A woman is going viral after calling out how pricey printer ink has gotten, pointing out that at some stores, including Walmart, buying ink alone now costs more than buying a whole new printer that comes with cartridges.
Julie Jensen (@life.styled.withjulie) recorded herself at Walmart while shopping for ink for her Canon printer, showing viewers the exact set she needed. The price on the shelf was $79.
“This is crazy,” Jensen said. “The last time I purchased it, I think it was $40.”
She then walked a few steps over to the printer aisle and showed the Canon PIXMA TR4722, the same model she has at home. It comes with a complete set of cartridges—the same ones she had been trying to buy individually—for $64.
“This is the printer, and this is the exact same ink that’s included in this printer,” she said.
It got stranger. Jensen said Walmart’s website listed the same ink for $39, but an employee told her in-store pricing couldn’t match the online deal. So she decided to buy the entire printer.
@life.styled.withjulie I’m convinced we’re living in some alternate universe because how is this okay 🤯 I was so dumbfounded. A whole brand new printer was actually going to save me money ?! The math ain’t mathin’ and the universe ain’t universe-in. I’m still confused 🤷🏾♀️ #whatishappeninginamerica #Walmart #crazywork ♬ original sound – Julie
“Now I’m going to buy a whole printer, just get some ink, and save $8. This makes no sense to me. America is crazy,” Jensen said. As of Friday, her video had more than 97,300 views.
Why is printer ink so expensive?
Printer ink is pricey for a simple reason: the entire business model is built around it.
Companies keep printer prices low because they know they’ll make their money back on the cartridges, which is why the ink itself ends up costing far more than it feels reasonable. Manufacturers rely on those cartridges to recoup their research and production costs, and consumers end up footing the bill.
Ink isn’t just colored liquid, either. It’s engineered to dry instantly, avoid smudging, and work with tiny nozzles that spray thousands of droplets a second. That level of precision takes years of development, and the cost is baked into every refill.
On top of that, companies use chips and firmware that block cheaper third-party options, limiting competition and keeping prices high. Some cartridges even hold less ink than they used to, yet still sell for the same price, so the cost per ounce climbs even higher.
There are ways to spend less. Ink tank printers use refillable bottles instead of disposable cartridges, and the refills are usually far cheaper.
Some people try to save money with third-party cartridges or refill kits, and sometimes it works—sometimes it doesn’t, depending on the printer. But the larger problem is baked in. Ink is expensive because the companies that make printers have built the system to keep it that way, and they have every reason not to change it.
Viewers share money-saving hacks
Jensen isn’t the only printer owner tired of shelling out cash for constant ink refills. In the comments on her viral video, plenty of people chimed in with their own tricks for cutting costs.
“Go on Amazon and purchase the off-brand refills for cheap,” one woman advised.
“I bought an Epson Eco tank years ago, and I have never looked back,” another noted, pointing to the cartridge-free ink system those printers use.
“My printer uses the same cartridges,” someone else added. “I’ve moved on to off-brand cartridges because these are so expensive and they just work as well.”
“Order is online for store pickup,” another commenter mentioned about the discounted ink Jensen spotted.
A handful of viewers floated… less conventional routes: buying a cheaper printer just for its ink and then unloading the machine afterward.
“Buy the printer for the ink and return it, saying it didn’t come with the ink,” one woman quipped.
“Buy the printer, take the ink, sell the printer at a garage sale for $5, and come out even more ahead,” another said.
And at least one person questioned whether Jensen—or anyone—needs a home printer at all.
“Unless you’re printing a huge amount, consider printing at your local library,” they said. “Not only would it be cheaper (possibly free), but you’d also be supporting an important community resource.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Jensen via a TikTok comment.
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