The advantages of using compatible ink cartridges instead of name brand ones cannot be denied. Compatible printer cartridges are similar to the ones created by the original manufacturer, however they are made by a third-party company. When you shop for an ink cartridge at your local retail store or office supply store, you will notice that there are many different types, including those made by Lexmark, Hewlett-Packard, Epson, Brother, and others. You will also notice store brand cartridges that can be used in place of those offered by the major manufacturers. Upon further inspection, you will notice that the prices between the two different types can differ significantly too. One of the biggest advantages of using compatible ink cartridges is the fact that they are lower priced than their original counterparts. If you do a lot of printing, this can mean a sizeable amount of savings each month. Believe it or not, research shows that ounce for ounce, printer ink is more expensive than oil! Even if you do not do a lot of printing, you will still save money by using the compatible printer cartridges. Now that is something that you can appreciate, especially in these difficult times. Another advantage of using compatible printer cartridges is that they are made of high quality materials. There is no need to worry about ruining your printer when using them. Since compatible printer cartridges have never been used before, there is no risk that worn parts could somehow cause damage to your printer. Many manufacturers actually have higher product standards for their cartridge than do the name brand cartridge manufacturers. In addition to saving money and getting a high quality product, there is another advantage you may notice when using a compatible cartridge in your printer. Many customers notice that they actually are able to print more pages using a compatible print cartridge than a name brand cartridge. This is most likely due to the fact that some manufacturers only fill their cartridges with a certain amount of ink instead of filling them entirely. The amount of ink in your cartridge will affect how many pages you can print using that cartridge. The final advantage of purchasing these cartridges is that they are widely available. In other words, you do not have to make a special trip just to find these cartridges. Most likely, you can find a compatible ink cartridge in most retail stores right next to the name brand cartridges. There is no doubt that you have taken note of the high price of printer ink and have complained about how frequently you need to purchase new printer cartridges. You may have also wondered how you could reduce your out-of-pocket expenses while still getting high quality prints. The answer to your problems is quite easy. Instead of using name brand printer ink, you need to make the switch to high quality, low-cost compatible printer cartridges.