How to print without a printer!

[Aridane]

Any bright ideas?

It’s just the occasional item I need to print.

Office is closed (my normal route) as is library (back up route).

Does anyone know if there are any services that can do printing - eg you email a document and they print it and post to you? Yes, I know, I know, extremely circuitous.

FWIW, immediate neighbours are in the same boat - so prevailing on a neighbour - even if it were not inappropriate in these times - is not an option.

Many thanks

This probably doesn't exactly answer your question but my deputy was in the same position. Curry's delivered a nice cheap but very decent printer the next day! Probably a lot quicker than your suggestion (which I doubt exists).

I bought a £25 printer from Argos a few days ago, available to collect next day.

I didn’t realise printers were so cheap - they’ve gone down in price from days of yore. Is set up simpler than it used to be?

Printers cost a fortune in ink. That is why the actual unit is cheap.

If the OP isn't printing much, cost of ink might not be a problem.

I went to order some more ink the other day and it was nearly 3 times as much as a new basic printer!

New printers are very easy. Can be plug in and away you go. Or connect to you via WiFi and away you. Smartphone and laptop compatible. Cartridges easy and clean to change. I bought a £39 one from curry’s. Efficient on ink. Although both colour and black inks are £35 combined from amazon.

No friends or family that could do it for you?

If you're only printing documents, I'd suggest a monochrome laser printer. The cartridge that comes with it will last for years.

I gave up with inkjets years ago because they waste a load of ink every time you switch them on, including the coloured ones and then you get into a ridiculous situation where you have to replace the yellow cartridge that you've never actually used to print anything to print a normal black text document even though there is plenty of black ink available.

I've had a two or three Samsungs over the years (sometimes bought a new printer because ridiculously it was cheaper to get a new printer with ink included than it was to buy a cartridge, but sometimes you can get compatible ones for £10-20).

Although looking around, printers might be something else in short supply as I can't see anything from my usual Currys/Amazon/Argos that I'd usually get for about £50.

Ask friends or family? Or there are probably online services if you don't want anyone you know seeing what you're printing? You can get photos printed online, so I don't see why they can't do print documents too.

We got our first colour laser 18 years ago, and our second 6 years ago. We still haven't bought enough toner to equal the purchase price. Spend about £150-200, and make sure it doesn't need a transfer drum.

Is it something which can be seen as necessary, eg for yr work or even yr mental health or yr children's? Why not try asking politely on a community Fb page? Am sure someone wouldn't mind and it's perfectly possible to exchange a piece of paper whilst socially distancing, especially if you leave it 24 hrs before touching etc.

They are definitely cheaper than years ago. It surprised me too. Although ink is extortionate.

Buy a cheap HP printer and use their instant ink program. I think you get 2 months free at the moment, and then it's very low cost after that. You can always cancel it if you don't need it.

I second the HP printer idea. Mine was about £30 to buy, easy set up and ink is £1.99 a month (with about 3 months free).

For the odd sheet you may be able to load onto a memory stick and use a photocopier at a newsagent or print shop.

No friends or family with printers - neighbours were actually asking me the other day if I could print something for theM! - we’re all in the same printerless boat.

I will look for a small cheap emergency printer - thanks

Carve what you want to print in potatoes, you can empty the ink out of a biro if you need that too...

These people actually do the print and mail thing - it's expensive though, 90p a letter + postage.
www.ukpostbox.com/services/send-letters-online#How-can-I-send-letters-online

Thanks, @sirfredfredgeorge!!!

My company printer is a cannon maxify it takes individual colour cartridges and a black one my home one is a HP office jet it takes a combi colour cartrage .
I HATE my home one ! It's a pain in the ass with Wi-Fi, and drinks ink like a thirsty camel.

If you decide to buy a printer check out the ink prices 1st see how easy / hard they are to get hold of .
Ime cheep printer = expensive ink .

If you could give us a vague idea where you are perhaps a MNer can help you .

No worries @Aridane, I'm glad my potato trick was helpful!

Just going to throw in a recommendation for a Canon printer if you do buy one - mine had a wobble the other day and I started sulking before realising I bought it to take to uni and it's SIXTEEN years old 😂 in that time I've worked it very hard, so am incredibly impressed (if a bit terrified at how recent 2004 feels...) it's working again now and that's the first wobble it's had, so when it does die the next one will also be a Canon and hopefully will last the next sixteen!

Where are you roughly? First part of your postcode ?

Our local computer shop does this. We used to have a stationery shop that offered the same.
You email the document then pop along and collect it. Couple of pence a sheet.

They are still offering the service with social distancing collection

Your local computer shop is open??

Ha - there has been a real run on printers on Amazon! I guess lots of people are in the same (printerless) boats