If you're like most people you've heard that your can get pictures printed online for 12 cents per picture. On top of that, many online photo printers offer free shipping (or 99 cent shipping) as well!

If these offers seem to good to be true, let me explain.

If the world of walk-in stores, you have limited options. You'll either go to the warehouse store, the drug store or your local camera store to print your pictures. Then you'll pay 18-24 cents per picture and have to wait a day to pick up your prints.

With online printers, you have the option of choosing between hundreds of high quality companies that all offer the same thing, quality digital picture prints and inexpensive prices. This prices, when printing a decent amount of photos can really add up to great savings. Since there is so much competition, each printer lowers their prices and offers specials like discounted shipping in an effort to get your business.

If you want to save money on your digital prints, check out these 3 money saving tips.

1. Shop online.
There are so many companies online that offer great prints, and the competition is so fierce that you're bound to save money with just about any of them.

2. Find a recommendation.
After buying digital prints from about 5 different companies I've finally found one that I really like. The pictures are crisp and the colors are perfect, just like I see on my screen before I have them printed.

3. Buy extra prints.
Since shipping is a fixed cost, you should always print a few extra pictures, at 12-14 cents per picture, you can afford to print an extra 5 pictures so you don't have to pay another 99 cents for shipping in two weeks when you realize you should have ordered more prints.