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Printer Ink

By
Real Estate Sales Representative with Keller Williams Realty

Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on minimizing the cost of printer ink? With a printer at the office and three at home, keeping up with ink is getting pretty expensive. I know some people buy ink refills and refill the cartridge themselves, and am wondering if it worth the time and mess.

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Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent

I bought a "Brother" toner printer that only does black and white.  I have a color printer for when I need it.  The Brother only takes toner every year or so for $60 and paid for itself ten times over at this point.  My systems are wireless so it's no a wire mess behind my laptop.

Aug 29, 2008 11:57 PM
Sacramento Grapevine
SacramentoGrapevine - Roseville, CA

I have never used it but I have seen commercial for the kadak easy share with the ink at refills at 50% of the cost of brother and hp printers.

http://printers.kodak.com/

Aug 30, 2008 12:01 AM
Evelyn Panning
Property Connections Realty Inc. - Alturas, CA

A good quality compatible or "recharged" cartridges. ~ Evelyn

Aug 30, 2008 12:01 AM
Sheila Reeves
Allen Tate Realtors - Greenville, SC

Marcy, I Haven't tried this myself, but may soon.  Our local Grocery stores (Bi-L0) offer to refill your cartridges for a nomimal fee.  The black & white printer mentioned above might be beneficial too. 

Aug 30, 2008 12:11 AM
Lynn911.com ~ Dallas Real Estate Agent Top Team
Dallas Houses for Rent Dallas Apartment Rentals Lynn911.com - Dallas, TX

Rare for me to eve print anything unless it property tour for a client.  Everything is saved to file, HOWEVER IF I do print I print in draft mode, clients dont know still looks as nice including in your presentation folders, IF WE HAVE  a large print job take it over local office supply store pay for those "crisp" services they provide.

Aug 30, 2008 12:12 AM
Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Great post Marcy;  I've had the same problem.  We got a Canon black ink only copier and printer.

Tried refilling my Epson with limited success.  It's a lot to trouble, if I'm making money at least it's tax deduct able.

Aug 30, 2008 12:14 AM
Tim Fennell
The Legends of Real Estate, REALTORS® - Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate

Save money on ink?  Purchase a decent Color Laser Printer.  After extensive research a few years ago I purchased a Dell 5100cn for our Home Office.  I think the cost was about $800 at the time and it came with FULL toners.  The color toners run about $400 for the set I think.... not sure because I've only had to replace one time in over 3 years and we do a lot of printing!

I ran a cost spreadsheet on the machine and found that it paid for itself in less than 7 months.  Black toner is about $50 per cartridge and it lasts a looooooooooooooong time.  We never worry about what we print (B&W or color) because the cost is so little and the QUALITY is outstanding - even photographs.

Run the numbers yourself on the difference between a high quality laser and any ink  jet machine and see for yourself.  In my opinion, this is a NO BRAINER.

BTW, these printers can handle just about any task you want including heavier stock, two sided printing, etc.  Check your local University PC shop for lower prices.  My daughter is a student at UCF and they had this printer priced at about $500 last summer.  Unbelievable deal!

Aug 30, 2008 12:24 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Marcy, I've gone the route with filling ink jet cartridges. Its not worth the trouble and the ink always seemed to dry up on the cartridge tip. I also ended up getting more on me than in the cartridge. I have since changed to laser printers. The cartridges are more expensive, but they last a whole lot longer than ink jet.

Aug 30, 2008 12:37 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

We have gotten to know the cartridge recharge gal a little too well....we have several printers...an

HP laser jet that I think eats ink during the night...cartridge re-charger folks are less...don't want to deal with the mess...but will try and look into Tim and Sue's suggestion for a printer.

Aug 30, 2008 12:43 AM
Earleene Woods
Keller Williams Experience Realty - Murray, KY
ASP, CRS, GRI

I have the Kodak that is supposed to be less expensive.  Don't know if it really is or not.  I agree with the others.  If you do a lot of printing, laser is the way to go.

Aug 30, 2008 12:45 AM
Anna Little
Greater Atlantic Shores Properties at Atlantic Shores Cooperative - Virginia Beach, VA

I like to think GREEN!  I try to save to a file and email listings to clients.  Of course, it is not reasonable to think you can get by without printing!   Refills are the way to go! 

Aug 30, 2008 12:51 AM
Mott Marvin Kornicki
Waterway Realtors® • Notary Public & Apostille - Sunny Isles, FL
Miami Notary & Apostille 786-229-7999

I've used refills and tried to refill myself. Walgreens and Office Depot among others recharges cartridges for about $10- The print head remains the same, so the quality is reduced. Laser printers seen to have better longevity.

Aug 30, 2008 01:48 AM
Sandy Childs
Keller Williams Realty - Spartanburg, SC
Realtor - Spartanburg, SC

We are really using the scanner, at the office, to scan our documents then email them. It's so much easier to keep files on your computer or a disk than in a paper folder.

Nov 25, 2008 06:21 PM
Linda Cowen, Realtor, Davie, Broward County
Keller Williams Partners Realty - Davie, FL

I purchased a Brother Color Laser printer to save money on ink.  I've had to replace the toner cartridges much more often than I did with my previous HP printer.  To save I bought ink to refill the cartridges and now all my copies come out with a light black fading to the whole page darker in some areas.  Does anyone have any positive experiences with filling laser cartridges.  I am using quite inexpensive ink that I purchased online.  I'm wondering if I spend a little more there may be a difference in inks.  Thank you in advance for any insight you may have. 

Oct 06, 2011 02:51 PM