Some things in life fill me with existential dread because they seem so much harder than they need to be: updating my car tags, writing cover letters, printing stuff. Today, we're focusing on the latter.
Although it may seem archaic in 2024, sometimes it's still necessary to print something on paper. Maybe you want a few paper copies of your updated résumé to hand out at a job fair, or maybe you just want to print photos at home. In my last breakup, I tried taking my ex's printer because I knew I'd never figure out a way to print on my own. I wish I had this How To guide then. Let me save you from my fate.
First option: Just buy a printer. If you catch an online sale, you can get a basic inkjet printer for as little as $50. That might suit your needs if you plan to print only occasionally. If you need an all-in-one device that can scan, copy, print, and do tricks like double-sided printing (godspeed), you'll be spending more like $150 to $350. You can also go the old-school affordable way by printing on demand in person. Local libraries can once again come to the rescue and often have free or very cheap printing opinions. For photos, you've likely seen printing kiosks at retailers like CVS or Walmart. Lastly, you can print on demand, not in person, if you're able to wait a few days for the photos. There's a variety of online photo printing services, which I have also used for gag gifts like boxers with my face on them or calendars where I'm my very own centerfold (I live a charmed life, what can I say?).
We may be moving to a cashless, all-digital society, but printing is still a requirement for some tasks. You can also check out our related guides, including The Best Online Photo Printing Services, Portable Printers Bring Your Smartphone Photos to Life, Which Instax Should You Buy?, and The Best Instant Cameras You Can Buy.
