cost of prints made at home

[karma]

I am just curious about this. I've been reading alot about places that will print my scrap layouts and there are some really good prices out there. What I'd like to know is does anyone know - really know - how much it costs to print say an 8x8 scrap layout at home on your home printer?

The cheapest I've found online for printing was .49 over at artscow. So I'm trying to figure out if its even worth it to try and print at home. :rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

[Scrapping4Him]

This is really a harder thing to calculate since each page is going to vary on how much ink it is going to use. Plus I know that with HP, they used to provide a net yield estimate per cartridge based on the % coverage of ink your page would use. They did away with providing that information a few years ago.

I think that .49 is a pretty good price. You could at a minimum do a quick calculation by going to where you would buy your photo paper from and seeing how much it is going to run you per page to buy it and go from there.

[Penny M]

Karma, I print at home, but have never actually calculated what it costs per page to print. I can't image that an 8 x 8 page could be printed for .49 at home.

[karma]

Thanks ladies! I usually buy the big box of photo paper (kirkland brand) at Costco - I think it's around $18 for 150 sheets. So thats just .12 per sheet for just the paper. I wouldn't know how to go about figuring the cost of the ink per page either!

I thought .49 per page was a bargain from Artscow. I uploaded a few pages to give it a try. Crossing my fingers that they will turn out nice!

I also just got my sample print kit from scrapbooks 2 share and they do a nice job! They are $1 for an 8x8 so that's pretty good as well.

[Penny M]

Karma, several DSP members have been using Artscow and have been very pleased with the prints and the price. I have an Epson printer & my photo paper is expensive. It's more than .49 per sheet. I'm just too lazy to figure out how to upload & order my prints. It's more convenient to print at home.

[debilou]

Yes, You would have to add in the cost of the paper. Per sheet.

the average cost of the ink cartridges per print... I don't know if you could always get this number per printer.

and, the cost of the use of the machine... - basically I mean - your printer will wear out eventually... so there is a hidden cost there too...

And, I have to clean my printer every so often - I have special printer cleaning solution.

I really don't know the TRUE cost of printing at home..

I would wager to say - .49 is a pretty good deal.

[webfrau]

It's a few years since I worked it out but when I did, I figured it cost me about $1(NZ) a page which is about 50c US. Obviously that might've changed.
BUT I then have to trim it up myself which is a pain if there are a lot to do. If I could get it done commercially for that price I would but haven't seen anything locally that reasonable.

[karma]

Well, more than the cost there is the convenience of printing at home - instant results huh? You've all given me lots to think about...I will be anxious to see the prints that I ordered from Artscow. Also, I have a Costco not too far away and have used them with great results.

[Muma]

I print at home but have no idea how much the cost is. I have bought ink from Sams Club and special cartridges with an auto reset chip on them so my ink problem is taken care of for many many pages and probably years lol - we have 500ml per colour [6 in all] for about $30 and I believe someone suggested a while back in another thread to use Xerox Digital Expressions for Color paper which you can get a ream [500 pages] for about $10-12 online. I have used presentation paper instead of photo paper in all my printing at home and it turns out fine.

Its all personal preference of course and if I did use photo paper than the price would be much higher.

[Janet]

I gave up printing at home - the colors were never quite right and living out farther away from Office Depot, we'd have to add in the cost of going to get ink/paper. I'm finding it MUCH easier to just get them printed and sent here...easy counts high in my calculations, too. :)

[karma]

...easy counts high in my calculations, too. :)

This is very true!

Also, I will have to look into presentation paper...I don't know what that is.

[debilou]

This is very true!

Also, I will have to look into presentation paper...I don't know what that is.

I buy Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte double sided
(S014568) it's 47 pound paper.
50 sheets to a pack
8.5 x 11 inches.

You can get it in some retail stores.

But since I print at home and print a lot... I order through Amazon and buy several boxes at a time.. and save money on the shipping.

BUT, and this is a big BUT..

make sure your printer can print using this paper....

For example... I have 2 HP printers...

One will print some Kodak Satin Photo Paper I bought at Costco. (My Deskjet printer) - however - my wide print printer will not print this on this paper at all.

I have gone to the Kodak site... and it does list the printers it will print on - and guess what - my wide print is one that it will not print on... so... be careful before you place a large order...

One reason I buy the double sided paper - is I do make a lot of cards..

And, with the double sided paper... both sides of the paper are perfect for make digital or hybrid greeting cards.

[debilou]

Oh, and Epson does make a Semi-Gloss Presentation paper as well.

[karma]

Hmmmm, this is sounding very interesting...presentation paper. When you say some printers won't print it - do you mean it won't go through the printer? I've had this problem before with my HP - certain paper just won't get pulled through, very frustrating.

[debilou]

Yes exactly... It's not that my printer prints a say a "layout with poor quality" - it simply won't print it AT ALL.

But the same layout or say picture will print on another printer...

They some how have the paper coded ...

[Muma]

Yes exactly... It's not that my printer prints a say a "layout with poor quality" - it simply won't print it AT ALL.

But the same layout or say picture will print on another printer...

They some how have the paper coded ...

The paper is being coded?? Well who would have thought

[karma]

ooohhhh....now that's a little spooky!

[Donut]

I have often tried to work this out, but the variations on cost of paper and ink and special offers on printing etc make it fluctuate so much! The cheapest I have found locally is $4 (NZ) per 8x8 layout, so I tend to save up lots and get them printed when they have a half price deal on! :) The rest of the time I print at home, I buy my ink online for my HP to get it cheaper, so that is around $60(nz) for colour and $40 for black, I use fuji professional plus paper, or HP paper when its on offer! Its worth shopping around for deals and do a combination of printing at home and getting prints done professionally.

[webfrau]

Pam who do you use locally for your 8x8's? I've never seen square formats advertised.

[Donut]

Its a local print shop Julia,(I'll pm you the address :) ) they are really 8x10's I suppose, and then they trim them down. I've also used Frog Prints online for 6x6s for a gift album, they said at the time they would be adding 8x8s to their list, I must check it out and see if they do them yet!