Finances

3 Ways to Save Money On At-Home Printing Costs

April 16, 2018 Joseph Hernandez 0Comment

Although a lot of the world has gone very digital, there are still quite a few reasons that you may have at-home printing costs. Whether you’re printing off invitations to a party, paperwork to fill out, or just something to hang on your wall, many people find that they have at least some of their budget going to printing done in their home. And while printing has become much more cost efficient than it was in the past, you may still feel like you’re spending more than you’d like in this area. So to help you trim the fat here, we’ll give you three ways you can save money on your at-home printing costs. 

Print On Scrap Paper 

Unless you’re completely committed to going digital, you likely have quite a bit of paper lying around your house. This paper might be something that came home in your child’s backpack, you got at a medical office, or that you bought yourself. But especially if you’re doing printing for something inconsequential, Nicholas Brown, a contributor to LDProducts.com, recommends that you use this paper as printer paper. Even if scrap paper has something already printed on it, you can use the back as paper that’s perfectly acceptable for printing off things like grocery lists that you’d just throw in the recycling anyway. This can help you buy less paper and make better use of the paper you already have around your home. 

Print In Draft Quality or Grayscale 

Ink is one of the most expensive parts when it comes to printing at home. Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to conserve the ink you’re using when printing. According to Laureen Miles Brunelli, a contributor to The Spruce, a great strategy for using less ink when printing is to set your printer to function in draft mode or to use grayscale. When doing this, your printer won’t use so much black ink to print the black sections of your words or images, using far less black ink so that you don’t have to buy replacement ink as frequently. 

Refill Ink Rather Than Buying All New 

Another way to save on ink costs is to get your ink cartridges refilled rather than buying completely new cartridges each time you need more ink. Although some printer companies may say that their ink cartridges can’t be refilled, Owen Burek, a contributor to SaveTheStudent.org, shares that this often isn’t true. If you’re unsure if your ink cartridge can be refilled, take it to the nearest refilling center by you and see if they have something compatible for the printer you’re using. This could save you quite a bit on your previous ink costs.

If you’re looking to find ways to save on your at-home printing costs, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do just that.

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