number of trips back and forth to microwave to reheat the coffee or tea. I started using the candle warmer and it workers great. Keeps my coffee hot all morning! Just always remember to use safely. Put on safe sturdy table. Do have anything nearby that could be a hazard like loose papers, etc. And ALWAYS shut it off when you are finished.
Inexpensive and Healthier POPCORN!
Making popcorn on the stovetop is messy and not the healthiest with all the oil. Using those prepackaged microwave bags are very convenient but expensive and they come with a health risk. Prepackaged microwaved popcorn has been linked to cancer risks (Its packaging contains plastic, the butter inside has been linked to lung disease, yuck!). You can buy already popped bags of popcorn but look out for preservatives and after you open the bag, if you don't finish the popcorn, it goes stale pretty quickly. It is also expensive.
I have one more option for you!! And it is so simple! All you need is popcorn kernals (which are really cheap!) and a regular old brown paper lunch bag. That's it. Measure your popcorn, I use about 1/3 a cup of kernals per standard size lunch bags. Put the popcorn in brown bag. Fold down top tightly (I make two thin folds). Place in microwave! My microwave has a "Popcorn" setting. The best way to judge is to listen! Once the popping slows, remove your bag. It usually takes around 2 minutes but every microwave varies. BAM! A fresh, hot bag of popcorn! (open carefully, it will be hot and additional kernels could pop) Add butter or whatever flavor you like. Cheap, easy, no mess!
Do you have a Quick Tip or money saving substitute? Share it here!