Many people don’t think about their printers as a way to save money. But with a little bit of know-how, you can use your printer to become more frugal. Here are five ways to get started.
1. Use less ink by printing in draft mode
When you print in draft mode, your printer will use less ink. This means that you’ll save money on ink cartridges and also help the environment by using less resources. To print in draft mode, simply go into your printer’s settings and change the quality from “normal” to “draft.”
2. Print on both sides of the paper
One easy way to save paper is to print on both sides of the page (as long as you have a printer capable of double sided printing). This will cut down on the amount of paper you use, and it will also save you money since you won’t have to buy as much paper. To do this, simply go into your printer’s settings and change the setting from “single-sided” to “double-sided”.
3. Use cheaper paper
If you want to save even more money, use cheaper paper. This will obviously mean that your prints won’t look as nice, but if you’re just printing something for your own personal use then it shouldn’t matter too much. 80gsm paper is usually the standard for internal or customer facing documents but by reducing the gsm of the paper you buy you can save further money.
4. Use refilled or remanufactured cartridges
Buying refill kits or remanufactured printer cartridges (cartridges that have been professionally cleaned and refilled) is generally much cheaper than buying new cartridges from the store. In addition, many stores offer recycling programs for used cartridges, which can give you an additional discount on your purchase.
5. Print wisely
One way to save money on printing is to be strategic about what you print. For example, only print documents that you absolutely need and be sure to check or proofread them before printing so that you don’t waste paper by having to reprint them multiple times. It’s as simple as asking yourself if you need to print that document at all. After all, we are supposed to be living in a paperless society.
Conclusion
By following these three tips, you can use your printer to become more frugal. You’ll save money on ink and paper, and you’ll help the environment by using less resources. So give it a try today!