Cleaning a microwave

You don't need anything special. No lemon juice or vinegar or anything but water. Put your wet dishcloth or sponge in the microwave and turn it on long enough to sanitize it, then use a rag to wipe the microwave clean while it's still moist.

Thawing Food Cheaper

The microwave is a great time saver, and cooks food with less energy and heat waste than a conventional oven, but don't put off thawing foods just because you can do it faster in the microwave. It's still cheaper to thaw meats in the refrigerator (or, in some instances, in water)

Have it quick and cheap

Need a quick, but inexpensive meal? If you keep cooked rice in your freezer, you can make one. Pile it on a plate and top it with chili, soup or other dish, microwave it for a couple of minutes, top with cheese and microwave another few seconds until the cheese melts.

Investment: Microwave popcorn popper

While it's not recommended that you use a paper bag to pop corn in the microwave, some companies are marketing a microwave popcorn popper. It's a lot less expensive to buy a bag of regular popcorn than to buy individual packages made for the microwave. Do the math and see how long it will take for a microwave popper to pay for itself!