How to Save Money on Ink with HP Instant Ink
The first thing many people consider when buying a printer is, "How much will the ink cost me?" Ink expenses can add a significant amount to your monthly printing budget, but what if there was a way to get low price prints and know in advance what you’ll spend on printing each month? With the HP Instant Ink program, that’s just what you’ll get.
When you sign up, you’ll know exactly what you’ll pay every month and get a great deal on inkjet and toner cartridges. Here’s how to save money on ink cartridges with HP Instant Ink, the ink subscription service for home and business use.
What is HP Instant Ink?
HP Instant Ink is a monthly subscription service that automatically ships ink or toner to you when you actually need it, rather than at designated intervals like monthly or quarterly.
Using communication from your compatible HP printer and wireless network, HP knows the right time to send ink so you never run out. You pay a flat fee for a monthly number of pages, with unused pages rolling over to the next month.
How HP Instant Ink saves you money
So, how exactly does the program cut ink and toner costs? Here are 8 ways print consumers are saving with the HP Instant Ink program.
1. Lower cost-per-page than buying cartridges in-store
Whether you print a high-resolution color photo or a black-and-white text document, every page you print counts as one page. That means you can save a bundle if you have graphic-heavy print projects that may quickly drain your ink. Plus, HP directly ships the ink you need without charging a shipping fee. You just pay your monthly plan rate, which is most often cheaper than buying individual cartridges from a retailer.
2. No need to watch for coupons and deals
Everyone loves a good bargain, but when you need ink or toner to print, you need it immediately. Why wait for it to go on sale when you can get it right when you need it? Your cost for the monthly ink subscription is the same each month, no matter what your local print shop or office supply store is charging for HP printer cartridges.
Leave the deal-hunting off your to-do list. Most customers save with HP Instant Ink versus traditional cartridges, with plans starting at $0.99 a month. In fact, many customers save up to 50% on ink.
3. Time and convenience
If your schedule gets packed you won’t have to worry about it affecting your ability to keep ink in your printer, because HP ships the ink directly to your mailbox. Free shipping is included in the HP Instant Ink cost, so you won’t have to drive anywhere or remember to put in an order.
Unlike other subscription services, where you have to manually skip a shipment or place extra orders to meet your changing habits, HP knows when you need ink – and when you don’t – and will ship accordingly.
4. No driving to store to buy or recycle cartridges
Preserving resources and protecting the environment is important. Everyone wants to reuse, reduce, and recycle and with the HP Instant Ink program, it’s easy. HP not only sends you new ink supplies, we include a postage-paid return envelope for your empties, too.
After you save up a couple of used cartridges, just slip them inside the envelope and send them back. You pay nothing and don’t even have to hunt down a recycling box or facility to do your part.
5. Unused pages rollover
What happens if you print fewer pages than usual in a month? Only good things. The pages you didn’t use from your plan are added to the next month, with a rollover bank that can grow to the number of pages in your plan. If you need to print extra, you can use up your plan pages, then take from those rollover pages.
In other words, you’re always getting your money’s worth, even if you have an unpredictable printing pattern. Your HP printer ink cost stays the same.
6. Plans are flexible
It’s common for households and businesses to have seasons of heavy printing. If your monthly plan isn’t enough for your needs, you can easily increase to the next level. It’s also a cinch to downsize for those times when you don’t print as much.
For example, during the summer when school is out and many people are on vacation, printing needs decrease. Downgrading your plan as needed can help save even more.
You can choose from these plans for inkjet printers:
- 15 pages per month: $0.99
- 50 pages per month: $2.99
- 100 pages per month: $4.99
- 300 pages per month: $11.99
- 700 pages per month: $24.99
You can choose from these plans for laser printers:
- 50 pages per month: $1.99
- 100 pages per month: $3.99
- 400 pages per month: $13.99
- 800 pages per month: $19.99
- 1,500 pages per month: $25.99
7. Same printer ink cost for color and black-and-white prints
There is no penalty for printing borderless photos or full-color marketing materials under the HP Instant Ink print plan. They still count as just one page. For those with robust color printing demands, you won’t pay any more than someone who prints text documents all day. The ink cartridge cost, whether it’s a black and white or color cartridge, is included in your monthly service fee.
8. Fewer reprints than outsourcing to print shop
Accidents can happen, and if you pay someone else to do your prints, you may pay dearly for design or typography errors. Instead of leaving things to chance, keep your printing in-house and tweak your work as you print. There's little risk in printing on your own since you can catch your mistakes and fix them on the fly. With the print plans, even the silliest errors are rather affordable.
Other benefits of HP Instant Ink
Saving money is great, but there are even more perks to joining HP Instant Ink.
1. Supports sustainability goals
HP has made a commitment to do more with less. In fact, we have put more than 60 million ocean-bound plastic bottles back into the production cycle to make new products. HP is doing its part to create less waste in our environment. And by purchasing HP products, you are doing yours, too.
2. Takes guesswork out of what to buy or when to buy it
Instead of trying to estimate when you’ll run out of ink or how many pages you’ll have left in a cartridge, the HP Instant Ink service figures it out for you. You automatically receive ink before you reach empty. Then, when your printer notifies you that it’s time to replace the cartridge, you’re good to go. There’s no need to buy ink ahead of time.
3. Never run out of ink or toner
Ink or toner arrives before you need it. Whether it’s one color or more, you can be sure that your ink will get there on time. No more unexpected interruptions in your printing routine. And you’ll no longer have to print in draft mode to make your cartridges last.
4. Easy to budget
What was your total ink refill cost last year? Do you know how much it cost in February? How about April? It may be tough to know exactly when you’ll print, but you shouldn’t struggle to budget your printing costs.
HP Instant Ink provides the exact price, including tax, that you pay each month. With no surprises, you can plan every penny and never deal with surprise printing charges or additional ink cost.
Bottom Line: How to save money on HP Ink Cartridges
Now is a great time to consider the HP Instant Ink program. Whether you already own an HP printer or you are shopping for a new one, subscribing is easy. With no commitments and a flexible option to pick the right plan for your current needs, you can save money, skip the drive, and ensure you never run out of genuine HP printing supplies again.
About the Author: Linsey Knerl is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Linsey is a Midwest-based author, public speaker, and member of the ASJA. She has a passion for helping consumers and small business owners do more with their resources via the latest tech solutions.
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