Part 2: Printers

Whether you're in a business environment or at home we all have printing needs. Printing can be very expensive, especially in business, but there are ways you can save dollars when printing.

The quickest and easiest solution is to change your printing options on your computer. By adjusting your print options you can minimize the amount of consumables you use such as ink and toner. For instance if you are using an inkjet printer you can print in black and white and lower the print quality to draft mode. Printing in black and white, as well as draft mode can save you a ton of ink, therefore saving you money.

So the next time you go to print a document you may notice a window that pops up. When browsing through the choices in the window you'll notice options to change your color to grayscale and an option to change from normal to draft. Choosing those options will help you save ink when printing.

Another way you can save money is to switch from an inkjet printer to a laser printer for standard print jobs. Generally speaking laser printers are less costly on a per page basis. Typically, the laser printers themselves cost slightly more up front but in the long run the consumables of a laser printer cost significantly less than the consumables of an inkjet. This is a great option if most of your printed documents can be printed in black and white.

Since consumables are the most costly part of a printer over it's lifetime it would be great to spend the least amount possible on them. One company that can help you lower your consumables cost is Rapid Refill of Voorhees. They provide name brand ink and toner as well as their self-branded ink and toner. In some cases they can save you fifty percent on your consumables cost. Also, by using a company like Rapid Refill, you are reducing waste and helping the environment by using recycled parts. For more information about Rapid Refill go to their website at rapidrefill.com.

For some businesses there is no way around printing hundreds or even thousands of pages per day. This heavy usage would quickly burn out a low-end printer and the consumables cost would be out of control. In cases like this the best option is to consult with a company that specializes in commercial grade printers such as Tri-State Copy. A specialty company like Tri-State Copy can evaluate all aspects of your printing needs and provide a printing solution that will save you money and ensure your printers are always working. In some cases Tri-State has been able to save our clients thousands of dollars in printer and consumables costs. If you currently lease a high-end printer/copier call Tri-State and get a free second opinion.

So next time you go to file-print think about how that document is being printing and maybe you'll realize how you can save money when you print.