As a homeschool mom, it seems I’m always printing something! Whether I’m printing another fieldtrip journal or making copies of a workbook, I’d consider our printer to be an essential homeschool resource.

While I love being able to quickly print wonderful homeschool resources, expenses for ink and paper add up! Here are some helpful tips for printing your homeschool resources that will help you maximize your dollar and the usability of your printables.

Here are some helpful tips for homeschool printing:

1. Invest in your own quality printer.

Having the flexibility to print at home is great. While it isn’t ‘free’ with the cost of the printer, paper, and ink, it can certainly be less expensive than having to utilize printing services. The Epson Eco Tank is frequently recommended for homeschool printing. It’s known for its high-capacity ink tank that last longer than traditional ink cartridges.

2. Adjust your printer settings.

You can print double sided, grayscale, and in draft mode to save on paper and ink. However, check the resource for printing instructions before changing the settings. Always view the print preview to ensure that changing the settings hasn’t interfered with the usability of the resource.

3. Consider printing costs before purchasing digital downloads.

There are so many wonderful digital resources online. There are fun printable journals for reading, beautiful unit studies, and even free curriculum! It can be tempting to download them all! Before you purchase a new resource, consider how printer-friendly it is and how much it would cost to print. Compare prices to see if buying the printed version or another physical resource may be more cost effective. For instance, The Good and the Beautiful has free math and language arts curriculum. However, I’d personally rather pay the $60-$70 for the ready-to-use physical workbook and manipulatives. Having to print and organize the pages daily would be a nuisance and using my own printing service would not save me enough money to make it worth the effort.

4. Print only what you need.

Instead of printing a full digital download, print as you go. This will allow you to skip pages that you don’t plan on using. You can also save on resources if the digital download isn’t a good fit. For instance, if you purchase a large 40page unit study, only print the first few activities. If you and your child enjoy the resources, then print the next few pages as you move on. If you fizzle out and don’t complete the unit study, you won’t waste any paper or ink.

5. Laminate pages, use dry-erase sleeves, or use protective sleeves.

Whenever you print a resource, protect it by laminating it or putting it in a protective sleeve. This extra bit of effort makes the printables more durable so it can last longer and be reused for multiple kiddos. For instance, is you’re printing a US map, laminating it means you can use it for any future studies that involve US geography. Laminating or using a dry-erase sleeve also allows kids to use dry-erase markers, which can be a nice change from using a pencil.

6. Consider ink subscriptions for your printer.

If you purchase an HP printer, you can take advantage of HP Instant Ink. You pay a monthly subscription fee to have ink automatically delivered when your tank gets low. There are plans for every level of usage. A $5.99 plan will get you 100 pages a month. We use this for our homeschool printing and I really love the automation. I never have to worry about running out of ink.

7. Shop around for printing services!

While we typical print resources at home, printing services are great for larger projects. We have utilized printing services for homeschool co-op resources and large colorful unit studies! If you choose to use a printing service, you have more options than Staples! While Staples offers quick service, it can be pretty costly. We recommend trying The Homeschool Printing Company. While their turnaround times vary, we’ve been happy with their prices and quality.

8. Look into community resources.

If you don’t have a home printer yet, check out local libraries and see what printing services they offer. We can print or copy in black-and-white at our library for 20 cents per page. Full color pages are 50 cents per page. The cost adds-up, but it can help in a pinch! Some libraries have extra funds to help cover printing expenses if the cost is a barrier.

Happy printing, homeschool moms! I hope these tips help you save time and money while maximizing your resources!