YOU MAY HAVE had a home printer for as long as you’ve had a home computer, perhaps going back to the dot matrix era. But these days, you might be able to avoid expensive replacement ink cartridges by going printerless.

Think about it. So much is done online now—filling out forms, signing documents digitally, filing them electronically on our computers.

And for those rare instances when you do need to print a document, there are options that don’t require carrying the cost of your own printer.

Libraries > Check with your local public library. It may offer printing services for free or at a low cost.

Retail stores > Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples will print your document for as little as 22 cents a page for black and white and 80 cents for color.

Shipping stores > FedEx, UPS Stores and other shipping stores can also print documents for a fee.

What about scanning? Many home printers also work as scanners. But you don’t need that bulky machine. You can scan documents using built-in features on your phone: On an iPhone, use the Notes app. For Android phones, use Google Drive or Files by Google. —J.D. Sartain

Go to aarp.org/printing to watch the Tech Guru’s video on the printerless home.