You may remember me mentioning Ink Tank printers in a previous blog. While they cost a bit more upfront, they replace those fiddly (and expensive) cartridges with high-capacity tanks you refill from a bottle—saving you a fortune in the long run.
But regardless of whether you’ve made the switch to an Ink Tank or you’re sticking with a traditional Inkjet, there are several tips you can use to keep your printing costs down.
1. Leave the power on 💡
It sounds counter-intuitive, but if you print regularly, keep the printer switched on. Every time you power a printer up from “cold,” it runs a mini cleaning cycle that gulps down expensive ink. The cost of the electricity to keep it in standby is far lower than the cost of the ink wasted by constant rebooting.
2. The “Selection” Trick 🎯
Don’t just hit “Print” on a massive webpage or a 20-page document. Highlight the specific text you actually need, and in your print settings, choose “Print Selection.”
3. Go Double-Sided 📄
It’s an easy way to halve your paper costs. Not every printer supports “Auto-Duplex,” but if yours does, make it your default setting. It’s better for your wallet and the environment.
4. The “Digital First” Rule 🖥️
Before you print a page just to read it once, ask yourself: “Could this be a PDF?” Saving a document to your desktop is free, takes up zero shelf space, and won’t end up in the recycling bin ten minutes later.
5. Choose “Draft” or “Eco” Mode 🌱
For everyday documents that don’t need to be “presentation perfect,” jump into your printer preferences and select Draft or Eco mode. It uses significantly less ink and usually prints much faster, too.
6. Pick a “Slim” Font ✍️
Believe it or not, your choice of font matters. Thick fonts like Arial or Impact are ink-hungry. If you’re creating your own documents, switching to a more economical font like Times New Roman or Calibri can actually save a noticeable amount of ink over a year.
Small changes in how you use your tech can lead to big savings over time.
