by Aspire2Be

Created on: March 04, 2011

Gaming today adds up real fast. It is no longer a matter of spending a few quarters to continue a game in the arcade and it hasn't been that way for quite some time. Keeping up with the hobby is just getting more and more expensive. With consoles running in the multi-hundreds and new releases being $50-$60 each a year's worth of game playing can be quite costly and damaging to the budget.

There are, however, a few practical ways to save money on gaming that just about anyone can employ.

1. Goozex. Despite the odd name Goozex is an amazing, risk free game trading service that is almost completely peer to peer. Goozex.com assigns fluctuating point values to a huge library of games that reflects the current market value for those titles. Users earn those points by shipping out their offered games to other Goozex users. The points can then be used to purchase desired games from others. It is a safe, effective, and only costs $1 per game request. For gamers disinterested in collecting this is a must use service!

2. Gamefly and similiar rental services are a cost effective way to play through multiple titles for multiple platforms. For $15 a month subscribers can rent as many games as they want, one at a time, and keep them for as long as desired. A single game of quality can cost anywhere between $20 and $60. Gamefly allows numerous games to be played, beaten, and re-beaten for far less than the cost of a new release without the rush or late fees of standard rental services. Definitely the way to go on a budget.

3. Buy used. Buy from trusted sellers on Ebay, Amazon, and hit up Gamestop every so often. Used games can be a bargain compared to the full price of a new game. While there is some risk in buying used more often than not trusted sellers and Gamestop will come through with quality products.

4. Be patient. Wait for the Holidays and sales. PC gaming services, namely Steam, have huge Christmas sales. Big name games, including newer releases, sometimes get their prices cut in half. It is likely the console stores have big sales as well during the holidays. iPhone and iPad gamers can get their fix off iTunes right around Christmas and New Years with prices being slashed over 50% on some titles. Steam also has midweek and weekend sales to be benefited from by PC gamers.   

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