If you run a business or use your home printer frequently, your ink cartridge costs can quickly add up to a major expense. Fortunately, there are several ways you can reduce the amount you pay for ink cartridges. You can buy generic cartridges, refill your existing cartridges, or look for ways to save on name brand ink. Without much effort on your part, you can find significant savings on ink.

One of the easiest ways to stop spending more than you can afford on printer ink is to stop purchasing name brand ink. Generic printer ink cartridges are available, and finding a generic cartridge that is compatible with your printer is generally not a problem. Remember to factor in shipping costs when you are comparing prices. A cheap printer cartridge that costs a small fortune to ship might not save you much money in the long run. Make sure you know your exact printer model before you begin shopping. You do not want to waste money on a cartridge that is not compatible with your printer.

Another option is to refill your empty printer ink cartridges. Once your color or black cartridge is empty, take it to a store that offers ink refilling services. Many national drug store chains offer this service. You usually drop your empty ink cartridges off at the photo service desk. You can either wait in the store for them to refill it, or drop your printer ink cartridges off and return later to pick them up. Make sure that you only refill your cartridges at a store that guarantees that they will work. Many stores test the cartridge for you, and if it does not work properly, they will not charge you for the service.

Your final option is to keep purchasing your regular printer cartridges, but to look for a way to save money on them. Some major office supply chains offer discount cards that refund a small portion of your purchase costs back to you. If you buy a lot of ink, this might be a good program to participate in. Some stores offer discounts on ink to customers who return their empty printer ink cartridges back to the store. The store sends these empty containers to a recycling center. If you participate in one of these recycling programs, you could save a couple of dollars and help keep old printer cartridges out of your community’s landfill. When you find a source of cheap printer ink that works for you, you will not need to worry about rationing ink. You will be able to print the documents that you need without worrying about the high cost of ink. When you save on printer cartridges, you will be free to use your printer as you like.