One Thing You Can Do Daily To Benefit Your Brain

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Daytime naps aren’t just for babies and cats. A brief snooze in the early afternoon has the power to boost your energy, improve your alertness, relax your mind, and brighten your outlook on life. Read on to discover more of the surprising perks of napping — and how to set yourself up to maximize the benefits.

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What Is a Nap, Exactly?

“Napping is sleep, but in a shorter time and during the day rather than at night,” says Joseph Dzierzewski, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. You won’t cycle through all four stages of sleep in a 20- to 30-minute nap. Instead, you’ll experience only the first and second stages — in other words, light sleep — and wake up refreshed rather than groggy.

“The brain processes all sorts of information, pruning and cleaning out toxins from the mind” during sleep, Dzierzewski says. Good sleep is a biological necessity for health and well-being, and you can gain a lot of the benefits with a quick nap.

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Benefits for Your Brain

If you learn something new and then nap on it, you’ll remember the information better. According to a 2018 study, when young adults spent a morning and afternoon studying, with either a break, a nap, or cramming in the middle, the nappers had the best recall of the information after one week.

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Napping can also improve your alertness and performance. These abilities are important for paying attention at work or while playing sports, but they become life-or-death matters when you’re behind the wheel. A 2023 study suggested that the risk of a car crash doubles when the driver has had less than five hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours. Napping can restore your sense of vigilance and improve reaction time, reducing your chance of an accident.

Older adults can gain additional cognitive benefits from naps as their sleep efficiency (the quality of sleep versus how much time is spent sleeping) declines with age. A 2016 study of older people found that those who took a post-lunch nap of between 30 and 90 minutes displayed better word recall and figure drawing — indicators of healthy cognition — than participants who took longer naps or didn’t nap at all.

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Mood and Energy Boost

Feeling cranky, irritable, or burned out? There’s a nap for that. Short naps can reset your mind and help you deal with stressful or annoying situations more productively. A post-lunch snooze may allow you to retain new skills, gain new perspectives, and boost creativity. Jade Wu, a sleep medicine specialist, told NPR that naps “[make] us less biased towards negative stimuli and more flexible in our thinking.”

Napping also reduces daytime sleepiness so you can tackle tasks after lunch and avoid the afternoon slump. The trick is to take a brief nap of no more than 30 minutes to avoid sleep inertia, that disoriented, confused feeling you may get when waking from a deep sleep.

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Help for Your Heart?

Some studies have shown that naps can offer a boost for your heart health, while others have found links between napping and risk factors for heart disease.

According to a 2019 study, naps may help lower blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A midday siesta seems to decrease blood pressure levels at the same magnitude as other behavioral changes, like reducing salt and alcohol intake, and nearly as much as low-dose hypertension medications.

However, a study published in 2022 found frequent daytime napping was associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Napping in itself is not dangerous, but frequent or extended naps can be symptoms of poor sleep at night. Chronic poor sleep can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, and other heart disease risk factors.

If you find yourself nodding off at different times of the day, or feeling so tired that you can’t avoid a lengthy nap, it’s a sign to ask yourself why you’re feeling so sluggish. It may indicate an underlying health issue that should be evaluated, Dzierzewski says.

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How To Take the Perfect Nap

The key thing to remember is that napping shouldn’t impact your regular nighttime sleep. The ideal nap should last 20 to 30 minutes and take place in the early afternoon, such as when you find yourself yawning after lunch. Find a place where you can recline and close the curtains to foster a dark, cool, and quiet environment. And don’t forget to set your alarm. “A small, intentional nap is a booster, not a replacement for your main sleep period at night,” Dzierzewski says.

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Kat Long

Writer

Kat Long is a freelance science journalist in the Washington, D.C. area. Previously, she was the science editor at Mental Floss and a digital editor at National Geographic. She now writes the Arctic Archives newsletter on Substack. Kat spends her free time birdwatching, road-tripping to historical sites and perusing old manuscripts at libraries.

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Updated: April 6, 2026

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Health

Why Are People Rubbing Banana Peels on Their Faces?

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All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.

TikTok trends have done a lot for our skin care routines, and not all of it good. The social media platform has given rise to some truly bizarre fads, from rubbing your face with beef tallow to basking in the odor of a mayonnaise-based mask. The latest craze is sure to sound bananas — pun definitely intended, because that’s exactly what it is. People are rubbing the inside of banana peels on their faces, saying it works as well as Botox in eliminating fine lines and wrinkles. Many insist doing so can also reduce inflammation and remove dark circles. Before you buy a bundle of bananas or finally make use of the not-so-ripe-looking bunch sitting on your counter, here’s what you should know.

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Are There Benefits to Rubbing Banana Peels on Your Face?

There are many reasons to incorporate bananas into your diet. They’re packed with vitamins C and A as well as other antioxidants that “[fight] oxidative stress from free radicals and environmental factors, including UV rays, pollutants, and chemicals,” says Dr. Ava Shamban, a board-certified dermatologist, clinician, researcher, and author.

