Whether you’re printing for personal reasons, business processes, or otherwise, the cost of printing photos, worksheets, pamphlets, flyers, and more can add up quickly. With that in mind, it can be tempting to sacrifice quality to save a little money. But, when it comes down to it, you don’t have to sacrifice. If you follow a few simple steps and use a quality printer, you’ll be able to save money without sacrificing any quality.
1. Buy in Bulk
Purchasing prints, paper, ink, and other printing supplies on an individual project basis might seem like a good way to save money at the time, but in reality, it actually raises costs. Instead of paying for prints on a one-by-one basis, save money by purchasing in bulk. Consider negotiating a contract with a printing company and look for places to buy paper in bulk to save more money.
2. Skip Color Prints
Whether you are printing a report or a pamphlet, color copies add up fast. Bargain Basement Printing recommends that “Instead of paying the premium for color, consider creating your document in black and white and then printing it in high quality grayscale. You’ll still get great quality this way, but you’ll several five to ten cents on every print.”
3. Purchase a High Quality Printer
Your printer and its settings have a lot to do with how much you spend on prints. This is definitely one of those instances when it pays to pay for quality. Invest in a high quality printer and then make sure you have the settings selected correctly to save the most money and still get great print quality. Make sure the printer is set on a tone-saver or ink-saver mode, and print in draft mode unless you really need a “presentation-quality” document.
4. Choose Your Ink Wisely
Ink is one of the most expensive components when it comes to printing. Your ink or toner also plays a big role in the quality of your work. You can save a significant amount of money by purchasing ink from third party vendors, but you may run into issues with quality output and cleanliness of the unit. As you purchase ink, be sure to do your research and consider even going with an option to refill cartridges to save money rather than skimping on third party marketing.
5. Use a Managed Print Service
Rather than purchasing all of the components to print yourself, consider using a managed print service to reduce your cost. With a contract and regular use, you can typically save nearly 30% on your printing costs. If you are just doing a few print jobs, printing yourself may be a good option, but in most cases, online printing services are the way to go for ongoing projects.
Printing can get expensive very quickly. Instead of sacrificing quality for cheap printing, use these tips to save a little but still get high quality prints.
