Tip #3: Must butter be refrigerated?

No. Unless you live in Phoenix and want to lick butter from your counter in the summertime. Seriously, most of us can safely store a small amount of butter on the counter so it’s always ready for spreading. You don’t really need a fancy butter crock, but that’s a fine option. What I’ve found helpful is a small butter dish that holds half a stick of butter. That way it gets used quickly.