Studies have shown the peel itself has even greater levels of antioxidants. However, “there is zero scientific evidence to suggest rubbing a banana peel on your face will help with any … skin conditions or signs of cellular aging,” Dr. Shamban says. She adds that the “banana or peel won’t penetrate the matrix or that skin barrier.”

The comparison to Botox is also faulty. Botox is derived from a toxin produced by bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The targeted injections weaken or paralyze facial muscles, temporarily reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the forehead and around the mouth and eyes. Banana peels — no matter how often you rub them on your face — won’t replicate that.

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“Beauty creators on TikTok look for trends, views, and virality, not necessarily science-backed solutions,” Dr. Shamban says. “If banana peels could really rid us of our wrinkles similar to a neuromodulator [like Botox], Dole and Chiquita would already be star players in the aesthetics business.”

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Are There Risks to Rubbing Banana Peels on Your Face?

Fortunately for those creators, there aren’t any major risks to giving this trend a try. If you feel compelled to do so, just make sure you use a fresh peel — a decomposing peel can quickly attract fruit fly larvae and other insects.

Be aware, too, that the peel itself can be rough, which can irritate your skin, as could any chemical pesticides on the peel. You also risk “atopic dermatitis and even increased breakouts,” Dr. Shamban warns. You should avoid this trend if you have an allergy to bananas or if your skin is highly sensitive. If you notice hives, swelling of the lips or tongue, or a burning sensation, these are all signs of an allergic reaction — stop right away and contact your health care provider.

Ultimately, according to Dr. Shamban, it’s better to eat the banana and then incorporate products with antioxidants into your skin care routine. She recommends skin care products with ingredients such as “vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), resveratrol, ferulic acid, and niacinamide, among others.” These products can be found everywhere from your local drugstore to your favorite luxury brands to your dermatologist’s office, and they’re “all backed by years of research, development, and clinical data.”

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Erin Scottberg

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Health

What Your Earlobes Can Tell You About Your Heart Health

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There are some body parts you probably don’t think about that often, like your eyebrows, or your tonsils, or your earlobes. But when it comes to the latter, you may want to reconsider. If your lobes have a particular feature, they could reveal important clues about your health — specifically, your potential for heart problems.

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A Telltale Crease

The feature to look for is a diagonal crease on the earlobes called Frank’s sign. It’s named for the pulmonologist who first described it in 1973 after noticing that his patients with symptoms of coronary artery disease also shared the telltale earlobe fold.

Subsequent studies have shown a strong link between the presence of the crease and heart disease. An early investigation of the relationship found 47% of heart attack patients had Frank’s sign in one or both earlobes, compared to 30% of a control group, while a study conducted some 40 years later showed 43% of people with cardiovascular disease had Frank’s sign in both earlobes, compared to 29% of the controls.

Technically, Frank’s sign is a diagonal crease from the tragus, the little bump of cartilage above the earlobe, to the pinna, the lobe’s outer edge. Physicians categorize the crease into grades, from Grade 1 (a superficial wrinkle) to Grade 3 (a deep skin fold that covers the entire lobe). Some studies have found the crease’s grade, length, and other factors may relate to the severity of cardiovascular symptoms.

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Let’s Be Frank

So, how does an obscure furrow in one’s earlobe often indicate disease in an entirely different body part? Researchers have a few theories. One is that the correlation comes from the fact that both the earlobe and heart are fed by terminal arteries; when blood flow in these arteries is obstructed, the resulting tissue damage shows up as Frank’s sign. Another theory suggests that the loss of elastic fibers in creased earlobes reflects a similar hardening in the heart’s tiniest blood vessels.

Researchers continue to debate whether Frank’s sign is a predictor of heart issues, a potential marker of heart disease in some but not all people, or a sign of premature biological aging. Frank’s sign and heart disease are both more common in older populations, so the crease may be more useful for pinpointing heart problems among people under 65.

Though its origins and significance are still a bit mysterious, Frank’s sign has been noticed for centuries. Sculpted busts of the Roman emperor Hadrian often reveal a deep crease in his outer ears, and Renaissance painters captured a crease in portraits of Cardinal Ludovico Trevisan and members of the Medici family. Photos of General Robert E. Lee also show a fold across his right earlobe, and he frequently described heart disease-like symptoms in his letters.

Listen to Your Lobes

All of these studies show only correlations between Frank’s sign and cardiovascular conditions — they don’t prove that heart disease causes the crease, or vice versa. If you think you might sport Frank’s sign, researchers suggest mentioning it to your doctor and discussing your heart health. It also wouldn’t hurt to focus on preventing cardiovascular problems by eating a healthy diet, not smoking, getting enough quality sleep, and exercising regularly.

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Kat Long

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Updated: April 6, 2026

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Wealth

Should You Freeze Your Credit?

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Thanks to conflicts around the world — which bring an increased risk of cyberscams — experts have suggested keeping a close watch on your credit.

