Keeping printer ink cartridges good

MarkTwain wrote:

DC&MC wrote:
We are full time and are still in the Yuma area. I just bought new ink cartridges to do my taxes at the end of February. Today I tried to print and the black cartridge is barely printing. It’s not that hot in here cause we do run the air. How can I keep ink so I don’t have to buy a new one every time I try to print something. Anyway to rejuvenate this one?

Look at HP printers with "instant ink plan". All ink cartridges are free and they automatically send you new cartridges before you run out. They 3 plans to choose from, each plan cost a little more based on the number of pages you print.

Waste of money for convenience sake.

That is the same as "renting" or "leasing" a printer, pay a monthly/yearly fee for something that is a depreciating asset.

Inkjet manufacturers practically GIVE AWAY the printers now days, you can easily buy a new inkjet printer for $20, the ink carts are where the manufacturers make a killing. Replacement carts cost $30 and up..

One ink cartridge now days often costs more than the printer..

Much better to buy a low cost LASER printer if you print very little and do not need color.

The ONLY reason to own a color inkjet is if you NEED to print color pictures. Color lasers have come down in price, but for real good picture quality, laser printers just do not look the same as what a inkjet can do.

I do the majority of my printing on a 20 yr old Oki 10i laser, toner for it costs $19 and so far I have only put ONE toner stick in it..

Yep, toner does not go bad.

2oldman wrote:
Do your taxes online.

Even doing taxes online you SHOULD STILL PRINT OUT A HARD COPY and retain that documentation for 7 yrs.

IRS or State would have a field day if you are not able to reproduce your documents in the even of an audit..

Online stuff HAS a "habit" of "disappearing" into thin air.

But, I personally take my tax stuff to a paid prepairer, I just have way too many financial complications to bother with DIY approach.. One mistake could have very large repercussions and my paid professional prepairer would end up being in the hot seat for any mistakes..

My prepairer submits my taxes online on my behalf AND I get a nice neat folder with a copy of all of the forms printed out for my records.

I drop all of my information off and less than two days later I get a phone call to stop in and sign and pay for services rendered..

The online DIY approach has LIMITED LIABILITIES that you agreed to when using them (read the TOS), and my paid preparer only costs $20 more than most paid DIY online services..

Gdetrailer wrote:
Online stuff HAS a "habit" of "disappearing" into thin air.

No it doesn't.

Another option is generic ink from a reputable company. I have a Cannon printer that I've been using generic ink in for years. Back in the day when printers were expensive and generic ink was "quirky", this was not a good idea. But there are several reputable companies that make good products.

Here's the ink I use in my Cannon: Generic Ink

It doesn't hurt so much when you have to replace these cartridges!

For "emergency recovery" of ink cartridges, fold a paper towel into fourths, dampen it with alcohol, remove the ink cartridge and hold the paper towel against the print head. Do NOT WIPE with it.

After about 30 secs or so it should be flowing/wicking nicely into the paper towel. You may have to move the paper towel 2 or 3 times, do not scratch.

I have used Q-Tips dipped in alcohol for large clumps or hardened ink. Watch for cotton debris or strands.

Now you know one of my service secrets ;)

Gdetrailer wrote:

Much better to buy a low cost LASER printer if you print very little and do not need color.

The ONLY reason to own a color inkjet is if you NEED to print color pictures.

x2.

Lase toner doesn't go bad and black-white print is enough for most people. Savings on laser printing are enormous, compared to inkjet. The only (minor) problem for RV is that laser printers tend to be bigger than inkjet. 8"high, 9" deep, 14" wide is as small as it gets. But you only need it once in a blue moon. Unless you work out of your trailer - keep it in some obscure nook.

For those who think they need to keep a hard copy of taxes - not really.

Don't know about IRS, but in Canada any software for tax filing will save an offline copy for as long as you need. It's basically an offline work - though earnings often can be pre-filled from the govt database. The resulting file is a "tax data file", not Excel or PDF, and is uploaded from your computer directly to govt database but you keep a copy and can print later anywhere, if it comes to it.

It is unlikely that govt will ask to send them a hard copy after you've filed online, because tax data file contains all the details from source documents like earnings, deductions etc, - except for the source document itself. Some source documents govt already has, like earnings or pensions, because most companies report employee earnings electronically. Keep source documents - receipts etc. In Canada it's recommended to keep receipts 6 years, but the govt can go after you even 10 years later if they get a sufficient evidence and you are a potato big enough for them. I suspect US statute of limitations won't protect people either, in this case.

Buy an old dot matrix printer and re-ink the ribbons....

2oldman wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
Online stuff HAS a "habit" of "disappearing" into thin air.

No it doesn't.

Umm.. Yeah, it DOES.

Ask anyone who had photos that were hosted for free on Photo Bucket..

Sure, they may still technically be there, but the host decided to hold them hostage for hot linking.

Businesses ALSO go out of business or get bought up by other businesses and often your stuff on line goes poof..

Yeah, I HAVE had that happen so it is the voice of experience..

Just because it hasn't happened to you personally does not mean that it will be there forever.

Not to mention that a "third party" is now holding every stitch of your personal information in one repository.. Makes for a easy and great way of someone to eventually get enough information to steal your identity..

Once you put that on the wobbly web, it is no longer YOUR "personal" information.. It now belongs to everyone on the wobbly web..

At least with my paid prepairer, my information isn't stored on the wobbly web and I highly doubt there will be a break in to their office..

Not so with the wobbly web, security breaches are the norm now days..

You could save the scammers a lot of time and money and just post your personal info out in the open..

ALL my PB pictures were in place. I had to manually delete them and delete my account. Nothing was actually lost.

Gdetrailer wrote:

MarkTwain wrote:

DC&MC wrote:
We are full time and are still in the Yuma area. I just bought new ink cartridges to do my taxes at the end of February. Today I tried to print and the black cartridge is barely printing. It’s not that hot in here cause we do run the air. How can I keep ink so I don’t have to buy a new one every time I try to print something. Anyway to rejuvenate this one?

Look at HP printers with "instant ink plan". All ink cartridges are free and they automatically send you new cartridges before you run out. They 3 plans to choose from, each plan cost a little more based on the number of pages you print.

Waste of money for convenience sake.

That is the same as "renting" or "leasing" a printer, pay a monthly/yearly fee for something that is a depreciating asset.

.

How is getting FREE ink cartridges a waste of money???? Yes there is a cost to sign up for HP Instant Ink , but the cost is cheap compared to having to go out and buy your own cartridges:)