Savings on printing costs for ink jet cartridge printers

[trying2win]

When I first bought my ink jet printer a few years ago, I thought "boy, I'm going to subscribe to a internet program supplier, download my racing programs and then print them. Thus, I'm going to save lots of money versus buying those programs at the track".

It didn't take me long to realize that you couldn't print too many of those programs, before that ink jet cartridge ran dry. Then if you wanted a new black ink cartridge, those little things cost about $35 each here in Canada (don't know what they cost in the U.S. on average, but I imagine it's pretty expensive there too, for the small amount of ink you get in those little cartridges.

Then I found out about a do-it-yourself, refill kit for ink jet cartridge users. I imagine most of the readers know about those kits by now. In case you don't, they can save you a lot of money, if for instance, you like printing your own programs to take to the track.

I just saved my empty ink jet cartridge, bought the refill kit for about $10 Canadian, and as per instructions you drill a little hole in the side of the cartridge by twisting a tiny plastic-handled drill bit. Once you've got the hole drilled, then you put in an adapter. Then you put in some black ink from the needle-nosed plastic squeeze bottle provided. The one fluid oz. bottle in the refill kit, provided for about 2 and 1/2 fill-ups per cartridge. The savings have started!

Then I learned another money-saving tip on printing costs. Someone told me a few years ago, that he refills his ink jet cartridges with Sheaffer's Scrip, jet black, fountain pen ink. I tried his suggestion and that type of Sheaffer's ink works just fine. You can purchase a 2 fluid oz. bottle of Sheaffer's jet black ink, for about the same price as the above-mentioned refill kit. Of course if you just use the fountain pen ink, you still have to have some of the accessories from a refill kit, so you can put the ink in the cartridge.

Some computer store accessory salemen have suggested that I'll ruin my printer by adding fountain pen ink into my ink jet cartridges. I've used fountain pen ink in my ink jet cartridges for years and my printer has worked just fine.

I clean the head of the ink jet cartridge, delicately after every major use with some facial tissue (for example after printing a racetrack program)...if you don't, the print will start to streak etc. My current ink jet cartridge has lasted for, I'm guessing about six or seven months now and still is performing well. Eventually of course, the head of the ink jet cartridge will wear out and I'll have to shell out that $35 Canadian to buy a new one. Looking at the price of a new ink jet cartridge, no wonder the ink jet cartridge manufacturers don't want to tell consumers too much about refill kits etc! It would cut into their profits too much.

When printing the track programs, I also print the past performances on both sides of the sheets of paper.

Has anyone else got any money-saving tips on printing costs?

[melman]

trying2win I am not sure if they have them in your area but down here in Philly we are loaded with "computer shows". They are held at major convention centers and feature reps from all the major companies selling computers and related items. They charge a $5.00 admission fee but it is well worth it. Last time I bought a 6 pack of black ink cartridges for $30.00 yes that amount is correct direct from the Epsom rep. They do have limits on the volume you can buy at one time. The Eqsom printer itself that the rep had for sale was about $85.00 cheaper than any store I had seen. If you know of one of these shows in your area, go it is well worth it. P.s. Sometimes they advertise in trade mags and give you a FREE admission to boot.

[karlskorner]

Try American Ribbon and Toner Co. Ft. Lauderdale

www.ribbontoner.com

I pay 1/3 of Office Depot price

[Alc]

There are numerous internet sites that sell cartridges at very substantial savings. ezinkjets.com is one site I have used to purchase Epson cartridges.

[Derek2U]

Isn't it ironic that a horseplayer would care about over-using
Ink Cartridges in order to print out his selections? If you won more would you really care? Which brings me right back to the
total, complete issue in this & every other handicapping room:
VALUE. It continues to make me cringe --- although I do accept
the idea behind it.

[MikeDee]

you might want to try

http://www.mysimon.com/

This is a comparsion shopper web site where you can compare prices from different vendors and then link to a selected vendor and order.

[PaceAdvantage]

Derek...some of the wealthiest people in the world are also some of the most frugal....might explain partly how they maintain their wealth....


==PA

[trying2win]

Thanks for all the replies so far regarding ink jet cartridge supplies. I checked them all out.

