Need small color printer for occasional use: how do I not get ripped off w/ink cartridge scam?

There are packs with bottles of ink a syringes - get exam gloves (sold separately). If you can find the fill hole, very, very, very slowly inject the ink and cover hole with masking tape.
If you try to inject the ink the way a medical injection is given, you will have a facefull of ink.

Find someplace which carries “refurb” printers - for $30, I can teach the computer a new printer (or, just buy 5 at a time).

I used to get 5 refills on a cart (back when printers were expensive, and ink was (relatively) cheap. The printer makers are onto the refill schemem and are enginering the carts to fail after 2-3 refills.