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1. Use a smaller font.
Stick with 12-point font or less.
2. Set the print quality to “draft.”
On a Windows-based computer, click Start > Printers > right click on your printer, and select printer preferences.
On Apple computers, select “Black & White – Draft” after selecting the “Print” option. Sometimes this is located under “Presets” in the Print window.
3. Set the color to print in grayscale or black and white.
Because black ink is cheaper than color.
4. Set the printer options to print two-sided in grayscale draft.
5. Print just what you need from a website.
To avoid printing unwanted ads or photos from a website, preview your document first. If there are extras, try copying and pasting just what you need into a Word doc.
Or use PrintWhatYouLike and get rid of ink-wasting extras with a few simple clicks.
6. Use your blow dryer to squeeze every drop of ink out of the cartridge.
Find the spot where the ink comes out of a cartridge (it should be the area that has colored patches and what appears to be a circuit printed on adhesive tape). Aim your blow dryer at that spot for 2-3 minutes. The heat will thin out any remaining ink and clear blockages in the tiny nozzles of the cartridge.
7. Shake your ink cartridge.
Cover the opening with a paper towel beforehand, and shake the cartridge 15-20 times.
This tends to work better with laser printer toner since toner cartridges use black powder instead of liquid or gel ink, but it’s worth a try!
8. Only print coupons in black and white.
Change your printer’s default settings to print in black and white only, or remove your color ink cartridge.
Or, before printing the coupons from your Coupons.com queue, hover over the “Print” button and right click. Select “Print…” and change your color settings.
RELATED: How to Print Coupons from Your Phone
9. Avoid thick and bolded fonts.
Bolded ink = more ink use. Try Arial and New Courier.
10. Check for cartridge clogs.
Has your cartridge stopped printing properly? Before you toss it, make sure a clogged nozzle isn’t the culprit.
Remove the cartridge and find the opening where the ink comes out. Gently rub the opening across a wet paper towel, moving front to back so that you don’t smear ink across the other colors. If water doesn’t work, try isopropyl alcohol and follow the same method. Of course, you should let the water or alcohol dry before replacing the cartridge back in the printer.
11. Refill your own printer ink.
Save buying expensive ink cartridges, and refill your printer ink yourself.
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