Top 10 Low-cost Printing Tips

Do you spend a significant chunk of money on printing each year and wonder how to reduce printing costs? If so, you're not alone. Keeping a printer in your home or office can be expensive, but there are many ways to achieve low-cost printing.

In this post, we'll share 10 ways to achieve a lower cost of printing that will help you save money in the long run. From saving ink to finding creative ways to reduce paper usage, we've got you covered. So that said, let's dive right in and find ways to reduce printing costing.

Top 10 Low-cost Printing Tips

With the right tips and tricks, you can significantly reduce your printing costs. Enjoy bigger savings with our top 10 low-cost printing tips.

TIP #1 - Use Grayscale Printing Mode

The first tip on our top ten list to reduce the cost of printing is to use grayscale when you want to print something in black and white. This is because the printer uses various inks to create black color instead of directly using black ink. So, use grayscale to lower printing costs, and use the black cartridge in the first place. Here's how to do it:

  1. Go to Devices and Printers from your Windows Control Panel
  2. Select your printer and right-click on it
  3. Go to Printing Preferences.
  4. Click on the Color tab
  5. Click on Print in Grayscale.
  6. Click Apply. Your printer should use grayscale mode now.

Tip #2 - Set Lower Print Density

Reducing print density is an excellent way to save money on printing. Print density is how dark you want your printouts to be. Unless necessary, you can lower the settings so it won't use more ink. The print density settings can be adjusted on both the inkjet and laser printers.

Here's how to reduce print density to save money on printer ink:

  1. Go to the application's print menu (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, etc.)
  2. Select the device you are using and then click Preferences
  3. You will see Quality Settings of the printed sheet. Click on Advanced Settings.
  4. Select Settings List in the Advanced Settings dialog box, then go to Toner Density, choose Adjust, and click Details.
  5. Adjust the density of each color and click OK when done.

Play around with different density settings until you find one that results in low price printing while still producing high quality or at least acceptable quality prints.

Tip #3 - Use Shorter Margins

One of the most straightforward ways to save on printing costs is by reducing margins on your documents. By default, Microsoft Word sets 1.25 inch margins, which can lead to a lot of wasted paper if not used properly.

Budget printing uses less paper. It's advisable to reduce margins to 0.75 inches. Doing so will free up enough room for you to print more words per page and save more on paper. Strict margin measurements are applicable for academic assignments such as research papers or essays. For other stuff, feel free to adjust.

Tip #4 - Make Use of Duplex Printing

Duplex printing is a great way to print low cost. It allows you to print both sides of the same sheet. By printing on both sides of the page, you can reduce the amount of paper used and reduce your page cost by 50%. However, not all printers have the capability, so make sure to check your manual.

Printers with duplex printing also have an automatic feature that switches between pages for you, so you just need to press the multi-page printing button and let it do the rest! This saves time and hassle since you don't have to remove the sheet from the printer and change it over to the other side. Another great tip for low price printing!

Tip #5 - Save Files to PDF

One of the ways to reduce printing and copying costs is by saving files to PDF. The modern era has already moved to digital space, so it's preferred by many people to share PDFs instead of hard copies. Copying files manually is not only time-consuming but also wastes ink and paper that could be put to better use.

Many people are already using PDFs as their preferred format for sharing documents online - so this might just be the best solution all around! Only print out the documents when it's essential- for instance, if you are sending a document to someone else who needs a printed version immediately. Digital copies are such a simple way to achieve inexpensive printing.

Here's how to save a file to PDF:

  1. Click "File" in the upper left.
  2. Scroll down and choose Save As. Other tools use Download or Export.
  3. Save it as PDF or Download/ Export as PDF.
  4. Choose a destination drive or folder.

Tip #6 - Preview and Proofread

A simple but helpful tip on how to reduce printing costs is to preview and proofread your print job. It's always a great idea to preview your content before you print it out. This way, you can catch any typos or mistakes and make sure everything looks exactly how you want it to.

