How I game on a budget

I absolutely love gaming. I’ve loved it for many, many years and with time game prices have gone up, sometimes to a ridiculous level. R700 for a game is just way beyond what I’m willing to spend. I’m not one to spend lots of cash on entertainment and it just so happens that most of us are feeling the Credit Crunch so there really is no better time to keep my pocket on lock.

Here’s a list of how I still manage to play lots of titles on a budget:

1. Buy on sale. I’m a woman so “Sale” signs immediately ring bells in my mind and I have to look at what I can get cheap, cheap. Ok it’s a terrible generalisation but the fact remains that I’m a bargain hunter (usually for games!). Non-specialist stores are usually the cheapest when they want to get rid of stock. The Xbox Live Marketplace often has good specials but I have yet to buy MSP (Microsoft Points), especially with the deathly exchange rate.
2. Game trading through a retailer. I’ve traded games with complete strangers before and it’s worked out ok but it has safety risks, being Jo’burg and all. Retailers such as Budget Technologies and Zaps eliminate that problem as well as provide you with peace of mind that the game will definitely work and isn’t fake. They also have a great selection of AAA titles. Of course it may cost a little more than what your mate or some guy on the internet would offer but it’s my most preferred option right now.
3. Trade with a friend/group of friends. For me this is by far the cheapest option. I buy great pre-played titles from a retailer which I play, finish (I always finish games!) and use to trade with a friend. Of course friends aren’t always that keen on returning your stuff nor find it important to not scratch or lose your discs. Hasn’t happened to me yet but I think it’s fair that they replace it, no?
4. Only buy good titles. Before I buy any game I do a quick search on Gamespot.com and sometimes IGN (if I have patience to click past those annoying ads!). Even at a sale I fire up my Opera Mini and look for at least 3 reviews. Buying bad titles (like Saints Row I – ghastly!) not only means that I feel like making it meet the wall fast but it also means that I can either not trade it in at all because the store already has a zillion copies or that I get a bad trade-in rate.

If you have any more suggestions I’d be glad to know them. I’ve recently started reading the Budgetgamer blog which is useful if you want to know this kinda stuff.