No matter what version of Windows you are running, there is a simple way to default your printing to black only.  Instead of having to remember to switch to black printing for each application or document, you can simply click on the quick print and your document will print in black.

After Windows 10 and it's new Settings app, it's changed a bit since my earlier video on this. But you can still set the system-wide printer default to greyscale printing. Although the printer still uses a very small amount of color ink, this should save you a bunch on color ink cartridges.

Plus, if you want to print in color, then you just select the printing properties through the program that you are using (Word, Edge, Chrome, etc) and select color. This will save that expensive color print cartridge for those documents that really need it.

These instructions are for HP printers, but I have included screenshots for a couple of Canon printer manuals. They show the proper dialogue box as well. If you have another type of printer like an Epson or a Lexmark, try looking in your manual for the same setting. Just make sure you set it from the settings app and not from an individual program.