Shelf life is impacted by variables such as storage conditions. Exposure to heat and light can shorten the shelf life. Additionally the exposure to oxygen will also have detrimental effects on ink. The best way to store ink is in a cool and dry location.

With all that said, a typical shelf life for an ink cartridge is approximately 1 year from the date of manufacturing. Some companies have a 2 year shelf life on their ink cartridges. I have always tried to use an ink cartridge within 6 months of its purchase.

Some other tips to help you save money printing are:

1. To ensure quality print jobs so you do not have to reprint, use your printer regularly. If your printer sets idle too long, the inkjets could get clogged and you may have to clean your printhead which takes up ink.

2. Use draft mode when printing for proof reading or just for information. This can save a lot of money on ink.

3. Print using only black ink whenever possible. If you don’t need color, don’t use it.

4. When printing from your browser, don’t print images. Select / highlight what you want to print and then print “selection”.

5. When you shut down your printer, make sure you use the printer’s power switch otherwise your printhead could get parked wrong and make the inkjet print head susceptible to drying out.

So there you go! You can start saving money today if you buy discount inkjet cartridges and follow these five little printing tips. If you have other tips that help you save money printing, please feel free to add them in the comments sections!