How to Reduce Printing Cost For Home Office Printers

Spending Too Much On Printing? Here’s How To Save Some Money

Are you looking for ways to save money on your home office printing needs? Need help to choose the best home office multifunction inkjet or laser printer to reduce your operating costs?

If you need some pocket-friendly solutions for years to come, consider these cost-efficient tips for your home office printing.

  1. Use smaller margins and line spacing
  2. Use smaller document size
  3. Preview before printing
  4. Print in black and white
  5. Print with toner and ink-saving fonts
  6. Duplex printing
  7. Continue printing with low ink or toner
  8. Unplug printer or use deep sleep mode
  9. Buy printer consumables in bulk
  10. Re-evaluate your printer

Owning a printer gives you the freedom of convenience and customized printing. However, the cost of maintaining one can quickly add up if you are not mindful. Being attentive to such details can help you reduce cost in the long run.

Let us look at each of these money-saving printing tips in detail.

1. Use smaller margins and line spacing

Most people use the default settings when printing a piece of document. However, this wastes a large amount of space, especially along the margins as well as the line spacing in between paragraphs.

By adjusting the margins closer to the edge of the page and reducing the line spacing, you can significantly increase the number of words per page—which means less paper used, saving you money in the long run.

smaller-margins-and-line-spacing

2. Print more documents on a page

Another economical option is to print two pages of a document onto one page. This is especially useful for high resolution documents that have clear typefaces, or documents that are predominantly images.

You can adjust your print settings per page according to how you deem fit.

Print-more-documents

3. Preview before printing

When printing online web pages such as articles, do consider the sections of the page that you don’t actually need to print out and read. Printing out these sections wastes both your paper and ink.

By previewing what will be printed, you can remove advertisements, comments and unnecessary footnotes. You can also click on the “printer mode” on websites, which automatically sets the page to the ideal sizes for printing.

In Microsoft Office, there are print outs preview before final printing. Sometimes there might be alignment issues which causes an additional page consisting of a few short lines to be printed out. This can be easily avoided by adjusting the document.

Re-printing due to mistakes can also be avoided by first checking your documents in draft mode before printing. With this step, you can reduce up to 50% of waste, ensuring more cost-efficient printing in the long run.

Preview-before-printing

4. Print in black and white

This next tip can potentially save you quite a bit of money in terms of ink or toner usage. Printing in colour uses more ink compared to printing in black and white. This can be easily overlooked especially with documents that have coloured logos or graph charts.

If colour is not necessary, take the extra step to switch your print setting to monochrome printing. You will be surprised by how much ink or toner you can save and how long your cartridge will last by applying this tip.

Do note that printing in grayscale might not have the same effect. When printing in grayscale, the grey is not printed with black, but is composed instead of all other colours—which is exactly what you want to avoid.

coloured and monochrome printing

5. Print with toner and ink-saving fonts

The following option is for the penny pinchers out there! Certain fonts with wide letters, thick lines, many curls and serifs use more printer ink and toner than other fonts.

By choosing fonts that do not have these features, you can potentially reduce your printing costs by up to 30%! These toner and ink-saving fonts are “Century Gothic” and “Garamond“, which can be found in most word processing programs.

Fonts that use more toner and ink include “Arial”, “Trebuchet” and “Tahoma”— these are fonts which you should avoid if you have the flexibility to do so.

Print-with-toner-and-ink

6. Duplex printing

This tip is a no-brainer—print on both sides of the paper. As simple as it may seem, it has the potential to save you big bucks, especially when combined with the previous few tips.

However, this becomes an issue if you are printing in high volumes and don’t have a printer capable of duplex printing. Manually flipping each page will soon get on your nerves and you’ll end up choosing single-sided printing for its convenience, causing you to be less cost efficient.

For better cost-savings and convenience, consider switching to a printer that has duplex printing capabilities such as Brother DCP-T720DW Ink Tank Printer. Its automatic 2-sided printing will ensure fuss-free and cost efficient printing.

