Discount Printer Ink Cartridges HP

Depending on how often you use your printer, you may find yourself spending hundreds of dollars a year in ink costs. Using a few helpful hints, you can cut that cost in half.

Original manufacturer cartridges

The highest-quality ink cartridges are always going to come from the original manufacturer of your printer. However, they come at steep costs. To save money on OEM cartridges, sign up for award programs at your local Staples or Office Depot stores. Staples, for example, gives back 10% of your purchase price on ink in the form of a certificate that is issued to you quarterly. If you bring back empty ink cartridges, you can also earn $2 per cartridge. These rewards are valid for any product in the store, including more ink.

Re-manufactured ink cartridges

Refilled ink cartridges do not work as well as their brand-new counterparts, but for occasional or low-volume computer users, the difference might seem minor and barely discernible. These reused cartridges are generally priced about 50 percent less than original cartridges, and when purchased in bulk, they are even more affordable.

Buy only what you are going to use

Regardless if you go the original route, or settle for refilled cartridges, keep in mind that these pieces can dry out if not used in a reasonable amount of time. Cartridges tend to remain in good working order for about a year; after that time, print quality decreases, and you risk damaging the printer heads on your machine.

There are pros and cons to both new and reused cartridges; the decision on which to choose depends on the amount of printing you do, the quality you require and your budget.

Reused cartridges are generally priced about 50 percent less than original cartridges