Working on a budget doesn’t have to limit your creativity in print. We often say that “constraints are good for design.” Cost is a near universal constraint that has taught us how to keep clients’ print costs low—and make eye-catching designs. Hear are some of the techniques we use to do just that.

Limit Inks, Get Creative with Paper

Limiting inks in a print job comes with measurable results on cost—particularly in offset printing, which we explain in another resource. In offset, each ink color requires its own printing plate, which increases setup cost. Inks are also a material cost. So, the more you use, the more it costs.

But limiting ink doesn't mean limiting results! Our take is that designs that don’t work in a single color usually don’t get better by adding more color. Creative and strategic design choices can make a single-color piece as compelling as a full-color job.

Neenah Astrobrights are as vibrant as the name suggests.

Choose a Paper that Pops

What do you do if you need to print in a single color but still want more vibrance? A colorful paper selection often does the trick.

Neons and brights pack a visual punch.

These single-color flyers for Skate Raleigh’s All A-Board eventstand out in a crowd on a selection of Neenah Astrobrights. Selecting multiple colors from the same sheet line is a great way to add color variety when inks are limited. Everyone has white printer paper. Not everyone has Cosmic Orange or Fireball Fuschia. For extra credit, make sure you pick a color that relates to your brand.

A variety of papers bring extra color to this kit.

Vary the stocks or colors to add variety.

If your prints are part of a set, think of that set as a whole to help guide creative decision-making. This stationery set for Haven Triangle is sophisticated and soothing in just two colors. We added softness by using tints of those colors for accent elements in the design, and with a smooth sheet for the certificates and business cards. To add more variety, we chose muted, textured French Paper envelopes for a thoughtful finishing touch.

In these single-color Third Friday flyers, we used creative layout blocking, an illustrated map, and paint splatter shapes to add visual texture without photography.

Skip Expensive Stock Photos

When considering photography, “real” shots of your product, service, team, etc. convey more authenticity and specificity than stock. In cases when “real” isn’t available and stock is needed to supplement designs, we start our search for images on free, no attribution sites like Unsplash or Pexels.

Often, free stock options can feel too sleek or generic. But photography isn’t the only option! Setting type creatively, or adding illustrations, icons, and other graphics, can be just as engaging.

Print in Sets or Kits Whenever Possible

Printing in sets or kits is a wise move for design consistency. But there’s even more value than unifying the look: Unit cost per print goes down when you order in higher quantities. Designing as a suite can also help lower design fees. When we design everything together, there’s less stopping and starting for each individual piece, and in turn it streamlines how much time we spend working.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to print one piece at a time when you print in sets. For example: If you have note cards and business cards that use the same inks and the same sheet, you can run those together as a single print job. In industry terms, this is called gang run printing, and it’s what we’re referring to when you hear us say “gang jobs.” Essentially, it boils down to reducing setup work for the printer by combining projects, which reduces your overall cost.

Let Us Quote Printing for You

Quoting projects through us isn’t just because we want the work—though, we definitely do. Our team has decades of hands-on experience in print, and we know where and how to source materials and processes that will serve your goals best.

And, by being a registered vendor with select printers, we’re able to provide some of the most competitive pricing on the market. That’s something you can’t reliably count on when shopping through direct-to-consumer, online vendors who use full retail markup.

When you work with us, you can feel confident knowing we’ll explore multiple options to deliver the strongest results for your print specs.

Don’t let your print materials get shortchanged by a tight budget. Contact us to find out how we can create engaging designs to help you reach your audience effectively—and affordably.

How to Maximize a Tight Print Budget