Individual ink cartridges won’t break the bank

Q: I just bought a new printer and discovered it has four ink cartridges. Am I going to have to give up half of my paycheck just to pay for replacement ink cartridges?

A: Believe it or not, you are actually going to save money by owning a printer that uses four ink cartridges. Let me start by explaining the difference between a printer that uses a multi-color ink cartridge and a printer that uses separate color cartridges, such as the one you just purchased.

A printer that uses a multi-color cartridge combines colors, usually up to three, into one print cartridge. While this is convenient, it is not very cost conscious. The problem with these cartridges is that when you run out of one color, you have to replace the entire cartridge even if there is still plenty of ink left with the other colors in the cartridge. And replacing these cartridges, as you mentioned, can be expensive as some of the multi-color print cartridges can run upwards of $45 to replace.

Your printer, on the contrary, uses separate cartridges for each primary color. That way if you run out of yellow ink, you only have to replace the yellow cartridge. Same goes with the other colors.

And the good news is that the individual print cartridges cost a fraction of the tri-color print cartridges. Usually you can find them for around $15.

This post was originally broadcast Friday, August 31, 2007 on Tech Talk with Noobie, a weekly radio show on WCBK 102.3 FM in Martinsville, Indiana. Tech Talk with Noobie airs every Friday between 11:30 a.m. and noon. If you have a question you would like Noobie to answer on the air, simply e-mail your question to .