Today, most of us use printers regularly both at home and at work, but buying replacement cartridges direct from your printer manufacturer can be expensive.
However, there is a viable alternative to OEM or Original Equipment Manufacture cartridges which is just as effective but costs a fraction of the price.
If you're not sure whether you need expensive OEM cartridges or cheap compatible ink cartridges for your printer then read on so you can make an informed decision.
What is a Compatible Ink Cartridge? The majority of printer manufacturers also make OEM ink cartridges which are designed to be used in conjunction with the particular printer.
This type of cartridge is usually of a high quality, will last a long time and produce accurate results.
However, OEM cartridges are also by far the most expensive type of cartridge you can buy, so if you are likely to be replacing your ink regularly, OEM cartridges are not a cost effective option.
Cheap compatible ink cartridges are made by several different manufacturers and designed to be used with different printers.
They are exactly the same as OEM cartridges except they will have been manufactured by a different company.
Although they are usually more than a third cheaper than OEM cartridges, they produce highly professional results and will last around the same amount of time.
In addition, many manufacturers will offer further discounts of you buy in bulk which means choosing compatible over OEM cartridges could end up saving you a considerable amount of money.
Will using a Compatible Ink Cartridge Damage my Printer? Some printer manufacturers claim that using OEM printer cartridges will help prolong the life of your printer, but this simply isn't the case.
There's no evidence to show that using a compatible cartridge that doesn't match the brand of your printer will damage or slow it down in any way.
Should I Buy in Bulk? Provided you have somewhere suitable to store your ink cartridges it's always cheaper to buy in bulk.
You can work out how much ink you're likely to need in a year by monitoring how long it takes for one cartridge to run out.
In addition to saving money, you won't run the risk of running out of ink at an inopportune moment.
Where can I Buy Cheap Compatible Ink Cartridges? There are lots of places online where you can purchase cheap compatible ink cartridges so it's always advisable to put in a little research to ensure the company you pick is legitimate.
If in any doubt contact the company directly using the details you find on their website.
Conclusion In these cash strapped times it's essential to find as many ways to save money as possible.
Take a look at the following article to find out how you can make savings by choosing compatible printer ink cartridges.