In this economy, most people are on a budget, especially those in my age range. I just graduated with my undergrad, but as everyone knows, jobs don't come crawling to you. In fact I have been living at or below the poverty line for some time. There have been times where $25 was the budget me and my husband had for "entertainment" (movies, games, museums, etc.) for the month.
This does NOT mean you cannot collect games though. Here are some ways to collect on a budget. Sure, the games might be a little worn, but playing them is what counts when you need some fun in your life!
1) Go old school: Dust off those older consoles and buy games for them. Remember that the PS2 has the biggest gaming library of any console for example. Search around online for games that were under rated and did not sell well. I cannot tell you how many times I have bought a game for under $5.
2) Price check/compare all the time: While you may think that Ebay and Amazon are going to have the best deals, this is not always the case. Retail chains like GameStop and 2nd and Charles that sell used games are now trying to stay competitive with online retailers. If you see a game you like, pull out your phone and check all the major websites for their prices. In addition to this, retail chains will mark down games even more if they think they are too damaged. Ask to take a look at these super marked down games. There have been countless times where the game was actually fine besides one or two minor scratches that, for some reason, someone thought were major issues.
Here are some quick tips about scratches: If you can run your fingernail across it and it doesn't catch, it usually will not be a problem. Use common sense for these on the underside. Also, remember that scratches on TOP of the disc are the ones that are going to make it unplayable. Often, the underside will be fine, but the staff will miss these marks on the top. It is a good reason to check any disc.
3) Check out local stores, thrift shops, Goodwills, and flea markets/swap meets/bazaars (whatever they are called where you live): You will be surprised at the little treasures you can find on occasion. Sometimes people simply do not know what they have or what they donated to the Goodwill and you can find some rare stuff super super cheap.
4) Don't let a dirty/beat up box deter you: If the box is dirty, they can be cleaned with the right solutions. I will have a blog dedicated to that soon. For now, non-acidic cleaners (water and a little Dove soap) and Goo Gone for the stickers. If the box is beyond repair, but the disc is okay, you can find replacement boxes online (usually) for a couple of dollars, unless it is a super rare game. In that case, go ahead and buy that thing if you find it cheap and screw that ugly box!
5) Keep all receipts: I know this one is common sense, but they are easy to lose. To not do so, keep them inside the box with the game until you play test it. If you don't want to do this, create a folder for them.
Once again, thanks for reading! Next week I will be talking a bit about my experience selling video games and how we were not all just high pressure sales demons. We can actually be quite helpful!
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