If you’ve tried to keep up with the gaming industry lately, you will see that it’s getting more and more expensive. There are new consoles and new games for those consoles as well as new PC games that average $50 each. A gaming console can set you back $200-400 and don’t forget about the accessories that can be from $20-80 each in many cases. This expense doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby of gaming. You can learn to buy video games without breaking the bank.
First, you need to learn to prioritize the games you buy. Not many people can afford these days to buy every game that strikes them as interesting. Instead, make use of the tools that are available to help you choose the right games for you.
· Read online reviews from the top sources in gaming today
· Read user reviews from other gamers to see what they think
· Test the game at your local retailer’s game testing system
· Try to get a beta version or trial download of the game
When you use these tips, you can learn more about the game before you buy it. This prevents wasted money on a game that you turn out not to like. You also want to be careful of buying games from local offline retailers. They will usually have the highest prices, even after advertised discounts. If you do purchase locally, consider pre-owned games and getting a club card from the store you buy from most often. This can often save you a lot, especially if you buy a lot of games.
When you really want to save on your games, consider shopping online for deals. Bid sites like eBay are a great option. Sometimes you will find someone who just wants to unload games that they don’t play anymore and you can get a great deal. You can also find big wholesale buyers who offer great rates on the games you want. When using bid sites, just be sure not to get sucked into a bidding war where you can end up overpaying just because you wanted to ‘win”.
You can also look at Amazon.com for new and pre-owned games. Games that are available for digital download either direct to the console or PC or through a game client such as Steam are often cheaper as well. If you really want to save more money on your video games, just learn to be patient. It’s easy to want to have it right now when you spot a game you think you’re going to love but sometimes waiting only a couple of months can help the price drop dramatically.
Patience also helps you find the really good online deals. This is true with bid sites as well. If you wait, you can get a great deal. A final option for the gamer on a budget is to rent your games instead. Games fall dramatically in price once they have been out for a while so renting instead of buying a new game is often more economical. Then the rental games that you like enough that you think you want to own them you can just search for a deal on.