Having a good credit score carries a lot of weight in the modern world. It makes it easier for you to buy a home, lease a car, and even get approved for an apartment. So, if you’ve received a notification that your information has been compromised, you’ve lost your purse or wallet with all of your personal identification, or you’ve started getting mail about offers you’ve never claimed, you’ll likely want to act fast and set up a credit freeze. Doing so protects you against potential fraud: Creditors will no longer have access to your credit report, thus making it more challenging for new accounts to be opened in your name.

Freezing your credit is surprisingly easy to do, and best of all, it’s free. Here’s what you need to know.

When To Freeze Your Credit

According to Joel Steele, entrepreneur and co-owner of Steele Financial Solutions, “there are mostly pros and minimal cons” to freezing your credit — but it’s important to know when you should do so.

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Steele doesn’t recommend freezing your credit proactively, because if you’re trying to get a mortgage or take out a loan for a car, “you may shoot yourself in the foot if your credit is frozen,” he says. “That means no new credit can be issued to you.” And even though data breaches are frequent, “that doesn’t mean your data will be successfully accessed or used.”

Instead, Steele suggests reviewing your accounts every week or two for suspicious activity. If you have one fraudulent charge on a credit card, you don’t need to freeze your credit; in that case, dispute the charge and get a new card. But you should definitely freeze your credit if you see signs of potential identity theft, such as “things coming to your email inbox or physical mailbox with your name, but someone else’s info or someone else’s name and your info,” Steele says. Other common signs include getting collection calls for accounts you didn’t open, and your credit report showing new credit cards you never applied for.

In that case, Steele says, “a freeze is the best and quickest solution to prevent future damage.”

How To Freeze Your Credit

If you want to freeze your credit, you’ll need to do so with each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The process is similar across all three, based on whether you want to freeze your credit online, by mail, or by phone.

Equifax

Online via their website
By phone: 1-888-378-4329
By mail to: Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788

Be sure to download their online forms and include the requested necessary information, such as proof of identity and proof of address.

Experian

Online via their website
By phone: 1-888-397-3742
By mail to: Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013

Per Experian.com, your written request needs to include:

Your full name
Social Security number
Complete addresses for the past two years
Date of birth
A government issued identification card, such as a driver’s license
Copy of a utility bill or bank statement

Transunion

Online via their website
By phone: 1-800-916-8800
By mail at: TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094

With your mail-in request, include photographic copies of one proof of identity and two proofs of your current address. Make sure the documents show your current name and aren’t expired. Anyone under the age of 18 will need an adult or guardian to do this for them, and active-duty service members can have an authorized representative complete the process.

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When Does the Freeze Take Effect — And Can It Be Undone?

If you decide to freeze your credit by phone or online, it typically happens within an hour of you contacting the credit bureau. By mail, it can take about three business days. Managing your freeze online means you can monitor it and easily lift the freeze when needed.

If you’re concerned about more fraud or identity theft than what you’ve already found, “don’t unfreeze [your credit] until you’ve gotten some answers on what happened, how deep [it ran], and what’s the chance it continues when you unfreeze,” Steele says. When you’re ready, making a phone call to the three credit bureaus or going into your online account can easily undo a freeze.

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Alternatives to Freezing Your Credit

A credit freeze isn’t the only option if you’re concerned about fraud. One step you might want to take is to set up a fraud alert. This requires creditors to take extra steps to confirm your identity before issuing credit. You can set up a one-year alert, a seven-year alert, or an active-duty military fraud alert. The process is similar to freezing your credit, as you can request a fraud alert online, by phone, or by mail at Transunion, Experian, or Equifax.

Credit locks are another option you can pursue if you’re worried about fraud. They often come with a small fee, however, as they’re typically part of a premium credit monitoring package. Experian CreditLock, for example, costs $24.99 per month, and it functions similar to a credit freeze but with features such as data exposure alerts, real-time alerts, and identity theft insurance.

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How To Avoid Future Problems

Steele says the best way to avoid credit issues is by “being vigilant and monitoring your own accounts” on a routine basis, which he calls “your best defense.” That’s especially true in times of conflict, when cyberterrorists from other countries might be trying to get your information. He recommends looking out for any unusual credit card activity or unrecognizable charges, and checking your credit report activity a few times a year to “make sure you didn’t miss anything.”Transunion, Experian, or Equifax all allow you to check your credit score for free and monitor your credit report for updates.

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Erin Scottberg

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How To Safely Dispose of Your Leftover Prescription Medications

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Most prescription medications come with clear instructions for how to take them safely. Guidance on what to do with the medicine you didn’t take, however, is often harder to track down.

If you were prescribed more pills than you needed, you may be tempted to toss out the excess with your regular trash or flush them down the toilet. But doing so without taking the right precautions poses a few risks — both to the environment and to any people who might come across them.

Luckily, getting rid of your leftover prescription medication is a straightforward process once you have the right intel. Ahead of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 25, here are some tips to follow for safe, responsible disposal.

