Have you ever found it to be cheaper (or at least the same price) to buy a whole new printer instead of just the ink refill?

Yes - but remember, the cartridges you get with a new printer are NOT full - they are normally about 1/3 full. So you will not be saving money by buying a new printer, since you will have to do so three times as often.

I bought a Printer/Scanner/Copier earlier this year for just a couple of pounds more than I had paid for a black ink cartridge a couple of months earlier.

I've almost always found it cheaper to buy a new printer than to buy refills. The comparison seems to level out when you move up to 3-in-1s or better, though.

In my case, yes.

Went out to buy new ink cartridges for my old printer.

Decided to stop at Goodwill just to look around.

Located a practically new Hewlett Packard Office Jet K80xi. it was loaded with many extras and barely used. plugged it in and it worked perfectly.

Price was $6.99 and thats without my senior discount.

Took it home and the printer fit my computer and location like new.

Not bad for $6.99

And, heres the best part.....new ink cartridges were in the printer!!!!

Boy, did i get lucky or what?

Yes. Makes no damn sense.

No. Buy the printers with separate colors.

I suppose it's all part of the "scam" certain printer manufacturers run; give you the printer but sell you the refill ink.