Ink printers are incredibly inexpensive but the cost of replacement ink cartridges can add up over time. If your office or household does a lot of printing, it may be worthwhile to look into a laser printer or a heavy duty ink printer. Fortunately, the majority of manufacturers and office supply companies offer coupons on a fairly regular basis. Ink cartridges are recyclable and most all of the major retailers have bins in their retail locations. If you are using an inordinate amount of ink, be sure to double check that the correct cartridge is being used. It is not recommended to use the super cheap inks as they are generally of an inferior quality and will likely not save much money in the long run. It is best to purchase ink cartridges from top manufacturers and buy in bulk when there is a sale or great coupon available.
There are multiple reasons why ink cartridges are expensive, mainly the cost of production as each model of printer requires a different printer cartridge; the ink is expensive; and the latest models of printer offer a very high quality of ink.
Manufacturers offer a steady stream of coupons to lower the cost of using an ink printer. Additionally, if a lot of ink is needed for the amount of printing being completed, it is worthwhile to look into inks for heavy duty copying loads.
The major office supply chains, such as Office Depot and Staples offer coupons on their websites that are easily downloaded. HP and other brands of ink printer makers also offer a constant flow of coupons for their customers.
The low-cost ink cartridges are usually made with inferior materials and the ink will not last for very long, nor will it be of a high quality. It is a much better idea to stay with the big name brands and buy them when they are sale or where coupons are offered.
It makes sense to purchase ink cartridges when they are on sale or this a good coupon or other rebates available. Ink cartridges will last for years when they remain in their air-free pouches and are not opened. Ink will not expire or dry out if it is stored in its original packaging.
Websites such as RetailMeNot often offer promo codes to purchase ink cartridges online. These are easy to use and generally equal about $4 off of a pack of ink. Coupons is another good resource that often has deals for a variety of brand name ink cartridges
Staples, OfficeMax, and Office Depot all offer recycling bins for ink cartridges at their retail locations. Many municipalites also have dedicated recycling areas for all manner of electronic and office equipment that will also accept empty cartridges. These can only be re-used 2-3 times and then the materials will be recycled as possible.
Ink printers are very inexpensive while their laser counterparts are expensive to purchase but do not have the ongoing expense that ink printers present. Dependent on the amount of printing that the printer will be used for it may make sense to look at both alternatives.