Where To Take Your Unwanted Prescription Meds

The safest thing to do with medications you no longer need is to drop them off at a drug take-back location. Many pharmacies, including Walgreens and CVS, have permanent medication disposal kiosks where you can leave prescription and over-the-counter medicine. This isn’t just for customer convenience; unused medications are more likely to be abused, and anonymous drop-off locations are a simple way to mitigate the problem. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has an online tool that allows you to look up the closest kiosk to you by entering your ZIP code.

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If you don’t see any spots in your neighborhood, you may be in luck closer to the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Twice a year, the DEA sponsors drug collection events in communities nationwide. You can see if a collection site is popping up near you using the DEA’s locator tool — and if you miss April’s event, the next one will be held in October.

If dropping off your unused drugs in person isn’t the most convenient option for you, you can opt to mail them instead. Some pharmacies distribute prepaid drug mail-back envelopes for free, and you can also purchase them online. Once you have yours, all you have to do is slip the bottle of medication into the packet, seal it up, and mail it off to be destroyed.

How To Safely Dispose of Leftover Drugs at Home

Depending on the type of medication you’re dealing with, you may be able to safely dispose of some drugs at home.

Check the label on the bottle or the leaflet your medication came with to see if the contents are good to flush. You can also check for its name on the FDA’s flush list. According to the administration, the chemicals in these drugs present a negligible threat to the environment when flushed down the drain (and that threat is outweighed by the risk they pose to people who might otherwise get ahold of them). If you don’t see your medicine on the list, however, it may pose a greater environmental risk and should be kept away from the water supply.

Drugs that aren’t safe to flush can be thrown away, but doing so requires some extra work. First, remove them from their original container and add them to something you can seal, like a plastic storage bag. Mix them up with dirt, coffee grounds, or some other material that will conceal them and make them undesirable to any animals or children going through the trash. Finally, seal up the bag or container before tossing it in with your regular garbage, and redact your information on the pill bottle before putting it in your recycling. Once that’s done, cleaning out the rest of your medicine cabinet will seem easier in comparison.

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Michele Debczak

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Michele Debczak is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She appears in seasons four through six of History Channel's “The Food That Built America,” and her work has been featured in Mental Floss, Smithsonian Magazine, Eater, and Vice.

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Updated: April 3, 2026

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Health

Why Is Everyone Talking About Fiber?

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Fiber has become a nutrition buzzword lately, popping up everywhere from morning talk shows to grocery store labels. You’ve likely heard that fiber is good for you — but what exactly is it, and why does it matter?

Dietary fiber, found in plant-based foods, plays a key role in digestive health. Beyond that, it supports overall wellness and may help reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. Despite its importance, however, the American Society for Nutrition estimates that only 7% of adults meet daily fiber recommendations, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Here’s what you need to know about this essential nutrient and how to incorporate more of it into your diet.

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Why Is Fiber Important?

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in the indigestible parts of plants. Unlike other nutrients, such as fats and proteins, fiber cannot be broken down or absorbed by the human body. Instead, it moves through the digestive tract, supporting several key functions along the way.

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“[Fiber] aids in satiety because it adds bulk to your food without adding calories, can help reduce cholesterol, slows the spike of blood sugar from eating, and promotes gut health by providing food for your healthy gut bacteria,” Devon Kroesche, a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, explains. Getting more fiber is also linked to overall longevity, including a decreased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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What Are Some High-Fiber Foods?

There are two main types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel-like material that slows digestion. This can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. Kroesche recommends oats, bananas, and sweet potatoes as good sources of soluble fiber; peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, and carrots are also excellent options.

Insoluble fiber, as its name suggests, does not dissolve in water. It helps move nutrients through the digestive system and adds bulk to stool, which can ease constipation. To increase your intake, focus on whole grains, nuts, seeds, and whole vegetables with skins.

It’s worth noting that many high-fiber plant foods contain both types of fiber, so variety is key to meeting your daily needs.

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What Are Some Easy Ways To Increase Fiber Intake?

Adding more fiber to your diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Amanda Callenberg, a London-based registered nutritional therapist specializing in gut health and IBS, offers several simple strategies: “Add an extra serving of vegetables to meals, include beans or lentils, swap to whole grains, and add nuts or seeds where you can.”

Why prioritize whole grains? Refined or processed foods are lower in fiber because the bran (the outer portion) is removed from the grain. This strips away nutrients, including fiber. Choosing whole-grain pastas, cereals, and breads allows you to retain those benefits without sacrificing taste. Similarly, removing skin or pulp from fruits and vegetables reduces fiber levels, so opt for whole foods whenever possible.

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How Much Daily Fiber Do We Really Need?

A recent social media trend known as “fibermaxxing” encourages a very high daily fiber intake — but is there a limit?

“There can be a misconception that more is always better when it comes to fiber,” Kroesche says. “In reality, we want just the right amount of fiber — not more or less.” Consuming too much fiber, she warns, can cause digestive discomfort or more serious issues, such as digestive tract blockages.

