Printers have become really cheap over the last few years
. A high end printer used to set you back hundreds of pounds. Not any more. Now you can pick something up for as little as thirty or forty pounds. So that's the good news. Now for the bad. Ink cartridges are still really pricey. They only last so long before you need some new ones, so this is the chance for printer companies to make back some of the profit they've lost on the actual printer units themselves.
Once your printer cartridges start to run out, you start to realise the true cost of that "bargain" you thought you'd got yourself. You're now having to spend a small fortune on ink. It's no coincidence that the printer manufacturers are also the suppliers of ink cartridges. They recommend you use their "official" ink and may experience quality issues should you choose any alternative, and they charge you a premium too. The prices are really high.
If you're fed up of paying over the odds, you'll be pleased to know that there are alternatives that don't hit you so hard in your pocket. Plus they don't involve you having to try to refill the printer cartridges yourself! What you must bear in mind though, if you choose to a refill from an alternative supplier and something goes wrong with your printer, the manufacturer will most likely refuse to honour the warranty.
You can find discounted alternative cartridges in stationary shops or online. Take your printer model number with you or have it hand and you can easily source unofficial alternatives that do they same job.
If you don't like the idea of using these types of cartridges, then follow this simple tip to extend the shelf life of the official manufacturer cartridges. Use economy settings unless you have a really important document to print off. The quality will still be more than adequate for everyday use. Shop around or be smart. Either way you can make big savings.