Printer ink, how in the world can one be frugal?!?

[ioncewasamjskeptic]

I cant for the life of me get over price of ink and the speed I go thru it! I have my printer set for grayscale & black only(havent even put a color cart. in in months!LOL). I have it set for most economical print, period. I see ink for all diff. kinds of printers on sale but NEVER my HP 20&21! Any ideas??? I do use Officemax so I get $3 recycle per cartridge but goodness I cant feel any savings! LOL TY Lorrie

[CW&M Mom]

We use a printer that uses toner. One cartridge lasts us a year or more.

[ioncewasamjskeptic]

We use a printer that uses toner. One cartridge lasts us a year or more.

I guess I am going to have to eventually get new one.... It was cheap and ink is NOT! LOL. I have learned not to listen to it when it tells me every job ink is out!hehe but then there is a down side to that too, usually eats a (2 ip) Q or two when it reaqlly is out! lol

[CW&M Mom]

The cool thing with toner...is when it says it's out...You pull it out..and shake it real good..and plop it back in and you have a good couple more weeks out of it.

It also is water proof and wont' smear.

We just got a new set. We got 3 toner cartridges for about $50 bucks and that will last us at least 3 years...if not more.

Also we print way more then just coupon on it as well....4 adults off and on use that printer. It also makes copies, faxes and scans.

[$Saving!]

I cant for the life of me get over price of ink and the speed I go thru it! I have my printer set for grayscale & black only(havent even put a color cart. in in months!LOL). I have it set for most economical print, period. I see ink for all diff. kinds of printers on sale but NEVER my HP 20&21! Any ideas??? I do use Officemax so I get $3 recycle per cartridge but goodness I cant feel any savings! LOL TY Lorrie

Inkjet printers are the most expensive to use, no matter the initial cost of the printer.

Laser printers have come way down in price and there are many that are small and very good! Look at the Samsung laser printers if you're in the market, we have two and they're workhorses, never fail printers. And small enough to move around without hassle.

I buy my laser toner cartridges online, they're remanned cartridges that have never once failed and they put out print page numbers no different than OEM cartridges. I pay $30-32 per cartridge shipped to me from CA to the east coast. They get here in less than 5 days.

Each cartridge prints well over 1,000 pages.

[shelleyf]

I have a laser and buy my cartridges on ebay for 21.00 and that includes shipping. I get it in 2 days and it lasts about 6 months. I print everything, recipes, coupons, whatever, alot. I am very happy about it. Before with an inkjet I couldn't afford to print anything.

[434Teresa]

I buy my Hp ink from sams club, I get two black and one color for less than one color and one black cost me at walmart..

[$Saving!]

I have a laser and buy my cartridges on ebay for 21.00 and that includes shipping. I get it in 2 days and it lasts about 6 months. I print everything, recipes, coupons, whatever, alot. I am very happy about it. Before with an inkjet I couldn't afford to print anything.

I do so much printing I do mystery shopping and print off at least two pages, sometimes as many as 8 pages per shop, plus all the coupons, recipes, stuff to hand out in coupon classes etc.

Could not begin to imagine what it would cost with an inkjet printer

[shans3boys]

Luckily, I get free cartridges from work, although I'm probably not supposed to print qs! That's the beauty of working from home...

[3timesoccermom]

I have an HP printer and always check these 3 sources for ink before buying: Sam's club, Walmart and Amazon. You never know which will be cheaper til you check.

However, this printer has several years on it and I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy a laserjet next time.