While there isn’t a strict upper limit to how much fiber you can consume, the Mayo Clinic recommends a daily goal of 25 grams of dietary fiber for women and 38 grams for men. As with all aspects of nutrition, these goals should be tailored to your health, including any current digestive issues, your age, and your activity level. Kroesche also recommends gradually increasing your daily intake by about 5 grams per week. “Your gut is a muscle and may need some time to adapt to a higher-fiber diet to prevent gas and bloating,” she says.

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Do Older Adults Need To Think About Fiber Differently?

Fiber is important at all stages of life, and according to Callenberg, “meeting those needs can become more challenging with age, as appetite and activity levels often decrease.” Other challenges older adults face include reduced stomach acid and slowed digestion, which may affect how well fiber is tolerated.

To reduce fiber-related digestive issues, focus on a consistent intake spread throughout the day and drink plenty of water to prevent blockages. Hydration and fiber efficacy go hand in hand.

Fiber needs also decrease slightly with age. The Mayo Clinic recommends a daily intake of 21 grams for women over 50 and 30 grams for men over 50. Meeting these targets — without overdoing it — can help you maintain digestive system balance.

Are Fiber Supplements as Effective as Whole Foods?

Fiber supplements can be helpful if you’re struggling to meet your needs through diet alone. However, whole foods are generally preferred. If you decide to start a fiber supplement, consult your doctor.

“Many other nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, [are] contained in high-fiber foods,” Kroesche says. “Incorporating more of these foods often displaces less nutrient-dense foods,” such as processed foods. A whole-food-first approach not only supports digestion but also contributes to a more nourishing diet with long-lasting health benefits.

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Erin Scottberg

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Wealth

You Could Soon Be Paying a Lot More To Send a Letter

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Though virtual communication is easier than ever, many Americans still rely on the U.S. Postal Service to stay in touch with their loved ones or send packages across the country. The organization remains highly popular for both its reliability and its affordability, but it has become less affordable over time.

Intermittent price increases can be a hard pill for everyday Americans to swallow, but it’s not as if the Postal Service is intentionally trying to price gouge customers. These hikes are meant to help keep the organization afloat and offset the financial losses that have plagued USPS for years. Unfortunately, it looks as if another price increase may be on the near horizon, so here’s what you should know.

A 20% Increase?

The USPS suffered a $9 billion loss in 2025, and Postmaster General David Steiner says the organization might run out of money in less than 12 months. In a March 2026 appearance before Congress, Steiner proposed raising the cost of a first-class stamp from its current rate of 78 cents to as high as 95 cents, claiming it “would largely solve our controllable loss.”

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The U.S. Postal Service began operations in 1971, replacing an earlier postal agency that had existed since 1792. When USPS was founded, the cost of mailing a letter was just 8 cents, which equates to 65 cents when adjusted for inflation. It hit 10 cents in 1974, a quarter in 1988, and 50 cents in 2018. Over the next seven years, the price kept creeping up until it hit the current rate of 78 cents, which has been in effect since July 13, 2025 — a 56% increase over the 2018 cost. But a hike up to 95 cents per stamp would denote the largest single increase in USPS history.

It’s yet to be determined if and when this proposed hike will take effect, but it may be as soon as later this year — so keep your eyes peeled and wallets open.

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How Does This Price Compare Globally?

While an increase from 78 cents to 95 cents per stamp may seem like a large jump, it’s worth noting that it’s quite affordable compared to other countries’ postal services. Steiner cited additional data saying that the cost of a first-class stamp in France is almost $3, while the same type of stamp in England costs around $2.50.

Previously, a 2023 report from the Office of Inspector General noted that first-class stamps in the U.S. were more affordable than their equivalents in 26 other nations as of June of that year. The findings ranked Italy at the top, listing the cost of a first-class stamp there as equal to $2.96 USD; Finland and Estonia were runners-up at $2.43.

All this is to say that while nobody is a fan of rumored USPS price hikes, the organization still offers stamps at a more affordable rate than many other industrialized countries.

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Another Impending Price Hike

USPS will impose a separate 8% price hike on April 26 that is set to last until at least January 17, 2027. The price increase — which affects Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select — is meant to help offset rising fuel and transportation costs.

However, it’s worth noting that first-class stamps are exempt from this price increase, and the fate of any rumored price hikes on that front are still TBD.

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Bennett Kleinman

Staff Writer

Bennett Kleinman is a New York City-based staff writer for Inbox Studio. He is also a freelance comedy writer, devoted New York Yankees and New Jersey Devils fan, and thinks plain seltzer is the best drink ever invented.

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Updated: July 20, 2023

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9 Unusual Uses for Paper Towels

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If you encounter a mess of any kind — whether it’s a spilled cup of coffee or crumbs on the counter — chances are you’ll be reaching for a paper towel to deal with it. We tend to think of these wipes as our go-to tool to handle mess, but there are plenty of other smart ways to use them that go way beyond spills. Here are nine ways to get more out of every roll.

