Printer owners know they need to keep buying ink cartridges to get the printer output they need. But the branded cartridges cost a lot. As you keep buying those cartridges, there will come a point when the combined costs of the cartridges become more than the printer itself. There are less costly alternatives if you take the time to investigate them. You can refill the cartridges yourself through kits generally available. You can have the cartridge refilled as well. A safer way is to buy cheap printer ink cartridges, which deliver same optimal performance as the branded cartridges, as a fraction of the cost. There are three kinds – refilled, compatible, and generic cartridges. All three are significantly cheaper than their OEM counterparts.