Many offices have adopted a paperless policy, and this policy may have been instituted to be eco-friendly as well as to save money on printing costs. The costs associated with business printers is high, and this includes the upfront cost to purchase a new printer as well as the ongoing costs related to usage. Even with a paperless policy, it is impossible to completely eliminate the need for a printer in most offices. After all, there are always times when a hard copy is needed for review or signature. Office photocopiers and office printers provide incredible printing benefits and are convenient, but they can be expensive to use. These simple tips will help you to save money when using a printer for small business needs.

Print in Draft Mode

All computers allow you to adjust your print settings. Some have an efficiency or draft mode, and others have a sliding scale that allows you to adjust how much ink is used with each print. Keep in mind that a draft mode will generally have a lighter shade of ink, and some draft modes may be difficult to read. With this in mind, you may not be able to use draft mode to print important documents.

Shop for Discount Ink and Toner

Most office printers have manufacturers’ instructions that state that only their brand of ink or toner cartridges should be used in the printer. However, there are affordable third party or generic brands that may save you money and that may yield similar print results. Another idea is to purchase refurbished cartridges. These are used cartridges that have had the ink level re-filled. They may have slightly less output that new cartridges, but they also are available at a fraction of the cost.

Choose Efficient Office Printers

Whether you are in the market for a colour laser printer or any other type of business printers, it is important to look at the printing efficiency of the machine before you make a purchase. Most equipment is sold with details about printing efficiency, and this generally shows you how many pages you can roughly print before you need to replace the cartridge. Opting for a higher efficiency can yield substantial savings over time.

As you can see, both the type of printer and the type ink purchased will impact your overall printing costs. More than that, how your office uses the printer can also affect costs. Printing costs can be high in many office environments, so you understandably want to cut back in this expense category as much as possible. By following these simple steps, you may be able to drastically reduce your overall printing expenses. The XMA Business Solutions website has more resources available if you would like to learn more information.