How to Save Some Moolah

I have a large format printer.  I use it to make my own art prints.  It takes nine ink cartridges.  Plus, I have a regular printer, and it takes two so that's a total of eleven ink cartridges that I change in and out on a regular basis. 

I used to mail the old ink cartridges back in to be recycled, but then they quit sending me the prepaid envelopes to do that.  So then I started paying the postage myself to mail them back.  I did that like twice before I decided the extra expense was ridiculous.  Only, I couldn't bring myself to just throw away the old, empty ink cartridges.  I tried, but I couldn't.  I just couldn't. 

I know I'm crazy but the guilt, y'all. 

The guilt.

No can do.

So I didn't want to pay to return those suckers, but my weirdo self  wouldn't allow for them to be thrown out, and thus began The Great Cartridge Hoard of 2012-2013.  I just started stacking them on my desk, stuffing them in drawers, filling up boxes, shoving them under the furniture...  It was out of control!!!

Enter OfficeMax. 

My saving grace.  I was in there buying shipping supplies one day when I noticed a sign about their ink cartridge recycling program.  Aha!!!  Not only did they take those pesky ink cartridges off my hands, but they paid me $2 a pop for each one! 

Well, sort of.  Here's the deal. 

1.  You have to be a MaxPerks Rewards customer.  This is no biggie.  It's free and you just sign up, think Kroger  
     plus card.  
2.  The $2 reward per ink cartridge comes in the form of store credit.  Again, no biggie.  That place is like a mini
     Walmart. 
3.  You can only earn credit for up to 10 cartridges per month.  This, I'm sure, is plenty fine for most people! 

I have yet to purge my entire graveyard of ink cartridges, but now every time I come across one, instead of cringing in horror, I'm all like SWEET!  Two bucks!