Put down the controller

Ever since I was 9, I spent lots of time playing video games.

While I really like playing games, it can be kind of expensive if you go crazy with it.

The new systems now cost $400. I really wouldn't recommend buying a PS4 or Xbox One right now. And the biggest reason why is that there aren't really any good games that are only coming out for the PS4 or Xbox One that isn't already coming out for the PS3 or Xbox 360.

If you want to get these systems, either wait for a price drop or wait until some good games come out that won't come out for the PS3 or Xbox 360.

There is another reason why I would not buy a new gaming system now.
This is just an opinion and it is based on absolutely nothing. But I kind of get the feeling that Microsoft did not learn from the red ring of death with the 360. November of 2014, you might start hearing reports of defects with the Xbox.

After all, I've heard stories about people that bought multiple 360s. If someone had to buy 4 or 5 of them, that could be a thousand dollars spent because of defects.


One thing that I also would not do is buy games as soon as they come out.
For as long as I can remember, highly anticipated new release games always go for about $50 to $60. I remember buying super smash bros for the N64 for $52 when I was 12.

If you bought two new release games a month for a year, that would cost roughly $1200 a year.
$1200 could buy me gas for 8 months.

If you really need new games, try to keep new release down to only a few times a year. From experience, checking prices in Walmart, if you wait a couple of months after a game is released, the game's price will drop from $55 to $30 to $35.

After a year or two , it may drop down to $20.


Speaking of which, if you really want to save money, don't buy the games that you want right now.

Instead, go and buy the games that you wanted to play a few years ago but never did. You can find games dirt cheap that way.

I went into a GameStop a year ago just looking for some cheap games for my PS2.

When I was there, I saw that they were just trying to get rid of those things. I could pick up games for $2 to $10 dollars each.

Off the top of my head, here are 10 PS2 titles that were just amazing.

1. Metal Gear Solid 2
2. Kingdom Hearts
3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Katamari Damacy
6. Silent Hill 2
7. Grand Theft Auto Vice City
8. Guitar Hero 2
9. Shadow of the Colossus
10. Jak and Daxter


The last way to save money on gaming is to shift some time away for it.
Try some activities like running, swimming, hiking, bicycle riding.

Just try one or some of the above. They are enjoyable, and also cheap. But that is for the next post.