I stopped playing that game while trying to make a Kodak printer work without having to replace various parts that cost more than their $10 ink carts. I just visit the copy store with a USB drive, print, and go about my business. Either that, or just use the various work printers.
Not to mention if you don't need to print often enough, most inkjet cartridges end up being effectively single use they just dry up.
My solution was similar. For normal occasional draft printing I use HP Laserjet 4700 colour laser printer. Given reasonably low print volumes, I've stuck to original HP toner cartridges which you can get for quite reasonable prices. The yields on cartridges are quite good and actual price per page end up being very low. As a bonus it doesn't matter if I print every day or once in a month or two. The beast just works.
For the occasions where I really need photo quality it is either some of the online print shops or walk to a local one with USB flash drive.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
