Until I bought my first printer, I didn’t realize how much of a big deal purchasing ink cartridges was. They were a heck of a lot more expensive than I imagined.
It soon became clear to me that it wasn’t sustainable. My business got through an enormous amount of ink each year. I needed a better solution.
When it comes to saving money on ink cartridges, I realized that there were actually a lot of things that I could do. I’m going to share them with you now in this handy guide.
Buy From Discount Sellers
Some companies, like Yo! Yo! Inks offer branded and unbranded ink cartridges at a discount.
Thus, instead of buying cartridges at full retail price, I found that I was able to get a substantial chunk of money off.
Yo! Yo! Ink, for instance, offers me up to 75 percent off premium inks when I spend more than $50. The company also guarantees that any unbranded inks that I buy exceed OEM quality.
Buy Generic Cartridges
It annoys me how much printer industry vendors charge for replacement cartridges. My printer cost next to nothing, but the cartridges it’s eaten have cost a fortune.
I soon realized, however, that I could save a substantial amount of money by buying generic cartridges.
Generic cartridges are, for all intents and purposes, unbranded. A third-party manufacturer makes them compatible with a vendor’s printer and sells them at a discount.
I’ve found that I am sometimes able to save up to 90 percent off the full price of a branded product. That’s a remarkable saving when you think about it.
Sign Up To A Ink Replacement Service
Companies, like HP, are experimenting with so-called ink replacement services.
The way that they work is simple. I agree to pay HP a small sum of money every month, and, in return, they send me the cartridges I need in the post.
The system works well and helps me keep ink cartridge costs down over the long term. HP also benefits too. They get a steady direct debit from my bank account.
The service lets me choose different plans, depending on how much printing I do in a given month. I could choose between $0.99 for 50 sheets or $8.99 for 300 sheets.
Buy Bulk Cartridges
One thing I didn’t realize before I started investigating this was how intricate printer cartridges are. They’re not just vessels for ink. They’re sophisticated pieces of kit in their own right.
They have to function in high-performance situations. No wonder it cost me so much to buy ink.
Two companies, Epson and Canon, however, are now selling bulk ink cartridges.
The way bulk cartridges work is simple. Instead of having to replace the whole unit at a high cost, I can now refill individual ink pod sections (colors and black).
Canon and Epson supply small refill bottles that cost far less than replacing the entire unit. And what’s more, you can get thousands of prints from each cartridge. It is a game-changer.
