Who doesn’t like to save money? Printer ink is seen as a necessity for most businesses, and the cost might seem unavoidable at first. But, there are little things that can be done to save hundreds of dollars when it comes to printer ink. 

Interested? Keep reading for 5 simple methods to save hundreds on printer ink each and every month.

1. Don’t Settle for the Cheapest Printer

   What saved you an extra hundred bucks might cost you thousands in the long run. When scouting for a new printer to buy, the one thing you absolutely need to do is consider the cost per page (CPP). As the name suggests, CPP takes the total cost of the ink and divides it by how many pages the specific printer can print. 

   And, certain printers are only compatible with certain cartridges. Look for printers that are able to use cartridges with a CPP of less than 4 cents. Instead of buying the cheapest base-value printer, wait for deals and snag up a reputable brand.

2. Leave Your Printer On

   That’s a total waste of energy, right? Hear us out. Inkjet printers actually use minimal power when left on and the ink savings should outweigh your concerns. Here’s how it works. Each time you turn on your printer, a maintenance and cleaning cycle takes place. This cycle uses ink to clean print heads prior to any actual printing. 

   If you decide to leave your printer on, you won’t have to go through this maintenance and cleaning cycle each morning.

3. Use Draft Mode for Unimportant Prints

   For daily printables, readings, or notes that don’t necessarily need to be high-quality – draft mode should be your go-to. Draft mode prints save up to half the ink used in regular prints, and the quality isn’t really that bad. Plus, draft mode prints come out of the printer much faster too.

   So, how do you turn on draft mode? With the print preview pulled up but prior to printing, look through the printer preference tab or printer dialogue box. It should be there. Note that depending on the printer type, draft mode might be referred to as Toner Save, EconoMode, or Draft Quality.

4. Buy Printer Ink in Bulk

   If you like the quality of your current printer, it’s a great idea to start buying printer ink in bulk. Buying in bulk is cheaper for most items, and printer ink is no exception. However, you may want to consider trying an unfamiliar cartridge first before buying in bulk to reduce risk.

5. Think Twice Before Printing

   This might seem like an odd tip, but do you really need to print that entire 40-page article or work report? The one that’s already accessible on your computer, tablet, phone, and so on. It’s easier now than ever to access documents through our devices and this should be taken advantage of. Still, some documents still need to be printed.

   If you do need to print something, make sure to preview the document and make necessary changes (e.g. removing unnecessary logos) prior to printing. 

The Bottom Line

It might be hard to imagine saving hundreds on printer ink each and every month. But, each piece of saved paper and ink really does add up. Try these out and let us know how much you save. Want to learn more tips and tricks for ink and printers? 

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