Save On Ink, Toner, And Paper

There has been a lot written about how the cost of printers has come down over the past couple of years. You can now get an inkjet printer that prints good, clean color pages for less than $100 -- and if you shop in the right places, for less than $50.

But look again. The real price you're paying has less to do with price tag of the machine itself and more to do with how much you pay over a year of use. In other words, how much are you going to pay for things such as ink (or toner) cartridges and paper? In the trade, these supplies are called "consumables" -- because they are constantly being consumed and in need of replacing.

Depending on how much printing you do, the costs of ink/toner and paper can drive up the overall price of your device over 200 percent a year or more. While you can't avoid these expenses entirely, there are some things you can do to keep things reasonable. Here's how to save on ink, toner, and paper, and hot to keep those costs down.