Let’s face it, printers are expensive. They either cost a lot to buy or cost a lot to run. Ink is always an expense that we end up paying for. However, you can use tips to save money.
Use a print shop
If you use a lot of headed note paper that has a lot of colour, it would pay for you to get a local printers to print a few reams of headed paper and then use a cheap black laser printer to print out your words. The cost in ink or toner to print a headed page every time works out to be so much more and you can go a long way with a ream or two. An added plus is quality paper makes your customers happier and colour prints can really pop on the right paper.
Look at cheap printers
Everyone wants the latest wireless printer, so eBay is awash with cheap USB printers and often the older printers can take refillable cartridges which drive down costs.
Refillable cartridges
In the laser world, a printer cartridge can cost a great deal, especially if you are buying new cartridges from the manufacturer every time. A toner cartridge may last 3-4 times being refilled but the newer printers make it hard to use compatible or refill cartridges, all the more reason to buy older, cheaper printers.
The process of refilling can be messy and the toner dust is bad for your health, so do this outside and wear gloves, masks and goggles as toner is potentially carcinogenic (can cause cancer)
Ink jet cartridges get messy as filling them is a messy process and they can leak into the printer, which may end up costing you more in the long run.
Using someone else's printer
If you are short of cash, you can always ask a friend to print something for you. Send them the files to print and they can have it done in no time, next time you visit you can pick them up. Perhaps the social aspect of going round there for a chat would do more than paying them for their time, especially if they live on their own.
