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Consumer Reports' Money-Saving Printing Tips

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Sep 3, 2009 5:45 pm US/Eastern

Consumer Reports' Money-Saving Printing Tips

LINK: ConsumerReports.org

(KDKA) You can get a good printer these days for around $80, but the cost of ink cartridges can really add up.

But Consumer Reports says no matter which printer you buy, there are ways to save on ink as well as on paper.

Tests by Consumer Reports show some printers cost a lot more to operate than others. Some printers cost three times more to print an 8x10-inch photo and five times more to print a full page of text.

Experts with Consumer Reports say there are ways to cut costs; for example, setting to print in "fast" or "draft" mode to save ink.

Another helpful tip they offer is previewing before printing so that unwanted pages can be eliminated. It's especially important when printing Web pages, so that you don't end up with a page with only a line or two.

Experts say you can also save on paper by using a smaller font and by setting smaller margins to fit more on a page.

Printing on both sides saves paper, too. With most printers that means looking under printer properties and clicking on "duplex printing."

It prints every other page and then you reload the paper to print on the other side. However, some printers make it a lot easier because they print on one side, and then automatically retract the paper to print on the back.

Consumer Reports say one more money-saving move is recycling your empty ink cartridges and getting a refund. Staples stores offer a $3 coupon for each cartridge you return from HP, Dell and Lexmark.

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