11.21.07

I'm oftentimes confused, perplexed and... generally frustrated when it comes to some matters of day-to-day life expenses. Not being a member of the Top 5% of the population that holds 95% of the wealth, each dollar "spent" really does have some sort of impact on my daily life. Cheap? "Nah, I simply consider it frugal!"

I, as most anyone nowadays, have more than once had a conversation with a friend, associate, family member or total stranger about the costs of replacing the ink cartridges in my printer. The local Staples Store has the regular black refills for about $31.95 (LexMark Brand), and they carry their own generic (Staples Brand) of the same cartridge for about $28.75. It's a savings, but not something I'd consider a GREAT savings. Very strangely, the local Walmart has the same cartridge for $33.95. So much for their (Walmart's) latest slogan, "Save money. Live better." Even stranger is that they (Walmart) have a LexMark printer on sale for 59.29!!! The entire damned printer with two ink cartridges for LESS than buying the two (black and color) cartridges separately! I can't figure it out - but I bet the "cartidge yields" on those included in the package have got'ta be less than buying new ones? Well, that's a theory.

Anyway. A typical black cartridge cost about $30. A typical color cartidge cost a few bucks more... let's say $34-35. Buying the two of them will run you around $60-65. "Hmmm, that Walmart printer is looking good!" But, that would simply adding more plastic to the landfill because what else would I do with multiple printers besides throwing them away?

The other day I found one of those "refurbished catridge" places. You know, the guys that refill your old catridge(s). Using SWAP INK I ordered (1) black AND (1) color ink replacement cartridge for $34.95 TOTAL! That included shipping. If you send them the empty cartidges to SWAP INK (with their prepaid envelope) the cost goes down to under $25 TOTAL! Simplified math? I can spend $55-65 elsewhere, or $25 at SWAP INK for the same damned thing.

Visit the SWAPINK website: SwapInk.com They have a huge variety of cartidges for nearly every printer out there, and they have laser printer cartridges as well.

printer cartidges
ink cartidges

FRUGALITY
(also known as thrift or thriftiness), often confused with cheapness or miserliness, is a traditional value, life style, or belief system, in which individuals practice both restraint in the acquiring of and resourceful use of economic goods and services in order to achieve lasting and more fulfilling goals. In a money-based economy, frugality emphasizes economical use of money in meeting long term personal, familial, and communal desires.

ADDED NOTES
On the SWAP INK website they also have a nice description on how to get a "still full" but dried cartridge to print. Many times, if you don't use your printer on a regular basis, the printhead becomes dry and you can't print. It's always worth a try. CLICK HERE.

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