Thrifty Tips pt.2

Now then, if we're serious about saving a few quid, it's time to talk about the top secret equipment that all penthusiasts keep hidden in the scriptorium. A laser-guided nib-waxing Buffermatic 5000? A steam-powered semi-automatic Tomoe press with bespoke brass embonpoints? A rare and much sought-after decommissioned Moldovan Hussar's pencil cutlass? No - nothing quite so exotic. Just a syringe and a needle.

Stationery collecting may be a touch addictive, but you'd be forgiven for thinking that mainlining the stuff is going a bit far. Fortunately, the only thing we're encouraging you to inject is ink - into a cartridge.

Standard small international cartridges, you see, often represent terrible value for money - and the choice of inks available is much more restricted too. Buy a bottle of ink and syringe some into an empty cartridge and you can pick any colour you like the look of, and an 80ml bottle of Diamine will fill it a hundred times. 

Oh, and just for maximum smugness this sort of economy saves you from throwing away lots of plastic, too. 'Time for a word with the local pharmacist?