Anika Begay
Whatever printer you buy, make sure you’re happy with its wireless printing capabilities. Modern printers typically let you print from any device on your home Wi-Fi network, whether it’s a computer or a mobile device, eliminating the old-fashioned need to plug a cable into a PC. On some printers, leaving the device unused for a long time can affect the ink and clog up the mechanisms; if you don’t think you’ll use the printer more than a couple of times a year, it may be cheaper (and less frustrating) to outsource the printing.
Print on demand (in person)
If you don’t have or want a printer, but need to print something right away, your best bet, other than asking a friend or family member to do it for you, may be to visit a nearby print shop or local library.
FedEX Office can copy or print documents on a variety of papers, in color or black and white, and employees there can also give you some design help. For basic documents, you might pay about 21 cents per page. You can bring your document to a FedEX Office store on a USB drive that plugs into a copy machine, or you can email the document to FedEx and have it printed. Staples, UPS Stores, and Office Depot offer similar printing services.
Of course, other local print shops also offer a custom service. You may also find paid printing services at your local supermarket mall.
For photos, you’ve probably seen print kiosks at retailers like CVS or Walmart. Typically, you can connect your mobile devices to the kiosk, plug in a USB drive, or upload photos via an app. If you’re using an app or the photo service’s website, you can upload your images at home, pay for your prints, and pick them up later when they’re ready.
Many people are surprised to learn that they can print for free (within reason) at their local library. The public library near me charges 10 cents per page for black and white and 50 cents per page for color, but gives patrons $5 for their first printouts for free. It’s hard to beat that offer.
If you’re traveling, your hotel likely offers free printing in its business center—a handy solution if you need to get a last-minute paper boarding pass or have other travel-related printing needs.
Print on demand (not in person)
If you can wait a few days or more, you can shop around for the best deal from a variety of online printing services. Photo printing services like Printique and Snapfish have come a long way and are great for projects like photo albums or personalized gifts like custom calendars or holiday photo cards.
VistaPrint, CatPrint, and GotPrint are among the services that offer a wide range of printing jobs, from documents to business cards, from t-shirts to wedding invitations.
We may be on the verge of moving to a cashless, fully digital society, but printing is still a requirement for some businesses. Fortunately, these days that doesn’t automatically mean you have to own or maintain your own printer.
