Hi Cynthia I am sorry to find that you had this problem but perhaps you are printing a lot of high-density prints. That would make a difference. In that case I'd recommend switching to Instant Ink then you only pay by the page not for the cartridges themselves. Here are things that could help: - Make use of the printer's draft mode whenever possible - When appropriate you can change the settings to print black only then areas that would use color will print out in shades of gray and save on colored ink - Shut the printer off between uses - Always use the power button on the printer itself to turn it off. That gives it time to ‘park’ so that the cartridges are protected from excessive drying Mary HP Care Hp.com/support