Guest post by Ann David

Printing is a major contributor to pollution and climate change. It is also expensive, particularly if you buy only original supplies prescribed by your printer manufacturer. If you are overspending on ink, our tips will help you develop better shopping habits.

1. Replace Original Cartridges with Compatible

By turning to this alternative market of office supplies, you can save 50% or more instantly. For example, Smart Ink offers an HP 953xl ink multipack for Officejet Pro printers for only £41.59. This is less than half of the original price — the OEM pack costs around £96.

Compatible Cartridges are not replicas. They are original in the eyes of lawmakers, as manufacturers design and build their own products. These items look and perform like OEM supplies, but let you spend less and still have a valid printer warranty.

In terms of quality, look for international standards like ISO, CE, Reach, and STMC. Reputable shops test every product before shipping and offer an extended warranty. A two-year money-back guarantee is best.

2. Switch to Recycled Products

If you want to replace cartridges in the most sustainable way, explore remanufactured products. They have recycled OEM supplies sold at a discount. This process is more complex than just refilling, as the providers thoroughly clean, refurbish and test each product to ensure it works like new.

Performance is also confirmed by the same quality standards that apply to compatible ink. However, the biggest benefit is sustainability. You will reduce your impact on their environment — primarily, the amount of plastic and electronic waste.

3. Buy XL Volume

The capacity of a cartridge is determined by page yield. Some products contain twice as much ink as the standard. Sometimes, the difference is even greater. For example, the black cartridge in the above-mentioned Smart Ink pack prints  2,000 pages, while the standard yield is 1,000. Each of the color cartridges is enough for 1,600 pages, as opposed to 700 pages in the standard model. You will print more pages but still pay less!

4. Print Less

An average office worker prints around 10,000 pages per year. Around 14% of them are unnecessary. What’s more, a third of print jobs are never used. Before clicking the “Print” button, ask yourself if you really need this document. Maybe you could read it on your screen, download to an e-reader or send it to a mobile device for convenience.

If you absolutely have to print, use the double-sided mode. Around 24 trees are processed to produce a single ton of paper! Why generate more waste paper?

Finally, consider switching to recycled paper. It is typically produced from food and beverage containers and other printed materials. Despite its recycled nature, such paper is bright white — just like a brand-new pack. Manufacturers also sell sustainable towels, tissues, toilet paper, etc.

5. Use Less Ink on Drafts

If you are printing a file for proofreading, reduce ink consumption by activating the ecological mode. Different companies name it differently. For example, HP printers have an Economode.

Depending on your model, you may be able to access this setting via the Windows Control Panel. Just open the hardware and devices section and right-click on your printer to manage its properties. Alternatively,  click “Print” on any document and open the dialog window with advanced settings. In the draft mode, your machine will print faster, and the result will be relatively faint.

6. Change Fonts

Bold fonts and large letters require more ink. Instead of Arial, type in Century Gothic, Courier, Calibri, or Garamond. The thinner the lines, the better. Brush Script is also economical, although it doesn’t have a large fan base.

Aside from a standard font, consider installing a special economical style. For example, letters in Ryman Eco are hollow, but you won’t notice it thanks to ink bleed. Ecofont Sans has tiny holes that are also invisible at small sizes. Its creator sells Ecofont software that can poke such holes in standard fonts. However, it is not free, unlike Ryman Eco.

7. Turn on Reader mode

Most websites have a lot of visual clutter. There are banners, pop ups and distracting images. You can get rid of all irrelevant elements with just one click. The next time you need to print a web page, look closely at the address bar. You may see a special icon for the minimalist Reader mode.

This setting instantly modifies the page, stripping off all annoying visual elements. You will see the text of the article and some accompanying images (depending on the site). However, not all domains support the Reader mode, and it may also malfunction.

If the setting is unavailable, download a special plugin for your browser. There are tools for every popular program, including Firefox and Chrome.

8. Choose Grayscale

Color cartridges are more expensive than black, so stick to shades of gray whenever possible. You can turn on grayscale via the settings when printing any file.

9. Buy Single-Color Cartridges

Choose color cartridges where pigments are separated. This way, when one of them runs out, you won’t have to replace the full bunch.

10. Look for Extra Discounts

How many online stores or additional ways to save money. For example, you may get a 10% discount when purchasing two or more items. Some brands have loyalty programs, too. To maximize savings, choose XL compatible cartridges with free shipping, and buy in bulk.

Why Is Original Ink So Expensive?

Canon, Hewlett-Packard, and all other major brands offer the same justification for their skewed pricing policies. According to the giants, they invest billions of dollars every year to develop state-of-the-art equipment and supplies. However, these R&D expenses can hardly justify the price tags on ink.

Many consumers believe the companies are merely capitalising on the “razor and blades” model. It includes affordable core products (basic printers are sold for around £90) and expensive consumable supplies. Some cartridge packs cost nearly as much as the machines they work in. Fortunately, you have a right to use any non-original cartridges.

The post Top 10 Tips To Help You Save Money On Printing appeared first on Broke in London.