7. Continue printing with low ink or toner

You have probably seen the message that pops up when the ink level is low, advising you to replace the cartridge. Instead of rushing to change your cartridge, you can actually continue printing for a couple more print runs. This allows you to squeeze more prints out of the cartridge before it truly runs dry.

For toner cartridges that indicate “low toner” levels, consider taking them out of your printer and giving them a quick shake to distribute the toner powder inside the cartridge. This will enable you to continue printing for more pages without any errors before your toner finally runs out.

printing-with-low-ink-or-toner

8. Unplug printer or use deep sleep mode

You won’t be saving thousands of dollars with this tip, but if you are really looking into ways to reduce costs, this will still add up. Printers—or any electronics for that matter—left plugged into outlets when not in use, will draw passive energy away from the circuit. This will cost you money over time, so unplug your printer when not in use.

You should also pay attention to a printer’s energy efficiency. Brother printers come with deep sleep mode where it reduces its energy consumption while idling.

9. Buy printer consumables in bulk

Another huge money saver tip is to buy your printer consumables in bulk—paper, ink cartridges and toners. More often than not, you can tap on bulk discounts, save on delivery costs or even lower costs with bundle deals. By pre-planning and keeping an eye out for great deals, you could save a whole lot of money compared to buying these supplies individually as they run out.

You can also choose to get ink or toner cartridges that come in standard or high yield containers that hold more ink or toner for a lower cost per page. The Brother DCP-L3551CDW Laser Printer is one of the printers that has a low cost and high print quality resolution with affordable toner options such as the high capacity toner (BK: Approx. 3,000 pages; CMY: Approx. 2,300 pages) or the drum unit (Approx. 18,000 pages).

It is also important to store your bulk purchases properly. Do note that ink cartridges can dry out if stored incorrectly. To prevent the ink from drying out prematurely, store them in their original packaging in the shade at room temperature or slightly cooler temperatures.

Laser printer toners are usually more durable as they are filled with a dry powder. However, you should still store them in a cool and dry place to ensure that they are kept in prime condition.

lady holding printer cartridge

10. Re-evaluate your printer

If you have had your printer for a long time, and are still struggling to keep it cost-efficient, chances are that you may need to re-evaluate your printer. Yes, you may have bought it a couple of years ago at a good price—however the printer supplies (ie consumables) are often the ones that tunnel through your pockets.

A toner or ink-efficient printer is a cost-efficient printer! Switching to a modern printer that has cost-efficient cartridges is a smarter move to enjoy huge cost savings. To look for an efficient printer, you will first have to find out what cartridge the printer uses. Look for information such as the price of the cartridge and the cartridge page yield. With these factors, you can then figure out the cost per page for each printer and compare them.

Cost per page ($) = Cartridge price ($) / Cartridge page yield (No. of pages)

If you need more information as to which is the best home printer for you, do consider the different types of printers that are available.

Conclusion

Choosing a printer based on its consumables might not be something that most people think about from the get-go. To keep your home office running costs really low, combine these cost savings with the penny pinching habits mentioned above to reap the rewards of a printer with high cost savings!

Title: How to Choose The Best Printer for Your Home Office

Not Sure Which Printer to Get for Your Home Office? These 7 Tips Will Help

Are you searching for the best printer for your home office or small office?

Selecting the perfect home printer – whether it is a home office multifunction laser printer or a 3-in-1 ink tank printer – can be tough given the sheer number of options on the market.

Here are some of the most important factors to consider when buying a printer for your small office or home office (SOHO) set-up.

  1. Types of print jobs for your home office
  2. Different types of printers
  3. Size/space constraints
  4. Print speed
  5. Print resolution
  6. Price
  7. Wireless connectivity

1. Types of printing jobs for your home office printer

Choosing the right multifunction printer for your home office depends on the type of documents you’ll be printing most of the time. Some businesses require only black-and-white printing while others need to print photographs, colourful pie charts and detailed business reports in colour.

Answering this question will help you decide between a laser printer or an inkjet printer. A laser printer is better for high-volume monochrome printing—these would include documents, letters, proposals and reports that do not require colour. An inkjet or colour laser printer, on the other hand, is more suited to printing out colourful charts, posters, brochures, reports, or illustrations. To understand the key differences betweena laser printer or an inkjet printer, read this article.

