How do you afford your games?

[Strixvaliano]

Steam / GOG sales are the way for me. I don't really have any urge to rush out and buy new especially since most games with new retail price are either disappointing and there is a whole library of cheaper better games on services like GOG and Steam.

The last game I paid full price for was Portal 2 and I thought it was worth every penny.

 

[Mark Flanagan]

Budgeting. I know that in September I want to get Dead Island and Space Marine in addition to Deus EX in August. Realistically Deus Ex will be a birthday gift (Its mine this Sunday) and I'll pick up Space Marine in September. This leaves me Dead Island/Batman AC for October and then Skyrim/BF3 for November and I'll pick up Saints Row at Christmas.

Thats the plan anyway but it depends on work, If its good I have more money for luxury items if not budgeting as above.

 

[Skoldpadda]

I loot money from the dead people I find on my way to work.

 

[Vonnis]

I don't buy that many games, and it's very rare for me to buy a game on release date so I normally don't pay full price anyway.

 

[quantum mechanic]

Steam sales.

 

[thejayk]

I have a job that gets me money I should spend on food or gas but hey who needs that stuff right?

 

[bjj hero]

I have a job...

 

[Llil]

I don't buy right after release, I wait for the price to drop. I rarely pay more than 20? for a videogame, and I don't really buy that many games anyway.

I also play board games, and they don't get cheaper as time goes by, they get more expensive. I constantly have to make difficult decisions between board games and video games.

 

[No_Remainders]

I save up money from doing jobs around the house and stuff.

Seems to work for me.

 

[Sir Rammington Steel]

Still burning through my social security cash so I've got that. When that runs out, well I hope that I'll be out of school and have a job by then.

 

[Radeonx]

My income is good enough where I have around $100 per month to spend, so that's where it comes from.
My job has great benefits, though, and they hooked me up with a cheap place to live as well. Once my loans get paid off, I'll have waay more money to spend on random shit.

 

[C117]

Most of the time I buy games that are either on sale, or just plain cheap. I rarely buy a game on launch day, but sometimes I do preorder games, if the deal seems reasonable (like when you preordered Painkiller: Resurrection, you also got Painkiller: Black Edition and Painkiller: Overdose).

 

[Gigano]

By not buying all that many games.

And since Scandinavian pricing on games is quite outrageous - I imported Catherine from the US, and it was still cheaper than buying a new game here - I usually import from web shops based in England, which cuts 30 % off the latest releases, and often significantly more on older games.

 

[RAMBO22]

Having a job (even the shitty pizza delivery job I've attained) will abet your addiction. Oh, and saving money helps too. Really the best advice is that given by many preceding posters: to buy games when their price drops to about 30 US dollars.

And remember America, you can always save money too! Not every penny (and more) needs to be spent on shit you don't need and can't afford!

 

[Alphakirby]

I save my money up,one time I saved up a lot of money to get Catherine Love is Over edition so I had like 100 dollars,and around this time a Steam sale was going on. Long story short,I got lots of fucking games because I wanted to get a certain game,lucky me.

Also coming off of experience from the beta of it,Deus Ex Human Revolution is really good,if I get the money I'll buy it to support the developers,but as of now I'm playing the beta like it's a demo (I hear it's only 1/4 of the full game!) I sure hope the full version supports my save file though.

 

[werty10089]

Just to add one thing,I do have a job. And to Meatramen, that is crazy!

Yes it is. I actually die a little inside when I see how good americans have it when it comes to the gaming cost, and for that matter, a lot of other things, like gas for your car. Okey I do not know the current situation in USA or any other country but today, Sweden pays maybe 2 dollars for 1 litre of Diesel, if I am not mistaken americans buy gas in gallons, so just for reference 1 US gallon = 3.78541178 litre.

Yeah, but food and education are MUCH cheaper in Sweden. Sweden is actually one of the best places to live in the world! Your games cost more because of shipping, higher wages, market prices, ect.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I'm probably going to regret this, but here's an honest answer:

I work about thirty hours a week and make $11 an hour. I have one credit card that I use solely for gas and pay off each month, which is normally about $65-$70. My rent is $300. That leaves pretty much a paycheck and a half to buy games. Sounds awesome, right?
Sadly, I graduated college just as the U.S. economy took a nose dive, so instead of striking out on my own, I still live with my parents and don't have to worry about paying for every-day things (food, water, power, insurance). On top of that, I don't have a girlfriend so I don't end up spending money on her either--which is something I totally did when I DID have a girlfriend. Two of my friends are now married and have their own places. They're jealous because, starting in September, games are going to be flooding the market and I can buy pretty much whatever ones I want, when I want.
I'm jealous because they have a life. Grass is always greener I suppose.

 

[Chaos Marine]

I put fifty euros into a secondary bank account every month. It's a small, reasonable sum and since I don't buy games every month and PC games are so cheap in comparison to consoles, it works out quite well for me.

 

[Chaos Marine]

I put fifty euros into a secondary bank account every month. It's a small, reasonable sum and since I don't buy games every month and PC games are so cheap in comparison to consoles, it works out quite well for me.