Video gaming isn’t the cheapest past time. You pay hundreds of dollars for a gaming console (or thousands if you want to buy a powerful gaming PC) and AT LEAST $50-$60 for every new game you get.
If you are a thrifty video gamer you don’t have to worry, though, because there are some really great ways to save money as a gamer on a budget. Here are my tips for being a thrifty gamer!
Buy Used or Vintage Games
The greatest video game franchises from The Legend of Zelda to Lara Croft: Tomb Raider to Super Mario and Final Fantasy have decades of great video games to play. You need to look no further than a garage sale or a used video game store to find one of thousands of great games you can find at prices that are much cheaper than games that just came out recently.
In the tech world it can be very easy to fall prey to the traps of consumerism that tell you that YOU MUST have the latest and greatest gadget or else it’s completely pointless and obsolete. This is an area that can take some self-control as you learn to resist the lull of a consumer-driven society. Remember that just because something is new that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better. There are many people that rush out to buy gaming consoles or video games the first week they come out only to discover that their purchase was a dud.
Consider a Subscription Service
The entertainment world is going through massive disruption now as people shift towards using streaming services as their primary means of consuming media. It’s not just services like Netflix or Hulu that are streaming, it’s also video game companies, too. Playstation Now has a service that gives you access to hundreds of games for $20/month. You don’t even need a video game console- you can use a Sony Blu-Ray player with a Playstation controller.
Even thought Playstation Now only has last-generation games it offers a really good value if you are someone that is used to spending money each month on video games. It’s kind of a waste to dish out $60 on a video game if you only play through it once and then give it up. This gives you the opportunity to just pay $20 and get access to HUNDREDS of games. There are more subscription services for video games like PS Now on the horizon so be on the lookout for things to come.
Download Less Expensive Indie Games
The games from the major publishers definitely get the most attention, but there are some really awesome games available to download from indie publishers too. These games may not be as expensive but it’s amazing to see the creative gameplay that the inventive minds behind the likes of Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac, Braid, and World of Goo have come up with..
Purchase a Humble Software Bundle
Humble is an awesome service which offers software bundles in a pick-your-price model where you get to choose exactly how much of your money goes to Humble and how much goes to a charity of your choice. Every month you can get software for as little as $1.
They also offer a monthly subscription service for $12/month where you get a curated bundle of games (worth over $100) each month. 5% of your monthly subscription fee will go to charity as well. Check it out here
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