That sounds like a lexmark thing as well. They have two types of cartridges, one cheaper but with less ink. Still, at 16 bucks, the lexmark printer I got was less than the cost of the printer.
My expensive printer is laid up because it's USB port went bad. I haven't been able to convince HP that I am competent to replace it yet. It's frustrating, I hate to abandon a good printer that cost me a lot of money, but give me 6 more months and the newer printers will be so much cheaper it won't matter.
Have you gone to the HP web site?
They have step by step maintenance/repair instructions for most of their printers. With color pictures for us dummies.