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Freshen Your Shoes

Shoes can take on a funky odor due to bacteria that thrive in the damp, dark environment they provide. Give them a quick refresh by putting a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a paper towel, crumpling it up, and placing it in your footwear. They’ll smell much better the next day.

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Keep Cutting Boards in Place

It’s frustrating — not to mention dangerous — when your cutting board slides all over your counter during food prep. Chefs swear by a hack to keep it in place that requires nothing more than a paper towel.

Simply rip a piece off the roll, run it under water, wring it out, and place it on your counter with your cutting board on top. The dampness creates friction that keeps the cutting board in one spot, allowing you to chop food safely. And when you’re finished, you can use the paper towel to wipe down your counter.

Seeds on a paper towel — Credit: © ThamKC/stock.adobe.com

Germinate Seeds

Speed up the gardening process by germinating fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds in paper towels. Line a food storage container with three or four damp sheets and place the seeds on them. Loosely cover the container with the lid so that air can circulate and place the container in a warm spot. Check daily and remoisten the paper towels as necessary. Once the seeds have sprouted, transfer them to soil.

Blueberries in a container with a paper towel — Credit: © Dani VG/iStock

Keep Produce and Cheese Fresh

There’s nothing worse than shelling out a ton of money for fresh fruit and veggies only to have them go bad in your fridge. But paper towels come in handy here: Slipping one into your produce containers will soak up excess moisture that would otherwise cause the food to rot. You can even go a step further and line your fridge shelves and drawers with paper towels — this cuts down on the need to clean the shelves themselves and soaks up food-destroying moisture. According to The Kitchn, these paper towels will last three to four weeks before you need to re-line shelves and drawers.

You can also use a paper towel to extend the life of your hard cheeses: Dunk a paper towel sheet in white vinegar, wring it out, and wrap it around your cheese. If the towel dries, wet it in vinegar again. According to All Recipes, white vinegar has antifungal properties because it’s high in acetic acid. This trick will help your hard cheeses last up to three times longer than they would normally, and your cheese won’t taste like vinegar, either.

Candle wax on fabric — Credit: © Halyna Romaniv/iStock

Get Wax Out of Carpets

Wax on a carpet or fabric is no big deal when you have a paper towel nearby. Lay two paper towels over the wax and hold a hot iron to the paper towels for a couple of minutes — the wax will melt and transfer to the paper towels.

Kitchen with wooden cabinets — Credit: © zhudifeng/iStock

Keep Cabinet Tops Grease-Free

The tops of your kitchen cabinets are out of sight, out of mind … until you need to clean them and discover they’re coated with a sticky layer of dust and grease that’s incredibly difficult to remove. Cleaning it is a task you won’t want to repeat, so once it’s done, grab a roll of paper towels and completely cover the top of the cabinets with them. Now all you have to do is pull them down when they get grimy and replace them with fresh ones — no elbow grease necessary.

Bread in a freezer — Credit: © qwartm/stock.adobe.com

Stop Thawing Bread From Becoming Soggy

No one ever wants to waste bread — particularly if it’s homemade sourdough you spent days on and froze to enjoy later. Thaw it the right way by placing a paper towel in the bag. It will absorb the excess moisture as the bread thaws out.

If you’re in a rush, wrap slices in damp paper towels and microwave them for 30 seconds. You’ll need to eat them right away, though; microwaved slices will quickly get tough as the moisture in the bread evaporates.

Person holding paper towel over oily pan — Credit: © Oleg Opryshko/stock.adobe.com

Soak Up Oil

Oil and grease are two things you never want to put down your drain or in your dishwasher — it’s bad for your pipes, sewer systems, and the environment. Use a Martha Stewart-approved trick to get rid of oil instead: Take a handful of paper towels and place them in a pan filled with oil. Move the towels around to get all the oil, throw them away, and clean the pan as usual.

You can also use paper towels to get rid of oil that’s accumulated on soups or stock: Just lay a sheet gently on the surface, pull it off, and repeat with fresh paper towels as necessary until the oil is gone.

Can opener on a table — Credit: © Olga Yastremska/iStock

Clean Can Openers and Stained Plastic Food Storage

If you haven’t given any thought to cleaning your manual can opener, you probably should: Its blades are just as capable of picking up food and gunk as every other tool you use regularly. To clean it, feed a paper towel through the blades and crank the can opener; the paper towel will clean the blades as it makes its way through.

Paper towels can also be the key to cleaning stubborn stains from food like pasta sauce in plastic storage containers. Put a sheet in the container, add a few drops of soap and some water, put on the lid, and shake. The stain might not be completely gone when you’re done, particularly if the container has been sitting for a while, but it’s likely to be better than when you started.

Erin McCarthy

Editor, Better Report

Erin is a writer, editor, and content strategist living in the New York City area. Previously, she was the VP/Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com and an editor at Popular Mechanics magazine. When she’s not working, Erin is hanging out with her cats, reading books from her never-ending TBR, traveling, karaoking, and making sourdough with her starter Stephen Sondheim.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated: March 23, 2026

Posted In: Home

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

Wealth

This Is the Most Expensive Supermarket in the U.S.

