The High Cost of Big Savings
Just a few short years ago, buying a printer was a four hundred dollar investment. Today, inkjet printers can be had for very cheap. Many manufacturers are almost giving them away. Just a simple look online and I can find low quality inkjet printers for as low as $69.00. By scouring the net for rebates and offers and waiting until it goes on sale, I may be able to get it for as low as $20.00. It seems like a no-brainer, and it is, if you are using it the right way. Printer manufacturers understand that many people only look at the price tag for the printer when they buy one and don't consider the costs of printing afterwards. If you use your printer only minimally and stick to just regular text, this may be the printer for you. The ink will last you awhile and you will save money by going with the cheaper printer. However, if you do average to above average printing, the savings you got up front will hurt you in the end.
While the price for the inkjet printer is cheap, the ink that you put in it is not. Most people don't pay attention to the price of the ink that a printer will use. They also don't consider the amount of printing they do. For the printer mentioned above, the ink cartridges cost $15.00 and $20.00 for black and color ink respectively. Each ink cartridge is smaller for this computer which means that the consumer is now paying around $2.00 to $3.00 per milliliter of ink. Ink this expensive can mean that your printed text is costing you up to fifteen cents a page. A color photograph starts to work its way into the dollar or more range.
Printing companies have started using what is called a "razor and blade" strategy in which they get you to buy their product for an extremely cheap price, and then sell you the cartridges (which are only compatible with their printers) for outrageous prices. They know that most consumers aren't paying any attention to the cost of the inkjet cartridges because all they see is the cheap cost up front. However if a person prints ten pages a day at eight cents a page, their printing costs in one year go from $29.00/year to $292.00/ year. Suddenly that low cost printer is extremely expensive.
There are some ways to offset your costs. If you are a heavy printer, consider going with a laser printer. For most printing jobs you aren't sacrificing any quality but the cost per page is much cheaper. Another way to cut costs is to buy remanufactured or compatible cartridges. They aren't the name-brand and can sometimes save you up to 60% off the regular price. Make sure that the off-brand you buy however is compatible with your printer and that it comes from a reputable source. Lastly, you can always cut and run. If you bought a printer that costs too much to use then get another printer. It will probably save you money by tossing it and you can go and get the printer you really want and need.
While the price for the inkjet printer is cheap, the ink that you put in it is not. Most people don't pay attention to the price of the ink that a printer will use. They also don't consider the amount of printing they do. For the printer mentioned above, the ink cartridges cost $15.00 and $20.00 for black and color ink respectively. Each ink cartridge is smaller for this computer which means that the consumer is now paying around $2.00 to $3.00 per milliliter of ink. Ink this expensive can mean that your printed text is costing you up to fifteen cents a page. A color photograph starts to work its way into the dollar or more range.
Printing companies have started using what is called a "razor and blade" strategy in which they get you to buy their product for an extremely cheap price, and then sell you the cartridges (which are only compatible with their printers) for outrageous prices. They know that most consumers aren't paying any attention to the cost of the inkjet cartridges because all they see is the cheap cost up front. However if a person prints ten pages a day at eight cents a page, their printing costs in one year go from $29.00/year to $292.00/ year. Suddenly that low cost printer is extremely expensive.
There are some ways to offset your costs. If you are a heavy printer, consider going with a laser printer. For most printing jobs you aren't sacrificing any quality but the cost per page is much cheaper. Another way to cut costs is to buy remanufactured or compatible cartridges. They aren't the name-brand and can sometimes save you up to 60% off the regular price. Make sure that the off-brand you buy however is compatible with your printer and that it comes from a reputable source. Lastly, you can always cut and run. If you bought a printer that costs too much to use then get another printer. It will probably save you money by tossing it and you can go and get the printer you really want and need.