2. Different types of printers

When you look at the market for home office printers, you can find both single-function printers and multifunction printers.

If you are looking for a versatile printer which has the capability to handle printing, scanning, copying and faxing, an all-in-one printer may be just right for you.

A highly-popular multifunction laser printer is the Brother MFC-L2750DW Laser Printer. A mid-sized printer well-suited for your home or small office use, it has convenient features such as wireless printing, mobile and cloud printing capabilities, and other time-saving functions.

If your print volume is expected to be high, automatic duplexing is a big plus. Duplexing refers to the printing of both sides of the page without requiring manual flipping. Not only does printing on both sides help your business to be more eco-friendly, it is also convenient and helps you save time and costs in the long run.

3. Size/space constraints

If you run a small office or home office, the efficient use of space would be at the forefront of your mind. You may also need to consider the number of users who would be sharing the printer, and where the printer should be placed.

For a small-sized printer that packs a punch, check out the Brother DCP-T420W Ink Tank Printer. This refillable ink tank printer handles a variety of print jobs speedily and efficiently, perfect for home or small office use.

4. Print speed

Another important consideration is print speed. If you regularly print a high volume of documents, or you’re constantly printing invoices, labels, or large documents, a faster print speed will be what you need.

Laser printers tend to stand out in this aspect as they generally have a faster print speed (of up to 30-40 pages per minute) and are better equipped to handle large printing needs.

5. Print resolution

If print quality is high on your priority list, you will need a printer that offers a higher dpi (dots-per-inch), which refers to the number of dots of ink the printer can apply to a square inch of paper. This basically indicates how much detail and clarity you can expect your prints to have. 

If printing colour photos and charts is going to be a daily affair, your ideal printer could be a Brother MFC-J491DW Inkjet Printer. Ideal for home/small offices, this multifunction colour printer comes with photo-quality printing capabilities with high-yield ink cartridges. It is a printer that packs a punch, offering versatility and cost-efficiency for small business owners that require colour prints.

woman looking at photos on a wall

6. Price

In determining the price that you are willing to pay for your printer, do also consider the printer’s running costs. Here, information such as cartridge page yield comes into play. Ink cartridges with higher page yields are considered more cost-efficient, as you get more pages printed on a single cartridge.

You may also want to check out the long-term running costs as these can add up over time. In particular, you should take note of the cost of key printer consumables such as ink cartridges, toner, paper, etc over a period of time.

Printing can be expensive but there are different ways to save on costs. For more tips on cost-savings, read this article!

7. Wireless connectivity

Most modern printers today allow seamless Wi-Fi printing without even the need to install a printer driver. As long as your phone and printer is connected to your office or home’s wireless network, you can print to it directly from a nearby location.

If you use an iOS device, Apple Airprint lets you print from your device to any wireless printer that shares the same wireless network. To ensure your printer is compatible with AirPrint, please get in touch with the Brother’s customer support team.

Android users can also rely on a range of wireless apps for direct printing from most printer vendors, such as Brother’s iPrint&Scan app. There are also printing apps, such as Mopria Print, that you can download and use. For more details on how to print from anywhere, read this article.

Conclusion

Your choice of printer for your home/small office largely depends on your business’ specific printing needs, the type of features that matter to you, as well as the cost of the printer and its running costs.

Investing in a good quality printer could end up saving you money in the long run, so do consider the factors laid out above before taking the plunge!

How To Use A Label Printer For Your E-commerce Business

Spending Too Much Time Writing Labels? These Label Printers Will Help

Need to print labels for your online business? Keen to learn how you should print labels that portray your e-commerce brand in a professional manner?

You will probably need a good label printer to keep things running efficiently if you run an e-commerce store and ship more than two to three orders a day.

Whether your store is on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, or Etsy, you will need a way to easily keep track of inventory and be able to ship the right items out on time. A label printer can help you do just that.

In this article, we cover some of the benefits of having a label printer and the types of label printers best suited to your small business needs.

