Sneaky ways to save money on printing

By Andrew Yeung

man woman reviewing binder by printer

One of the biggest office expenses a small business has to keep track of is the cost of printing. The cost of ink alone can add up if not properly managed. But we’ve come up with a few easy strategies your office can use to significantly reduce this cost.

  • Teach the office good printing practices: Create a company culture that is thoughtful about how much material is used in printing. Ask that your employees only print critical documents, and emphasize the beneficial aspects of a leaner printing policy (i.e. environmentally friendly, cost efficient, etc.)
  • Actively monitor printing activity: If you suspect that an employee is abusing printing privileges, utilize printer activity monitoring software to track printing. Teach employees that occasionally printing out directions in fine, but it is unacceptable to print out long personal documents and non-company related eBooks.
  • Determine a company-wide printing font: Select a font that is thinner than the common default (Arial) and thus conserves ink and laser toner cartridges. This small change can save your company a lot of money in printer ink costs. In fact, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay switched to Century Gothic and predicts it will reduce its printing supplies bill by $100,000 annually. Ecofont, for example, has pioneered fonts that punch tiny holes in the actual printed letters. These holes, while invisible to the human eye, can reduce the amount of ink by 50 percent.
  • Buy remanufactured printer ink cartridges: Remanufactured printer ink cartridges provide the same quality as name brand cartridges. Even graphic designers and artists can use these cartridges without compromising their print or color quality.

Note: Be sure to purchase only from facilities that are certified ISO-9001, ensuring the quality of the product and that you will not void your printer’s warranty.

It’s actually very easy to save money on printer ink. Apart from saving money on actual ink cartridges, these are a few ways to save ink during daily uses. If you’re savvy with your current use, ink printer cartridges can last a long time.

What are your tricks for saving printer ink? Do you find that certain ink cartridge brands or types utilize ink better than others? Let us know any tips we forgot in the comments!

About the Author: Andrew Yeung is president of CompAndSave, a leading online provider of premium printer ink cartridges, including remanufactured and compatible printer ink cartridges. With deals every month and a 100% customer satisfaction, CompandSave provides an easy way for people and businesses to purchase printer ink and accessories.

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