Printers have become smaller, faster, and more efficient in the amount of processing they can handle. Printers are at an all time low cost; its now effective to have several printers in one office to keep up with demand.



Yet the high cost of printer ink seems to be at an all time high. If you've been contemplating the best way to lower your printing costs, maybe its time to consider changing the way you purchase your ink supplies.

Over $21 million worth of ink jet cartridges are sold each month throughout the United States. And a majority of them are purchased at full retail through office supply stores. However, as a consumer, you have many other options.

Thanks to the Internet, the days of purchasing at full retail have diminished greatly. Using simple online tools, you can easily go to the search engines and find your best options. Head over to Google and you're sure to find a variety of resources for ink jet cartridges and other toner supplies.

One way that is guaranteed to save you money is to recycle your ink jet cartridges. Recycling your ink jet cartridge allows you to save up to 70 percent off the retail price, and provides you with a way of keeping the cartridge out of the landfills.

With recycling, most companies make it a smooth and easy process. They provide you with a prepaid mailer, in which you place your empty ink jet cartridge and drop it into the mail. Within ten days, you receive a refurbished and refilled cartridge, ready to place back into your printer. Most companies offer you the option of returning one cartridge at a time, or the option of having a business plan in which you can return six to twelve ink jet cartridges at a time. Either way, the process is convenient and easy, and allows you to manage your ink supply without having to make special emergency trips to the store.

A recycling program works well for home businesses because it allows you to have access to ink jet cartridges easily at a greatly reduced cost. By having two cartridges in play at any time, you'll always have one to rely on while the other is in the mail being refurbished and refilled. And being able to save as much as 70 percent on your overall printing costs can add a lot to your bottom line.