Whether your store is on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, or Etsy, you will need a way to easily keep track of inventory and be able to ship the right items out on time. A label printer can help you do just that.

In this article, we cover some of the benefits of having a label printer and the types of label printers best suited to your small business needs.

Why You Need a Label Printer for Your E-commerce Business

Here are some of the main benefits of having a label printer for your online store.

1. They help you to manage your store inventory and shipping

Label printers help small businesses to easily keep track of stock and access key product information. With a scan of a barcode, you will be able to access the relevant product information such as stock quantity, price, dimension, colour, and other variables.

Poor quality labels could result in negative customer experiences and even impact your bottom line. If the addresses on your shipping labels are not printed correctly, or if the barcodes are not legible, your carrier may face a problem in processing your order. The end result is that your customer’s goods may not get shipped and delivered, resulting in delays and customer complaints. 

2. They are more professional compared to manual labels

Like many small home-based businesses, you may have started out your business by manually writing your labels. While this may be possible for a small start-up, it can get time consuming when your business starts to scale-up.

That’s not all. While charming, your handwritten labels may get smudged during transit. This prevents you from getting your product to your customer on time—or worse, gives your customer a poor impression of your brand!

Compared to handwritten labels, professionally printed shipping labels look more credible and are less likely to tear during transit.

3. They keep your small office or stockroom organised

Do you enjoy having an organised stockroom or spending hours on end looking for items? A properly organised and clearly labelled stockroom could translate to greater efficiency and time savings, especially if you are thinking of hiring help in the near future!

Keeping things organised can also be a major time-saver, especially when your small business starts to expand and your number of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) start multiplying.

Ecommerce-organised-store

How To Print Shipping Labels?

There are two main options when it comes to printing your shipping labels: printing them with a standard laser or inkjet printer, or a thermal label printer. Let us look at the pros and cons of both printing options.

Printing labels using a laser or inkjet printer

Laser and inkjet printers can produce high quality labels if you buy the right label sheets. They also allow you to print labels of many different sizes and dimensions.

However, this may be costly if you need to mass produce labels on a regular basis due to the higher cost of label sheets and cartridges relative to other options.

Printing labels using specialised label printers

Professional label printers, on the other hand, are specially designed for label printing. The beauty of using such label printers is that you don’t need to worry about extra supplies like ink or toner.

Some of these labellers also come in nifty, portable versions which can help greatly when you need to move about and print shipping labels on-the-go. These come in really useful when your SKUs increase, and you need to process your goods and ship them Just-In-Time. Some of these label printers also allow you to print directly from your phone or other mobile devices.

Types of Label Printer

When it comes to specialised label printers for small businesses, Brother offers both thermal label printers and laminated label printers. What are the main differences between these printing technologies and which would suit your business better?

1. Direct Thermal Label Maker

If your online business requires labels for barcodes, address labels, shipping labels, and food packaging, the direct thermal label maker may be your best bet.

Thermal printing uses heat-sensitive label stock and directly burns text and shapes onto the label itself.

The main advantage of using thermal printed labels is that they are easy to use and are more accurate. However, do note that they should not be exposed for long periods of time to heat or direct sunlight as the material will darken over time.

The Brother QL-800 Label Printer is a popular label printer in Singapore that utilises thermal printing technology. It has a fast printing speed of 93 labels per minute, and also offers black and red printing at a high print resolution of 300 x 600dpi. 

2. Laminated Label Printer

If you carry a significant amount of stock and need to pay attention to your backend assets such as labelling your shelves, office equipment and files, the laminated label printer may be more suitable.

Laminated labels are water and fade-resistant and can withstand a harsher environment such as abrasion, heat or cold.

The Brother PT-D600 Label Printer is ideal for clear and durable workplace labelling up to 24 mm wide. Its compact and sleek design ensures that it fits at any office workstation. It is perfect for the organisation of workspaces, clear identification of equipment, assets and filing, as well as creation of basic instructional or warning notices.

Conclusion

Getting the best label printer for your e-commerce business could be the best solution to achieving a smooth-running logistics and delivery process. Creating a reliable end-to-end system would make a world of difference — for your customers and yourself.