Hello all!
I am a two-monrh old new notary. It seems that most of you guys have your own printer Is there anyone who doesn’t? Do you share my experience of being frustrated at FedEx trying to print 300 pages on their printer? So many times I have a full hour or more to spare before my appointment. I think I’m good. Then the printers don’t cooperate. They may only print a few pages if at all. File is too big maybe? Then I have to go to customer service. They fool with the printer a bit. Still won’t work. (tick tick tick) I ask them to print for me. They gladly do.
Then they hand me a 300 page stack of 8 1/2 x 11 pages which I KNOW is wrong. Where’s the legal pages? Oh you didn’t say some are legal. They have been shrinked to fit. Noooo. They ask, Do you know which pages are legal? Ummm No! They tell me they have to separate the pages because their printer doesn’t have the Auto setting that the Self-serve printers do. What? Isn’t this FedEx? Super printer place? Then I have to scroll through 150 pages (on my tiny smart phone screen) and write down the legal page numbers to print (tick tick tick). They print the legal separately and I finally have my docs. THEN I must go through each 150 pages and replace the “fit to page” legal with the correct legal. Of course I’ve already called client telling them I’ll be late. I know I know. I need my own printer. Has anyone else been through this same hair-pulling-out scenario?
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Short answer - no - when I started my business I bought the equipment I needed to run it - and that’s what you need to do.
I’m sorry to say this but you should not be using FedEx or any other commercial site to pint - some of those machines have memory built in - so by printing there they now have a copy of the entire package. Plus the cost? How in the world do you get paid sufficiently to reimburse you for that.
You’re in the business - buy the equipment you need - even if you have to buy off e-bay to start with (which I did - worked like a charm) - buy a printer (preferably two trays) - buy a scanner - or buy an all in one. But how do you market yourself ready to do a job you’re not equipped to do!!
The above story you just recited to us should be all the answer you need as to what you need to do…
Good luck
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Great advice ! I learned a hard lesson yesterday. I had to respectfully decline to do a sellers package all because I didn’t have a printer and refuse to go to staples or FedEx to print. How I’m spending money to make money that I won’t see because it went to printing. Absolutely not! Although I need the experience I opted to buy my own printer saves money and time.
This is a competitive business which requires you to have all the tools needed to do your job diligently.
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Agree with Linda… first thing you need to do is to invest in a decent dual trays printer. You can search here, there are plenty of topics about equipments, LASER printer always and good scanner. You should start your business with that in hand, if not is a big NO NO NO! You can’t go out to public places to print sensitive material documents and to put the cherry 
to your ice cream 
I don’t even want to imagine how much you were charged.
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I got my first printer from Amazon, Brother Monochrome Laser Printer, Compact Multifunction Printer and Copier, DCPL2550DW, for starters is okay and doesn’t break your budget, but for this kind of heavy printing you’ll need something more reliable, with separate functions.
I’m thinking in a Lexmark dual tray, just printer, because I learned that those multi functions fail in one function, I couldn’t rely on this brother scanner. I bought my self a Fujitsu scanner. Since business is doing good I’m planning on buying the Lexmark printer before year ends, that way I can have it tax deductible
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My first laser printer wasn’t dual tray, but it was better than nothing and I got it for only $45 on FB Marketplace (HP). And, I bought comparable toner ink from Amazon $20 for 3000 pages. A PDF sorter app allows you to print Legal & Letter sized paper and keeps track of what order they were in originally. Visit rotarynotary.com, they have a free PDF sorter.
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Thank you all for responding. I get the theme of the answers. OWN PRINTER. I actually thought it was okay to use the fedex office. Even though it was a hassle. I know better now. I was up last night looking for printers, checking what other notaries recommend, etc. Brother printer seems to be what most like. Regards.
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Yes, you’re right about that. I also had to decline an appointment (8:00pm) because the fedex near me was closed. I had no way to print.
Thanks for the help. I checked out the printer you mentioned the HLL5200DW. I was surprised to see it was under $200. It was $183 on office depot website. I can handle that.
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LindaH,
Thanks for response and comment. I needed to hear it. Regards.
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You’re more than welcome! We’re here to help each other 
and d remember, whenever you can afford try to get a dual tray printer only. With this brother you have to scan a little bit at a time, no more than 25-40 pages, if not is going to jam and is very slow scanning. But the printer is fantastic to start, also you’ll have to choose letter or legal since is not a dual tray.
Hi @mobilenotarygreat- Also when you go to NotaryRotary, if you are a premium member, they have an area called page sorter. Definitely use that because it sorts the legal and letter correctly and takes that stress out of that one area of the job. I am new too.
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Of course you all were right so I just bought a printer online a few minutes ago. I bought a Brother HLL6200DW. It is dual tray as you recommended. It’s not even here yet and I’m excited. I’ve been paying about $38 to print 250 pages at FedEx which is like one refinance appointment. 2 copies of 125 page document = 250. I see my new printer prints 8,000 pages per each $100 toner cartridge. I about fell over. I should have been done this. Oh well. Live and learn. Thank you Notary Cafe.
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Try to look for a printer on sites like offer up… I actually found a Brother 5200 with dual tray…
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Good for you! I’m sure you’ll be much happier- one little tip to remember…
Check what the monthly duty cycle is on the printer - that’s the maximum number of pages it will print at maximum performance - if your business gets to where you’re exceeding that amount on a steady basis, it’s time to upgrade. 
Best of Luck to you!
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Hopefully you kept all of your Fedex receipts so you can claim them as expenses on your taxes. I buy generic toner on Amazon $20 for 3000 pages.
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@mobilenotarygreat Sorry you had a bad experience today with printing. Now that your ordered your printer I’m sure things will run smoother.
I am a newbie also. I completed my second signing today.
I do have a question for the feed. It may sound silly. Thankfully I haven’t had any signings that required legal and letter…
My question is with the dual tray printer does it automatically print both or do you have to set up something when you print to have the docs print letter and legal? Any assistance is appreciated.
Thanks
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That was one thing the instructor said over and over get a good printer one with 2 trays. I have the good printer just ordered the 2nd tray for it. Good luck
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If I have to print in the go I go to Office Depot and they have the option to print auto fit to size, legal and letter. They will gladly print for you as well. They are open later than Fed Ex.
