We've all been there. You're in the middle of printing out an important document and your printer suddenly stops. It's the dreaded "out of ink" message. So you pull your backup ink cartridges out of your desk drawer and replace them. Wishful thinking, right?

Most of us just don't plan ahead -- no matter how many times this has happened to us. When we buy ink cartridges, we tend to just get one set of black and color cartridges. The cost of ink is so high that buying more than one set is just too expensive for most consumers. Thankfully, there are less expensive options out there ? and you don't have to sacrifice quality.

Option 1 ? Avoid Staples, Best Buy, and other large retailers altogether. You're never going to get a good deal on ink cartridges since they only sell name brand replacements. Instead, do your homework on the internet. There are many reputable websites out there that charge up to 80% less for cartridges.

How is that possible? Rather than selling name brand replacements, online ink retailers sell compatible and remanufactured cartridges. There cartridges are technically just as good as the originals, and can be purchased for half as much money. As an added precaution, however, we recommend buying ink cartridges at sites that offer 100% guarantees. In the online world, you never know what you're getting. My advice -- run a search on Yahoo for "ink cartridges." Visit the first 5 sites. Find the web site that offers the best prices, lowest shipping costs, and a 100% guarantee.

Option 2 ? Refill your ink cartridges. It's not as bad as you might think. And best of all, this is definitely the cheapest way to go. You can fill your ink cartridges up to 10 times with a single ink refill kit. There is obviously some work to this. You basically use a syringe to inject ink back into your original cartridges. If you do this correctly, this is no spillage, and you'll be up in running in no time. It takes a bit of practice to master the art of refilling ink cartridges. Don't get discouraged if it takes a couple of tries before you get it down.

Bill Smith is a printer expert who has specialized in ink cartridges and refill solutions for over 5 years. Visit his site at http://www.buythebestbuy.com.