Those of you who are members of the “frequent buyer program” of Teachers Pay Teachers website are probably like me, looking for ways to save on printers ink. Every time I visit a store I check their ink cartridge prices. Even if I don’t need one yet, if they are on sale I will pick one up because I will need it in the very near future. Office Depot has a recycling program. If you join their Worklife Rewards program you can get $2 per used ink cartridge that you turn in. There are some guidelines, but I’ve had good luck with this program. Here’s a link: OFFICE DEPOT
When it comes time to the actual printing of a document from TPT, you will use less ink if you set your printer on plain paper, fast draft. Here’s a screen shot of what it looks like on my computer. My computer is a MAC and my printer is a HP so yours might look a little different but it should look similar to this.
If you have something that you want to print, but you don’t need to print the entire page, all you have to do is highlight what is needed. How many times have you gotten a new student in the middle of the year and when you dig through your closet for all the supplies for your newbie you can’t find your stuff. UGH! I’ve been there done that too many times to count! Now you have to make new stuff. All those beautiful labels that you made last summer you have to make again. You don’t really want to waste an entire page of labels. You know that in the summer you’ll get some new epiphany and want to design a new type of labels. So, what’s a teacher to do? You go to the original file you made last summer, highlight what you need and click print.
I hope these tips help save you a little ink and put some jingle in your pocket! If you have any tips to pass along, leave a comment and I’ll add it to this post. Thanks!
Writing Tips and Tidbits
I have a hint via Clark Howard (radio & tv host whose motto is save more spend less), when our computer says low ink, pull the cartridge out and shake it. I have found this to give me another 30-40 pages for my printer, I will sometimes give it another shake to get even a few more.
Office Max also offers $2 for ink recycling. They will take any name brand cartridge. They also have a "Max Perks for Teachers" card which gives you a store credit based on your purchases. Be sure to ask for the teacher Max Perks, rather than the normal office Max Perks. The credit is better on the Teacher card.
Staples gives money back too!
Great tips! I never knew you could highlight what you need and then print! Awesome! Thanks for sharing these tips!! We all really NEED them:)
Lots of Color things can be printed in black and white too. You can choose that in the print properties as well. If you print in black and white and fast draft you can save quite a bit. Also, in some programs you can change the size of a document if you don't need it to be quite as large. That will save a little too! I have tried to refill my own cartridges, but never had luck with that. Some stores will refill them for you. I think Office Max still does that for about $10 instead of the standard $15-$30 for a new cartridge. If you run out of black consider printing in blue, green, etc. Especially if you are just going to make copies at school. I save my old color cartidges and make a note on them of what is out so I can use them to print in the colors only that are left.
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