I bought an Epson C40UX printer at CompUSA for work. The printer was $39.95 plus tax. The replacement cartridges costs $16.99 for the black, and $20.99 for color.

What's up with that? This is almost like buying razors: you buy the razor for like $5, but the razor refills costs $15 at the grocery store (Mach V, etc.)

 

Look for a bulk ink supplier and refill them yourself. You'll save hundreds of dollars in not too much time at all. It costs me about $20 USD to keep my printer supplied in ink for at least a year.

 

Well, that is how printer manufacturers make the $$$. Its like getting free cellphone from Cingular, yes they take the initial profit lost, but they make it up each month with that 2 year contract you signed.
It doesnt matter what printer you buy, a $500 HP Colorsmart Photo Printer, or a discount $50 printer. All catridges that are ink range from $20-$70 a pop. Those Epson inks are cheap, im paying 65 Focking dollars for a HP color catridge. HP even knows some people cant afford $65 for ink, so they sell the half filled color catridge for the poor people like me for $40 something

 

The printer companies make all of their profit on the ink. I would rather do that than pay more for the printers since I don't really print that much.