Spill the beans... on cheap printing

shzbaby

...print at work....:-D

Sometimes

The most effective way to save money on printing is to consider carefully whether you need to print something or not and then to only print the essentials.

PDF printers have already been mentioned here, there are many of them as a search on the web will show. I have used cutepdf and bullzip at work and dopdf at home, all without any problems. The software installs on your computer as a printer so when you go through the steps for printing the pdf printer appears in your list of available printers, choosing this you will then be asked what to call the file and where to save it. Job done, very easily. Set it as your default printer, that way you'll always have a copy on your computer should you need it and you can print a hard copy straight from the pdf if and when it's needed.

I'm fortunate in that I can email the pdf files to work and print them off for free should I need to. However, there are commercial outfits that will print your pdf files and although they might look pricey on a cost-per-page basis compared to printing at home, if you rarely need to print hard copies then this will save you from having your own printer at all. No printer, no inks, no paper, no space used and much more environmentally friendly too.:j

Sorry about the length of this, my first post but I wanted to highlight the ease of pdf printing to those who haven't come across it before.

liz1376

I print a lot, and go through a lot of printers.
Before buying a printer, I always make sure compatibles are available, usually buy these from ebay.
I buy my printers from pc world and take out the 3 year replacement cover - because I've never had a printer last a year, and pc world replace with no hassle.
I buy asda cheapest paper for £2.38 a ream.

miss_scrooge

I just use vouchers to pay for ink cartridges saves on breaking into my own money.

pitry

Use a Brother printer and get refills at Cartridge World!
The shop in Slough has by far the best quality on refills.
I use draft instead of normal settings and, as I print a hell of a lot, my ink cartridges last a long, long time!
If you buy cheap printers they are usually more expensive on ink/toner.

pitry

Sometimes wrote: »

I'm fortunate in that I can email the pdf files to work and print them off for free should I need to.

Hi Sometimes

unless you have permission in writing from your employer that you have the right to print for free using their equipment, it is actually a sack-able offence, as it's classified under 'stealing'.

Although many employers don't moan about such things, I know someone who was escorted out of the building for using envelopes from the stationary cupboard for personal mail.... only for two envelopes!

RWM38

I always buy reams of paper for less than £2.50, from Sainsbury's, Tesco, or Wilkinsons. I use Sainsburys and Wilkinsons because I have a prepay Mastercard that gives me a further 3% or 5% cashback when I shop in these stores, so I always make additional savings on everything I buy from those shops (and many other shops too).

I buy my ink cartridges off e-bay, so instead of paying about £18 per cartridge (HP), it works out at about £1 per cartridge. When empty I recycle the cartridges and get 100 Tesco points (worth £1), so in effect the ink is free!!!!

lesley13

When printing web pages you can reduce what you print to what you need by using the printfriendly web site.

MSE won't let me post the link as I new at this but just Google it.

the_jogger

macman wrote: »

The budget Samsung mono lasers are excellent as home or home office printers, starting at about £50 upwards.

I bought a used laser printer a year or so ago from a company that recycles them (in Cambridgeshire) for £20. It had a cartridge with whatever toner was left by the previous owner, the NHS. I am still using that cartridge. I don't print a lot but it just works.

pseeker_2

i'm a compromise guy,

years ago i got my HP PSC1410 for some £50 - yes it has *small* cartridges (and only black+3colour) but i knew i'd print only occasionally (and never lots of text) and sometimes will need a decent photo/text quality.

paper discussion is interesting - i'm usually trying to compromise between quality and price. any favourites?

haven't tried refills... should i be tempted?
i'm buying cartridges from
https://www.w2w.com/login.asp
sometimes Play.com can have a good deal... i always run https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=shop&q=HP+C9351ae

last time i bought from http://www.valueshop.co.uk/



my favourite quote so far "most of the stuff i print i don't need anyway "