Try Print Pal, I've used others and have been happy with cartridges. But I save the most by buying "bulk ink" and refilling cartridges two or three times before replacing. If you're doing only photo, you can do the self service at places like Walmart for under 30 cents each, don't remember the exact number. Your numbers about say 35 Cents just for ink with the Vivera set, maybe more with the Canon. To this you have to add the cost of the paper, what another 50 cents per picture? Of course you save on the gas if printing your own actually saves a trip. My Lexmark X8300 series AIO printer has smaller, lower cost cartridges than most other Lexmarks, I like that because the print head is in the cartridge and when it wears out (from refills) it cost less to get a new set of print heads.

Yes and no, Alisande. Today, to be trained or educated above the norm, you must have at least a bachelor's degree. When I graduated from high school in 1959, a surprisingly small percentage of the adult population of the United States had a high school diploma. Back then, less than 10% of the US population had a bachelor's degree. (Was it 2%? Can't remember.) Today, the percentage of adults with a college degree is much higher. So much higher, in fact, that it is the norm in many areas, and so to be exceptionally prepared, a graduate degree is required to move into that upper percentage. However, I have taught high school and seen my kids through school and I can tell you that the information age has had its impact. Kids today are learning things in upper elementary school that I had not learned till high school. High schoolers today are studying coursework that I did not study until I was in college. What we do have going on in this nation is an influx of students enrolling in college who were at the fiftieth percentile or lower in their high schools. That is new at the university level as more and more students determine to earn a degree. Universities welcome English Language Learners and special education students like never before. As a nation, we believe in self determination for our students and their career goals. In many other countries, students are placed in educational programs for careers that the system selected for them. That selection process involves the student's achievement scores, and once put on a career track, that is it. A desire to have their own career choice is another reason we have so many high school and college students come to the United States to go to school. They want to select their own careers and not have them imposed upon them. Sorry to be so wordy.

I also crocheted my youngest son a muffler for the cold weather where he is in law school. I made stripes which progressed across the scarf of his school colors in order of all the schools he has attended: preschool, elementary school, 2 middle schools, high school, bachelor's degree, master's degree, law school. It is an easy pattern, and I used up a lot of scrap yarn. You make a tail of about 9 inches, and chain 200, making a tail of 9 inches at the other end and cut yarn. Each row starts and ends with a 9 inch tail and is all single crochet. To be able to wash it with the fringe so it won't fray, tie a small knot at the end of each fringe. I usually added more fringe when it was done. It was fun to make for him. I did not worry about colors repeating in various schools. If you have room, you could do a neutral yarn color between the schools to set off each school's colors. I have also emailed an order to the university book store and bought a school sweatshirt for the graduate.

I don't think it's necessarily bad that she isn't headed straight for college. It's difficult to know at 18 what you want to do with your life. I know many, many people with crippling student loan debt right now because they felt like they had to go to college, and they often picked majors that, in hindsight, weren't the best choices. I don't know if anyone has priced out colleges recently but they are extremely expensive, even state schools. I graduated 10 years ago and tuition costs have raised considerably since then. Tuition increases are outpacing pretty much anything else in the economy, and it's really becoming a problem when young adults graduate thinking they did this great thing only to have trouble finding even low paying jobs and soon facing $1,200 a month in student loan repayments. I routinely see people $60k-$80k in debt at 22 because they went to college like they were supposed to. Community college is usually a good deal, though. Granted, wanting to work part time forever without getting any additional education isn't ideal, and I think pointing out the limitations would be a good thing. But taking some time before college isn't always a bad idea.