Getting the most out of your printer cartridge

[Camper6]

Your computer doesn't know how much ink there is in the cartridge.
It only measures the number of pages printed from the chip.
For instance it's supposed to print 150 pages.
Of course some pages use more ink than others so if a message comes up that your cartridge is empty, there might be more ink remaining.
So if you get that message? Just hold the stop button down until it responds and it will print the remaining ink if there is any before you have to replace it.
Printer cartridges are expensive. It's a racket.  You can buy a new printer sometimes for less than a new cartridge. However, those cartridges in the new printer only contain a small portion of ink. 

[Dave]

However, those cartridges in the new printer only contain a small portion of ink. 

That's true Camper the cartridges you get with printers are called 'Starter Cartridges'

[Camper6]

This is a photo of the cartridge that I took apart.  That's the size of the sponge that carries the ink.  It's supposed to give you 150 pages. 

[Lee]

I used to look after the company printer cartridges, some of these over £200 a time (2014 prices).
They never stocked the ones for my home printer 
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[Camper6]

I remember those huge printer ribbon cartridges for the IBM printers. Expensive. I got double duty on them by flipping the ribbon over to the unused portion.

[Lee]

Do own a largish laser printer (another redundancy "take what you want" gift).
Sadly it broke down last year when I was trying to print some sticky labels,
so the cartridge hasn't had time to run out 
Although a good shake was usually good for a few hundred more pages when it was working.

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[Camper6]

Sticky labels are a problem in any printer that wraps around a roller. It's better on those that have the paper face up.
I have three printers. The tenants in my apartment leave printers behind that they no longer use or are moving. I fix them. Most are out of ink but I know how to refill them. Black is easy. Colour not worth the effort but it can be done.