A few drawbacks. I live in Canada. Most of those links listed are for companies in the U.S. When you look at things like initial prices, add on the exchange rate, shipping costs, custom duties in some cases, it becomes too expensive. Might have to check out that tip on trade shows though.

Derek2U brought forth some interesting comments. I admit some of the things I do are ironic. I'll be a cheapskate and try to save money on some of my racetrack overhead expenses, like printing or travel costs etc. Then sometimes for example, I'll spend money on an expensive handicapping book. Thats because I believe I'll be learning from one the best handicapping experts, which will hopefully lead to a better bottom line. Or Ill buy some other expensive items from time to time. It's good for a person to treat themselves to some luxuries in life, when they've hit a good windfall at the track for example. You don't want to over do it by looking for bargains too much of the time, in various aspects of life.

So, yes if a person wins a lot of money at the track, maybe some of them wouldn't care about their overhead expenses involved as much. Everybody sees that aspect differently. I've even read some articles by well-known handicapping authors, in regards to overhead expenses in playing the races. Some of these handicapping authors also wrote about liking to cut their overhead expenses when following their favorite pastime.

I forgot to mention a couple of things in my original post. One of the accessories they also give you in a ink jet cartridge refill kit, is a tiny air pump. Once you've drilled a hole in the side of the ink jet cartridge, as per instructions, you have to pump in a little air from time to time, or the ink won't flow properly.

The other thing I neglected to mention, is that the Sheaffer's Scrip, jet black ink I add to my ink jet cartridges, is not indelible ink. So if you accidently spill some water on a printed past performance page for example, the ink's going to run. I guess if you wanted to use indelible ink for some printing jobs where the print is permanent, that's another story. Maybe one of the forum readers, has some tips using indelible ink. Is it available in ink jet cartridges? Is indelible ink more expensive than the regular kind of ink etc.?

[trying2win]

Pace Advantage Administrator:

I enjoyed your comment about some of the wealthiest people in the world, frugality and maintenance of wealth.


Warren Buffet comes to mind after I read your statement.

[karlskorner]

When I walk into Office Depot and know that I paid 2/3's less, it gives me a warm feeling, a "really" warm feeling all OVER. I guess working on Wall Street and investing other peoples money gives you a form of security, but if you are self-supporting, watching your pennies is what makes dollars, or something to that effect accoring to Ben Franklin.

[Tom]

I tried one today.
I now have a poka dot shirt and blue hands.
<G>

[trying2win]

Tom:

I had a good laugh when I read your refill story. By chance, are you a part-time comedian?

I haven't had the polka dot shirt experience from refilling cartridges, but I've had some lovely experiences with using some of those fineliner pens. You know, the kind with the free-flowing ink.

Well, several times over the years, I've written something with a fineliner pen and then forgot to put the cap back on it, before I put the pen in my shirt pocket. Twenty or thirty minutes later something would dawn on me, like my shirt feels kind of wet in front. Drat! I'm glad everybody had a good laugh at those times when it happened. Oh well, I just laughed along with them. I must have looked like the before part for one of those stain removal commercials!

Anyways, when I was a neophyte at refilling ink jet cartridges, I used to make the mistake of squeezing too much ink in them. Naturally there was a overflow of ink. Had a few minor ink spills to clean up. Now I just put a moderate amount of ink in the cartridge at refill time. Live and learn they say.

[smf]

Originally posted by PaceAdvantage
Derek...some of the wealthiest people in the world are also some of the most frugal....might explain partly how they maintain their wealth....


==PA

You're right, PA... H.L. Hunt, the late oil tycoon from Dallas, used to take a sack lunch to work every day. Reason: "Spending $3 for a small meal (in the 50s and 60s) was total foolishness".

One of his sons (Lamar) used to come to Lakewood Elementary school in Dallas in the early 60s and give lectures on "honesty and being wise with your pennies". It was kid's stuff, but the auditorium had as many parents as kids as I recall. Funny how much I remember from one of his talks. I was about 9 at the time.

[Rick]

Derek,

Almost all winning players I've known have been interested in getting overlays in every other area of life. If you don't understand why people would try to get the best price then maybe you're not a winning player.