Better Report

Thanks to the rising cost of fresh vegetables, coffee, beef, and other essentials, buying groceries feels like more of an onerous expense with each passing day. This is especially true at certain chains that charge higher average prices than their competitors.

If you’re one of the many Americans who yearn for a lower grocery bill, it’s best to avoid costlier supermarkets. And thanks to the experts at the trusted brand Consumer Reports, we know the stores where you’re likely to pay more. They analyzed the cost of commonly purchased items sold by mainstream grocery chains in six regional U.S. locations, and put together a list of the most (and least) expensive supermarkets.

Walmart grocery cart — Credit: © JuanArnoldo/stock.adobe.com

About the Rankings

Before we discuss the most expensive supermarket, it’s worth noting a few things about the methodology used by Consumer Reports. All the prices they compiled reflect sales and discounts available with free loyalty cards, and exclude any discounts that could be attained through coupons or smartphone apps. Prices were gathered in person in late summer 2025. The publication used Walmart — the largest grocery retailer in the county — as a baseline average, determining a percentage difference in the total cost between Walmart groceries compared to food bought at other chains.

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Whole Foods Market bag — Credit: © No Revisions/Unsplash.com

The Most Expensive

At the very top of the national list is Whole Foods, coming in at 39.7% more expensive than Walmart. After the analysis was published in February 2026, Whole Foods contacted Consumer Reports to say that the company’s prices reflect factors important to its customers, such as ingredient sourcing, and that it has reduced prices on 25% of its items in the last 18 months. Nevertheless, Whole Foods remains atop the list.

Rounding out the top five most expensive supermarkets are the New England-based chain Shaw’s (+31.9%), the Texas-based El Rancho (+30.1%), and two stores primarily located in Illinois: Jewel-Osco (+29.7%) and Mariano’s (+27.6%). And in what might be a surprising twist for fans of Trader Joe’s, that chain was the ninthmost expensive in the U.S., costing 24.6% more than Walmart. Target, meanwhile, was a mere 5.9% more expensive than the baseline.

Produce section at Costco — Credit: © Tada Images/stock.adobe.com

The Least Expensive

Across the nation, six grocery chains rank as more affordable than Walmart. The most affordable of the bunch is Costco Wholesale, where customers might expect to pay 21.4% less on groceries than the national average.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is next at 21.0% cheaper than Walmart. Other inexpensive supermarkets include the East Coast chain Lidl (-8.5%), the nationally known brand Aldi (-8.3%), the Western/Midwestern-based WinCo (-3.3%), and the Texas-based H-E-B (-0.2.%).

Exterior of a Jewel Osco store — Credit: © jetcityimage/stock.adobe.com

Regional Differences

Consumer Reports looked at six regions as part of the study: Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles/Southern California, and Virginia Beach. While Walmart was the baseline for all, there were a few regional differences when it came to the most expensive supermarket.

Whole Foods was the most expensive grocery store in four of the six regions. Prices were highest in Virginia Beach, where Whole Foods cost 57.7% more than the baseline. But Whole Foods was the second-most expensive supermarket in both Chicago, where Jewel-Osco topped the list (+29.7%), and Denver, where the most expensive grocery store was Trader Joe’s (+30.0%).

When it came to the most affordable chain, there was no straying from the national norm: Costco came out on top in each region — especially in Boston, where Costco’s grocery prices were 37.0% lower than the baseline average.

Person checking out at grocery store — Credit: © Getty Images/Unsplash.com

Key Takeaways

If you’re looking for a more affordable grocery experience, shopping at wholesale chains such as Costco or BJ’s might be the way to go. Walmart is also an ideal option, especially considering its convenience and the fact that around 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart or Sam’s Club subsidiary.

To see the complete breakdown of national and regional rankings, head to Consumer Reports.

Erin Scottberg

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated:

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

Wealth

7 Things Getting More Expensive in 2026

Better Report

Many Americans are searching for ways to cut costs this year. The good news is that some costs are leveling off: Egg prices, which surged following the bird flu outbreaks in 2022, are expected to fall by more than 25% this year, and used-vehicle prices have also eased from their pandemic-era highs. But other categories still deliver sticker shock due to a complex web of global economic factors, domestic inflation, supply shortages, and tariffs. From dining out to streaming movies, here’s where Americans’ budgets are being stretched thin in 2026 — and why.

Person holding a fork eating a meal — Credit: © George Dagerotip/Unsplash.com

Restaurant Meals

Dining out is quietly becoming a luxury again. According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), restaurant costs were up 3.9% in February 2026 compared to February 2025. In a recent press release, the National Restaurant Association forecast that both revenue and jobs will continue to grow in the restaurant industry this year, but higher operating costs are squeezing profits.

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Those costs — labor, rent, ingredients, and shipping — are typically passed on to restaurant-goers, forcing them to foot the bill. Another major consideration in the industry is uneven traffic. With consumer budgets becoming increasingly stretched, many Americans are cutting back on dining out.

