The Staples Game!

I have seen several posts this week about how to save on Ink and Paper. There are lots of great deals out there, including refilling your ink cartridges. Personally I ruined my last printer with off-brand, refilled ink cartridges, so I am trying to save on the actual HP Cartridges now. Staples is my new choice for ink, here is how I plan to get ink for less than a Walgreens Refill!

There was a $10.00 with $50.00 purchase coupon in the newspaper ad this week. I read it and it doesn't look like it excludes ink, so here's my plan:

3 HP Ink Cartridges @ $14.99 = $44.97

1 HammerMill Copy Paper $4.99

(Has $2.99 Easy Saver Rebate = $2.00 after rebate)

1 Ghirardelli Chocolate $3.99

($3.99 Mail in Rebate this month)

= $53.95 Total before coupons or rebates!

I will get 10% of the ink & paper back in Staples Rewards = $5.00

I will get $2.99 Back in Easy Rebates from the HammerMill Paper making it only $2.00

I will get $3.99 back from the Ghirardelli Mail in Rebate (prints at checkout)

If I take my empty cartridges back to Staples I will get $3.00 each or $9.00

Plus I get a $10.00 Gift Card to use on Future Ink Purchases

= $23.96 for 3 Ink Cartridges, 1 Ream of Paper, and 1 Bag of Chocolate!!! :) That is less than the $10.00 per ink cartridge that Walgreens charges for refills!!!! (Now don't go buy all my ink before I can make it to Rogers. Please leave me some!!!)

Here are a few details:

$10.00 Gift Card with $50.00 Purchase coupon is valid only between 5/17 - 5/23

Staples Rewards - You can sign up for this card at the check out, just ask your cashier, it's completely free. You will get 10% back on all Paper and Ink purchases. You MUST have at least $10.00 each quarter to get your check or you loose your rewards. So since I will earn $5.00 on this transaction, I will do this deal twice and make sure that I get my money back!

Ink Cartridge rebate checks are sent monthly. You get $3.00 per cartridge and there is a limit of 10 per month!

Even without the additional coupon the ink prices are the same at Staples as they are at Walmart for my kind of ink. $14.99 - (10% rewards rebate) $1.50 - $3.00 (Cartridge Rebate) = $10.50 which is really close to what I would pay at Walgreens for a refill on a normal week.

Here are some other ways I save:

I print all coupons 2-3 per page

I use Recycled Paper for printing coupons

My ink settings are set to draft and black and white

I pulled my color cartridge out because I was having some things still print in color

I only print what I know I will use, or a coupon that has a long expiration date

How do you save on ink? Please leave a comment and let me know!