subject: When you buy a particular model of printer [print this page] When you buy a particular model of printer
There are numerous ways to economise when purchasing printer ink cartridges. It is no secret in the printer manufacturing business that printer manufacturers purposefully reduce the price of printers so that the profits can be made through the expensive printer ink cartridges which are needed to run them.
When you buy a particular model of printer, you often make a commitment to buy the printer ink cartridges which are specially designed for use in that printer business savvy from the manufacturer's perspective, but costly in the long run for the consumer. The need to purchase costly printer ink cartridges may begin to feel somewhat unjust after a while, and the printer you previously thought was a bargain could just be eating up your money. Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can keep the cost of printing and printer ink low. One way is to use compatible cartridges, more of which later in the article.
To begin with, when you purchase the actual printer, check to see how much the printer ink will cost. If the eventual price of the printer ink seems extortionate, try another model of printer or see which type of printer ink is compatible with that type of printer. It may be the case that compatible cartridges can be used with the printer, more of which later in the article.
Also, check how much the page yield of each printer ink cartridge, which will tell you how many pages the cartridge can produce, rather than the price per volume of printer ink.
Next, consider the kind of technology that your computer uses. For example, laser printers are normally pricier than inkjet versions, but will actually be cheaper in the long run, as laser printers have a higher page yield.
As far as colour is concerned, black ink cartridges are less expensive than colour cartridges. If colour printing is a must however, then it is advisable to buy a colour cartridge with separate tanks which can be refilled as necessary (Refilling can be a messy process which can end up being detrimental to the function of your computer, so handle with care or ask a professional to help).
It sounds obvious, but only printing when necessary will extend the life of your cartridges by simply saving on printer ink. However, it is a good idea to use your printer at least once a week; otherwise the ink in the printer can begin to dry out. When creating printouts, choosing greyscale or draft settings can be useful, especially if the document is being used for reference purposes, and again black ink cartridges are most useful here.
There are plenty of other ways to save money while printing which can be found on the web, but keep in mind that saving money on printing can be beneficial to the environment as well. Compatible cartridges are old ink cartridges which have been removed, cleaned out and recycled. They cost far less than branded, "genuine" printer ink cartridges, and companies are quickly recognising their status as affordable, functional and less likely to end up on landfills, where printer ink cartridges can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
