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With all the office supplies I purchase, the one thing that seriously puts a damper on my budget is ink for my home printer. Ink was beginning to cost me a small fortune, so I decided to do something about it, and I ended up saving 50%.
Buy Generic
If my three years of experience of working in an office supply store, it is that generic ink cartridges are not any different from the brand name equivalent. The biggest difference I have found between the brand name and the generic is the packaging and the price. The brand name ink cartridge costs $29.99, while the generic version costs $19.99. When there are no other differences, I see no issue with saving $10.
Don't Bother with the Refill Kits
Through the years I have learned that ink jet refill kits are a total waste of money. You do not get your money's worth out of them, and they tend to make a huge mess. Rather than wasting money on a product that doesn't get the job done, I purchase a product that does the job right.
Print in Grey Scale
In order to save money on my ink cartridges and make my ink last longer, I print out text documents in grey scale. Printing in grey scale is much easier on my printer and uses less ink.
Buy in Bulk
I save even more money on my ink cartridges by purchasing them in bulk. If I buy three cartridges at a time, I save an extra $5 per cartridge. This allows me to stock up on the supplies I need and less trips to the office supply store.
Use My Rewards Card
I have a customer rewards card for my local office supply store. This rewards card allows me to earn money back, which can be put towards future purchases. Then when I receive my voucher in the mail from the rewards program, I reduce my ink cartridge price even further.
Ink cartridges are expensive, but my wallet doesn't have to suffer if I plan my purchase wisely. When it comes to ink cartridges, I see no problem in buying generic, buying in bulk and using my rewards card.
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