Gaming on a Budget
Most people reckon that video gaming is expensive, and it can be. However, if you are a gamer and want to become financially independent, it definitely is possible without letting go of your beloved hobby.
Since we are fairly new to the world of console gaming (3 years+ and counting), and we have put in a fair amount of money buying games and consoles while simultaneously seeking Financial Independence, we thought this little guide may help based on our personal experience.
In theory, if you follow these small tips, this may lower your entertainment costs on the long run, and the cost of playing the game and being entertained will be quite minimal too. Plus the fact you’re in the comfort of your own home on your console means you’re not really going outside and spending or eating out!
It may get frustrating if you read and follow mainstream FI blogs and try to replicate what they preach but you don’t want to change your current lifestyle.. after all, that is your one hobby that you indulge in!
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This may not be ideal for hardcore gamers but if you want to get a console cheaper than buying brand new, you can scout Craigslist, eBay, or your local community websites on Facebook or Nextdoor to buy pre-owned consoles. We did this ourselves when we bought our Wii. It was an older console but the couple who used to own it just played it a few times.
We bought it from a neighboring community, from a website called Nextdoor, so it was definitely a good deal. We also look for used consoles from Craigslist but buyer beware, you have to be comfortable with buying used and did your own research.
On two Black Fridays, we managed to get XBox 360s from Gamestop for the cost of taxes. Gamestop had a crazy deal where you can buy a refurbished XBox 360 online or in-store and you’ll get a Visa gift card equivalent to the amount of the console (after the rebate). We have so many XBox 360s for cheap, thanks to this deal!
Say you want a new console instead of a used or refurbished one like we mentioned in the point above. Don’t fear, there are ways to save on new consoles and that is, to buy the older models!
Before you start to complain and say, it’s not the same, why would you want to buy a more expensive PS4 Pro when you can settle for a PS4 Slim? They play the same games, but it’s just the graphics that makes it different.
I wouldn’t recommend buying an XBox 1 X as soon as it is released, when you can get the Xbox 1 S for half the price. It is a small price to pay for helping you become more FI, without letting go of your hobby!
Nintendo, however, is a bit of an outlier. We normally buy Nintendo consoles brand new. Nintendo is not often known for releasing consoles every few years, so when one comes out, we’re usually one of the first to get it. Except for the Wii U – we never owned this console.
Buy these older models during Black Friday. If looking specifically for Playstation, once a year, Playstation does a Days of Play sale where one can get limited edition consoles for cheaper. We bought our XBox One S with the Star Wars digital game for $150 before taxes by stacking coupons during Black Friday!
Every week, Gamestop has weekly sales. There’s also bigger sales that happen a couple of times a year called Pro Day, but one needs to be a Gamestop Pro member (more on that below). Aside from that, the digital stores of Microsoft, Playstation and Nintendo also have rotating deals. Certain games go on sale, so one does not have to pay full price for games.
With plays.org, one can play online video games for free. In fact, there is no need to download any plug-ins, applications, or tools that you’ll need to launch the game. All you need is your computer and an internet connection.
I tried the site out myself and played the Parade Pranks game, which has a Tom and Jerry theme but does not really feature the characters in there. It feels like “Snake” (for those of you old enough to remember the blocky game that came free with Nokia analog phones in the ’90s), where all you need to use is the keyboard arrows to manipulate the characters.
It’s so simple and it reminds me a lot of my school days when I would just need a not-so-powerful handheld game or a computer to play games to release stress from studying or from other stressful situations in your life (like work or your personal life). Some games do take their time loading, like the Powerpuff Girls Beat ‘Em Up Game. This game was actually branded, and one can play either Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup in trying to beat up aliens.
You use your mouse to defend yourself or to attack, and there are prompts on the screen to help you in attacking or defending. However, if your mouse is a bit sensitive, your screen may move from top to bottom or side to side and you won’t be able to see everything.
Up to you guys on which games you prefer to play, they do have a review system in place on the site to check which games have been reviewed as good or not, and you can also leave a review for others to read too!
For $15/$20 a year – depends if you want the digital or physical copies of Game Informer shipped to your house, one can be a Pro member of Gamestop.
This only works for physical games, but we are big fans of buying pre-owned games. We buy them on a discount through Gamestop, Amazon Warehouse, or other websites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, and play our games.
As long as the discs or cartridges are working and the DLCs are free and wil be downloaded as soon as we put in the disc, we have no problems with used items. This also works hand in hand with our next tip below – once we’re done with the games, we can just trade them in.
Some retailers like Gamestop and Gamefly also have deals on used games, additional discounts on certain games, price points or bundles that will help you save more.
Additionally, Gamestop also converts some new games which are not selling as well into pre-owned stock. They just take the plastic off the game and put a pre-owned sticker on them.
Trading physical games in can get pretty profitable if you know what you are doing. Without revealing too much on the inner workings, there are some games that you can buy on sale and trade them in higher for credit at specific stores. Those credits can then be used to buy gift cards, other video games, or collectibles. You can also use those credits to score games that you will then turn around and trade in again.
Think of it like buying low and selling high, much like other companies do (think Walmart, Amazon, Target).
If you do not want to dabble with this, you can always trade the games that you’re done playing with to Gamestop or Amazon. You will make some of the money back that you used to pay for the game in the first place, and you won’t have to pay full price for the new game you’re trading it in.
Plenty of retailers sell video games, from GameStop, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon! There’s also the digital game retailers too. Always price check and compare against various retailers to make sure you have the best deal when it comes to the games, consoles, or collectibles you’re buying.
During Black Friday, certain retailers might put the same game at different prices. It may be worth your time doing research in advance to see which retailer has the cheapest price.
Alternatively, some retailers also allow price-matching with their competitors, so if a brand new game is on sale with one retailer, you can get a price match at another one that’s more convenient for you to access.
It is easier to spend money than to save money, and if you have a hobby that can get as expensive as gaming, well, one has to accept that you may not be as frugal as the other FI folk out there and that’s OK.
Every person has their own hobbies and interests, and with the pandemic, my husband is coping more by playing video games in lieu of traveling. After all, video games take us to different worlds that may be different from her own.
Are you a gamer who also wants to pursue financial independence? Did we miss anything in our tips above? Fee free to share them below.
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