by Tamara Brown

Created on: March 30, 2009

Some people think that video game consoles are expensive, but it is really the games that end up costing you the most. For example, the Wii is selling for $250, but with many games selling for $50, you will have exceeded the cost of the console after only five games. Here are some ways to save money on video games, without sacrificing fun.

Rent

Gamefly is to video games as Netflix is to movies. For a set fee of $15.95- $22.95 you can rent one or two video games at a time. They are delivered to your mailbox and there are no late fees. You can get a free one month trial if you are a new user. You can use this service one of two ways. One is to just rent games and never buy any. This is actually great way to save money on video games if you love to play all the newest games but tend to get tired of them fairly soon. Another idea is to just use it for the trial month and try out all the games that you are thinking about buying. This way you avoid spending your hard earned money on games you don't like or that have no replay value. Avoid renting games from brick and mortar stores like Blockbuster where it can cost $7 or more to rent a game for a week or less.

Trade

One way to save money is to trade games with your friends. If this doesn't get you the games you want try Swaptree. The idea behind this site is similar to trading your games with your friends, but on a much larger scale. You list the game that you would like to trade, and using a special algorithm the site lets you know what you can get in return. There is no cost other than the cost of shipping. The site is very user friendly and usually gives you a lot of options for your trade. I put in Tiger Woods Golf for the Wii and it listed over a hundred different video games from all the major consoles that I could get in return.

Download

Each of the main consoles, the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 have downloadable games that are very reasonably priced. They range from classic games that may remind many gamers of their childhood, to brand new video games made specifically for that console. Prices are usually anywhere from $5 to $20.

Wait

Madden, NFL, NBA, and MLB games all come out with a new version every year. Stay one year behind. The games will be about half price and you will still get a new game every year. Of course, you can buy lots of other games used as well. The older the game, the better the deal you will get on it. Be aware, however, that some of the most popular games will only be discounted $5 to $10. For example Pokemon DS and GBA games are rarely sold at a low price.

Replay

Games like Oblivion, Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 have a lot of replay value. That means that even when you have finished the main objective, there are side missions, group online play or some sort of world left to explore. The more often you will go back to game, the more value you will get from it. You also won't need to get as many new games if you are still playing your old ones.

At $50 or $60 a game, brand new video games are very expensive. However, with a little patience and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can save money on video games. Just rent, trade, download, wait or replay and you can get a lot more game for your buck.

Learn more about this author, Tamara Brown.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.