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Teen boy playing video games

The Gamer's Guide to Saving

We all have our hobbies, and some are more expensive than others—that’s something gamers know for a fact. I love video games as much as the next guy, but I’m also a notorious deal-hunter. For those of similar mind (and budget), here’s some advice from one cheapskate gamer to another.

Buy refurbished consoles.

Want the newest console without the premium price? Look around for a refurbished model. You can often find them on the official websites for pretty good prices. The Nintendo WiiU, for example, is selling for one hundred less than the retail price of a new system. Special edition consoles pop up from time to time, and they’re also sold at a lower price.

While you can always buy used consoles from brick-and-mortar retailers, you’ll have to pay extra for a protection plan. Like-new refurbs sold on the official company website are covered with the same warrantee as the brand new console. Your chances of receiving a defective console are extremely thin, but if that ever happened, you’d be able to have your console repaired or replaced free of charge.

Buy digital copies.

I’ll be honest; it hasn’t been easy for me to switch to digital downloads, especially for my favorite franchises. I love having a shelf solely dedicated to my collection. If you can’t totally part ways with buying physical copies of your games, pledge to only buy hard copies for a series you’ve sworn your loyalty to.

Downloading games from any of the Big Three’s e-shops is more than convenient. They also run sales more often than big retailers—save for Amazon, where you can find an awesome deal, especially if you are a Prime member.

For the love of your credit score, stay away from game-retailer credit cards.

This isn’t so much a penny-pinching tip as it is personal finance advice. The interest rates are ridiculous; best case scenario, you’re getting a 26.99% rate from the GameStop PowerUp rewards card. You’d be better off signing up for a card that charges half of that rate and offers Amazon credit. Use those rewards for discounted games.

Don’t buy your subscription memberships directly from Microsoft/Sony.

You can find much better deals on your Xbox Live or Playstation Plus subscription from online retailers. As always, check out Amazon, but don’t let your search stop there if the discount isn’t very impressive (prices vary by the seller). CDKeys sells Xbox Live 12 month subscription cards for around 40% off the $60 retail price.

Don’t pay for PC games.

If you’re new to PC gaming, then you might now know about Steam’s annual summer sale. You can find popular titles at unbelievable prices, so start building your wishlist. Whenever they’re on sale, you’ll be instantly notified so you won’t miss out.  You should also take a look at CheapShark and SteamExchange before you pay full price on a game. Signing up for SteamExchange is completely free and you won’t regret registering. Members can trade download codes for coveted games.

CheapShark aggregates the best deals on PC games on the web. Many of the titles are marked down over 50%, and although many of the super cheap games are either older or by indie developers, you can snag nicely discounted copies of newer games as well. For example, you can download Dragon Age Inquisition for twenty dollars off the retail price. And just so you know you aren’t getting ripped off, CheapShark provides a title’s Meta Critic rating alongside their own “deal rating” (a measurement of how much bang you’re getting for your buck).

Trade in towards new titles.

I’m a little bit of a hoarder, and that’s especially true when it comes to my game collection. However, those dusty old cartridges and disks can cover the cost of new titles. If you decide to trade video games at a national retailer, you should opt for store credit over cash to get the bigger return. You might find better trade-in rates at a local video game retailer, but for ultra rare games, your best bet is auctioning online. That doesn’t mean trading in video games is a complete waste; throughout the year, retailers like Gamestop offer special trade-in events, where you’ll receive twice as much in-store credit for your trades. Take advantage of these promotions when you’re looking at a new console!

Be patient!

Patience is a virtue. A much-underappreciated virtue. It’s hard enough to wait for an upcoming release, but unless you absolutely need to buy the limited edition at midnight—which is understandable for your favorite franchise or items that won’t be restocked—you should hold off on immediate purchases. This goes for DLC as well. Read reviews from players and industry writers alike before buying. In some cases, you’ll find that your patience pays off. Some titles will undergo notable markdowns after only a couple months on the shelves.

Last Updated: September 10, 2015