Printer Ink Saving Tips

The biggest part of a printer cost is actually the ink replacement cost.  So saving on the ink you use can save you a lot of money over the life of your printer.  Here are some easy ways to save the amount of ink you use and saving you money on your printer ink overall.

Keep your nozzles clean

You always need to keep an eye on your printer heads. The printer ink nozzles that dispense the actual ink use a spray function to get the ink onto the paper. As such, these nozzles can find build-up occurring. If the ink collects on the dispensing head excessively more ink will likely build-up on the head then the paper. Clean the nozzle heads every few weeks or more often if you’re a heavy printer.

Print only what you need

We need to think before giving a print command, If it is necessary or not. Instead of just hitting print, add the print preview function to see what you are about to print. Think if you need the whole print or some parts of it and if you need color print or black will do.

Alternate colors and reduce size

This sounds unusual but it will extend the overall replacement cycle of your printer ink cartridges. Print in different colors on a rotating basis. It may be a bit hard on the eyes but printing only in green or blue to spread the color cartridges use out over time is a way to better balance your overall cartridge use. Also on the bit excessive side, is reducing the font size on the documents you are printing. It won’t save a lot of ink but it will save some if your eye’s can deal with it.

Print only when needed

Keeping a leash on your clicking finger is perhaps the best ink saving tip that could be given. The tendency is to let your hand and finger head right for the print function as a matter of course. Stop and think about it for a few moments. Will that that piece of information be used somewhere else where I’ll need to reference it often? If not, try minimizing it for five or ten minutes. If you keep coming back to maximize it you can likely print it because it is relevant. If it just sits there maybe you don’t really need to print it.