Save Money Printing Coupons!
Coupons can save loads of money, but as many of us quickly find out, printing costs can add up quickly. Since the point of printable coupons is to save money, I’ve put together a little list of tips to help you save money printing coupons too.
Only Print Coupons You’ll Use
This may seem obvious to some, but I have to include it. When I first started printing coupons, I was so enamored with the idea that I simply printed everything that came my way – whether I would use a product or not. Trust me, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by printing coupons for products that you and your family won’t use. Not only is is wasteful of ink and paper, but it could also cause you to spend money that you normally wouldn’t just because you have a coupon.
Deal Shop Before You Print
If you find a great coupon you’re not sure about, stop before you hit that print button. Check out prices and sales in your local stores and determine how much you’ll actually save first. You might be surprised to learn that it may not be the great coupon you think it is, and you can save money printing coupons that you won’t actually use.
Print in Draft Mode
You can usually save money printing coupons by printing them in “Draft” mode. You’ll save a bundle on ink. Keep in mind, though, that all stores and printers are different. Some store scanners may not be able to scan coupons printed in draft mode, and some printers may not print as well in this mode. If you’re unsure, try printing just a few coupons using this method to test at local stores. If they work, great! Most printers have options in the control panel that let you set this as the default print mode.
Print in Threes
Most coupon sites, like Coupons.com, print coupons three to a page. If there are less than three coupons on a page, you might end up with a large ad that uses a great deal of ink when printed. To save money printing coupons, don’t let these ads print in the first place. Always make sure that you have enough coupons to print three to a page. You can easily figure this out by dividing the total number of coupons you have to print by three. If it’s a whole number, print away! If not, you should consider adding or subtracting a coupon or two.
Use Scrap Paper
You know all those paper and fliers that you seem to collect? Most of them – especially the ones set home from your children’s school – are probably blank on the back. And you know what? Coupons don’t care whether they’re printed on recycled paper, nor do most stores!
Buy Refurbished Ink Cartridges or Refill Them
There are so many warnings from printer companies about the dangers of refurbished ink cartridges, but the truth of the matter is, there’s very little evidence to support this. Many people use refurbished ink cartridges to save money printing coupons without a problem. Alternatively, you can also buy an ink cartridge refill kit and refill your ink cartridges yourself. There are a number of places online that sell refurbished ink and refill kits.
Use Your Printer Regularly
Yes, it may seem a bit counter productive to save money printing coupons by printing regularly, but it’s true. If your printer sits too long without being used, the ink will dry up, clogging the print heads. This means you’ll have to run the cleaning cycle, which wastes a LOT of ink, buy new printer cartridges, or even a whole new printer. Trust me on this – it’s happened to me. So, always make sure you use your printer at least once per week.
Now it’s your turn… What are your favorite tips for saving money on printing coupons?