Furthermore, the print preview feature lets you identify any layout issues or dimensions that might need adjusting before printing. By doing this in advance, you'll avoid wasting pages on unnecessary changes later on in the process. If you have a small printing business, you can achieve low cost printing services by proofreading all the time

Tip #7 - Select the Right Paper

It is super crucial to select the right paper as one of the ways to reduce printing costs. Cheap papers can cause your printer to jam, while high-quality, bright white papers will cost more in the long run.

Instead, use a middle ground that is both affordable and practical. Also, getting non-coated papers can save you some bucks too. Depending on your printing project, it's also essential to research the right paper type to use.

Moreover, standard-sized paper is a great option for affordable printing as it uses less ink and produces cleaner pages. In the U.S., 8.5" x 11" paper is the most commonly available size, which means you won't have to run into margin issues or waste paper with this printing format.

However, if you're printing on a larger sheet (12" x 18"), be prepared to trim the excess off so that your prints will look neat and tidy! But remember, this would lead to wasted paper, adding up to a lot of money every year.

You can also try using recycled paper, which helps save both resources and money over time. Buying environmentally friendly printing materials makes sense not only for budget printing but also in terms of reducing carbon footprints!

Tip #8 - Print What's Absolutely Necessary

How to reduce printer ink consumption? Printing just what is necessary can save you a fortune on printer ink. Many employees don't pay attention to removing clutter from the documents before printing, like big titles, unnecessary ads, banners, and other graphical elements.

For instance, printing a screenshot of something from the internet may also contain ad banners that get printed. Learn how to reduce printing cost in office by cropping the image before printing, reducing ink consumption, and saving on cartridges in the long run.

But if you have to print something for non-official/non-essential use, use draft-quality printing. It can be a great way to save on ink and still have a hard copy of your content.

It is perfect for when you just need a quick printout that isn't going to require the highest printing standards. Plus, it's much less time-consuming than printing in higher-quality formats or graphics.

Tip #9 - Use Ink-Friendly Fonts

When printing, look for fonts that use fewer ink colors and print at a lower resolution for affordable printing. Additionally, contrary to popular belief, many fonts - such as Arial - are not recommended because they use more ink than other, less commonly used options.

If you're looking for a way to achieve low cost color printing, opt for old school fonts like Century Gothic, Times New Roman, Garamond, or Courier New. For a more modern touch, Ryman Eco is at the top of the list. Fun fact! The Ryman Eco creators claim that if their font is used in every country, we could save 490 million dollars in ink cartridges.

Tip #10 - Buy High-Quality Generic Cartridges

Printer ink cartridges are one of the most common items people have to replace regularly. Not only do they cost money, but printing costs can easily add up if you're not using quality brands. You have the option to use generic cartridges instead of genuine ones to achieve the lowest printing cost.

Make sure to do your research first. Read reviews of the generic cartridges. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean that you are saving money. Most importantly, check if it's high-quality to avoid printing problems.

Moreover, high-quality generic printer ink tends to be less prone to leakage. When shopping around for deals, it's often best to find them online rather than in stores. This way; you get the best possible cost of printer ink in minutes without any extra hassle!

CompAndSave's generic cartridges have a 1-year 100% satisfaction guarantee. Our budget-friendly ink and toner cartridges have the highest standards for performance and quality. You'll get excellent replacements for HP Ink, Epson Ink, Canon Ink, Brother Ink, Lexmark Ink, and other brand name printer inks.

Using printers can become affordable, quick, and effective if you're a little careful and creative with the usage. So make sure to try these low-cost printing tips that can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.


Parting Thoughts

Remember that inexpensive printing is not just about saving money but also about reducing waste! When your business becomes eco-friendly, you can proudly market yourself as an eco-conscious business, attracting more customers. So stay innovative and think green while getting the lowest printing cost.

CompAndSave is with you on learning how to reduce printing costs and how to be more eco-friendly. Talk to us if you have more inquiries at our toll-free number: 1-833-465-6888 from Mondays to Fridays from 6am-4pm PT.