I recently discovered what I like to call the Netflix of printer ink… It is yet another service I pay for monthly, but rather than stealing my time like Netflix, it has only saved me time and money.
Have you ever been at the store picking up ink for your printer and realized it is so freakin’ expensive that it would be cheaper to just buy a new printer that comes with ink? I have. Multiple times. Which is why my closet is like a graveyard for printers and also why I’m obsessed with HP Instant Ink. I really wish I would have known about this when I was a student… It would have made printing all those PowerPoints much more affordable!
HP Instant Ink is an ink replacement service with a low monthly fee that delivers ink right to your door before you even know you need it. There are 4 different pricing plans, depending on how many pages you tend to print in a month. What I LOVE about this service is that it doesn’t matter WHAT you print–2 words on a single page in black and white, or an 8×11 full color photo–the cost is based on PAGES-not ink. The pricing structure for HP Instant Ink is as follows: 15 pages/month for FREE, 50 pgs/month for $2.99, 100 pgs/month for $4.99, or 300 pgs/month for $9.99. Unused pages also roll over each month (up to your monthly limit of pages), and you can change your subscription type at any time. You can also pay $1 extra for a set amount of pages (depending on your plan) if you need to print more in a given month. I think this would be a super cost-effective way to print wedding invitations or business cards rather than paying someone else to do it!
Since I don’t always use every page in my plan, I keep an eye on my monthly renewal date and print pictures until I hit my limit. Before Instant Ink, I rarely printed pictures because I didn’t want to waste ink, so I would go to the store and end up paying $10 to print a stack of pictures. Now I only spend half of that each month on my ink for all of my printing needs. I used to also wait and wait to change my ink cartridge, which resulted in poor quality printing at the end of the cartridge. My HP printer is now connected to the internet, so HP knows when my ink is starting to get low and sends a new box with plenty of time to spare. I’ve had my replacement ink for almost a month now and I’m still waiting for the “low ink” warning. It is seriously a service worth checking out. Click here to get the first month free when you sign up!
This service is only compatible with certain printers. I purchased a printer similar to this one on Amazon. If you have a newer HP printer, it might already be compatible! Click here and scroll down to select “Check if your printer is eligible,” to see.
Do you find purchasing ink as annoying as I used to? What are some other services that have made your life easier and have saved you money? Let me know in the comments if you’re intrigued by the idea of InstantInk!
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I had no idea about this subscription service. I’m not sure if it would save me money in the long run, I would have to do the math (and really, I’m too lazy to do that.) We are currently out of printer ink, though. I usually buy it at Office Depot when I have a coupon.