Meat in a grocery store — Credit: © S. Laiba Ali/Unsplash.com

Groceries: Beef and Sweets

While overall grocery inflation has slowed to around 2.4% in 2026, some categories are still rising sharply. Beef and veal prices are climbing significantly, with an expected 10.1% increase in 2026. This is due to high consumer demand and limited livestock supply, with the U.S. cattle herd at its lowest level since the 1950s. Droughts, cattle disease, and tariffs for imported beef also contribute to costs.

Sweets are another standout. The USDA estimates that prices for sugary treats will rise by 9.8% this year. This increase is a spillover from 2025, due to a worldwide cocoa shortage, inflation, and tariffs. Other grocery categories expected to increase in 2026 include nonalcoholic beverages (6.5%), fresh vegetables (4.8%), and pork (1.3%).

Phones on a table — Credit: © Andrey Matveev/Unsplash.com

Electronics: Computers, Smartphones, and Gaming Consoles

Consumers can expect to pay more while upgrading tech this year. One major factor is a global shortage of integrated circuit chips, the tiny devices on which RAM is stored. Manufacturers are shifting their business models, prioritizing high-performance memory to support AI data centers, which limits the supply of consumer-grade products for personal electronics. According to Counterpoint Research, memory prices increased by as much as 90% between Q4 of 2025 and Q1 of 2026.

As a result, prices for PCs, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and wearable tech such as smartwatches are expected to rise. Research firm Gartner expects PC prices to increase by 17% and smartphone prices by 13% by the end of 2026, compared to 2025 prices.

Woman rubbing her forehead looking at bill — Credit: © blackCAT/iStock

Utility Bills: Electricity and Gas

If you’ve noticed your monthly utility bills going up, you aren’t alone. Across the country, residents are experiencing price hikes for energy services, which, according to the CPI, rose about 6.3% nationally between February 2025 and February 2026. Specifically, electricity costs are up an estimated 4.8%.

The World Resources Institute notes that there’s no single cause for these rising costs. While data centers and AI are impacting some parts of the country, the increase is driven by a mix of factors: the effects of extreme weather on infrastructure, power grid upgrades, and fluctuations in the fossil fuel market.

Piped gas service costs have risen even more — an estimated 10.9% in 2026, reflecting the largest leap in the CPI index for the year. Most of a household’s gas bill covers supply, distribution, and maintenance, which are affected by rising transportation costs and geopolitical events. In some parts of the country with aging infrastructure, new pipeline construction is further increasing consumer bills.

Person browsing Amazon's streaming offerings — Credit: © Kaspars Grinvalds/stock.adobe.com

Streaming Services: Netflix and Prime Video

Streaming services may no longer be a cheaper alternative to cable: Many at-home streaming services are raising their prices in 2026. Some of these price hikes are part of annual profit goals, while others reflect production costs, account sharing with friends and family, and ad-free upgrades. The trend has been dubbed “streamflation.”

Case in point: For the second time in one year, Netflix has raised its subscription prices for all tiers. As of March 2026, costs have increased by $1 to $2 per month, ranging from $8.99 with ads to $26.99 for premium. Other video platforms raising their prices in 2026 include Prime Video, Paramount Plus, and Sling TV, as well as the audio streaming services Amazon Music and Spotify.

Medications spilling out of prescription bottles — Credit: Olga DeLawrence/unsplash.com

Prescription Drugs: Vaccines and Cancer Treatments

Medication costs continue to rise, even as policy changes try to limit out-of-pocket costs. According to a recent price analysis, 872 brand-name medications saw price increases during the first two weeks of 2026, with a median increase of 4%. Some of these drugs included vaccines, cancer treatments, Type 2 diabetes medications, and cardiovascular disease treatments.

In a recent statement, drug manufacturer Pfizer noted that these price increases are necessary for research and development and to keep up with inflation and rising manufacturing and distribution costs. Other manufacturers have cited similar reasons. The changes drive up insurance premiums, and patients are facing higher out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy as a result.

Health insurance application — Credit: © Annap/stock.adobe.com

Health Insurance Premiums

Most Americans will experience some increase in their health insurance costs in 2026, as the employer-sponsored insurance market is expected to see premium increases of 6% to 7%. An estimated 60% of Americans under 65 — roughly 165 million people — have employment-sponsored health insurance.

Meanwhile, the 23 million Americans receiving health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could see major premium increases — some by more than 20% in 2026 — largely because the ACA’s premium tax credits have expired.

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that other increases contribute to rising health insurance costs, including prescription drugs, physician services, hospital care, and advanced diagnostics and therapies. While health care and other consumer price hikes can add up, staying aware of these trends can help households budget and adjust their spending for the year ahead.

Rachel Gresh

Writer

Rachel Gresh is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer. When she's not writing, you can find her wandering a museum, exploring an unfamiliar city, or baking something new in the kitchen.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated: December 15, 2023

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

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