The Hidden Costs of Printing – And How to Avoid Them

1. Expensive OEM Cartridges

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) cartridges are often the default choice when your printer runs low. But they come at a steep price. In fact, printer ink is often more expensive per millilitre than luxury perfume!

How to avoid it: Switch to compatible ink and toner cartridges. At Affordable Inks, our compatibles offer the same quality print output at a fraction of the cost—without voiding your printer warranty.

2. Printing in Colour When It’s Not Needed

Colour prints can cost up to five times more than black-and-white pages. Many offices default to colour printing without even realising it.

How to avoid it: Change your printer settings to default to black-and-white or draft mode for internal documents. Save colour for client presentations or essential visuals.

3. Not Using Duplex (Double-Sided) Printing

Single-sided printing doubles your paper usage unnecessarily. Over time, the cost of wasted paper really stacks up.

How to avoid it: Set your printer to duplex printing by default. You’ll instantly cut paper usage (and costs) in half.

4. Poorly Maintained Printers

Clogged print heads, low-quality paper jams, and outdated machines can cause unnecessary waste. Every misprint is money down the drain.

How to avoid it: Keep printers clean, update drivers regularly, and replace paper with high-quality stock to reduce jams.

5. Buying Cartridges Last Minute

When businesses wait until the ink runs out, they often panic-buy from expensive suppliers. These emergency purchases cost far more than planned orders.

How to avoid it: Buy in bulk and keep a small stock of cartridges on hand. At Affordable Inks, we offer multi-pack deals that help you save even more.

Final Thoughts

Printing doesn’t have to drain your budget. By making small changes—switching to compatibles, adjusting print settings, and planning ahead—you can cut your printing costs significantly.

👉 Ready to start saving? Explore our full range of compatible ink and toner cartridges at www.affordableinks.com.