So here we go, another week with another column.

 

Now that I’ve introduced myself and the reason for the column, let us get in to the meat of the subject shall we?

Tips to be a gamer, on the cheap.

I have a list of things I want to talk about, from how to buy cheap games to getting the most for the money you choose to spend..

First thing I have to talk about, however, is really easy to say but not necessarily the easiest:

I know, that is a simple thing to do. Right? We create a plan of action that handles all our bills and entertainment financing and just follow it as planned. This should include a way to save money as well, so you can have money stored away for that special item or that really harsh time we all have to go through in life.

For me, at least, that is good idea in theory. When I come in to a game shop and see the shiny plastic disks that contain all that gaming goodness, sometimes I buy something.. or somethings..that I really shouldn’t. This has taken a bit to get under control; budgeting your money is the first step to truly having what you really want.

Do you really need that shiny bauble now or can you wait a few months to when you can afford it and it is cheaper?

Think on this for a moment: this is not a cheap hobby and not one you should put in front of your own well being or the well being of your family. If you are single this might not be as obvious. Single, you can live without a few things that you couldn’t live without if you have a wife/husband and spawn. You know, like food. Your kids might not mind living on twinkies, coke, and hohos, but you know that isn’t a good way to raise them.

So make a budget: Live with in your budget and only spend the money you can afford to spend. Gaming is a great hobby and can take you places you would never be able to go otherwise, but it shouldn’t be something you go broke doing.

Here is some help in learning to live on a budget. Go through these and see if any of them strike your fancy. Your local college might have classes on how to live on a budget; check them out and make sure it is with-in your means

Next Week we will get in to the actual mechanics of buying games on the cheap.

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 at 8:46 pm and is filed under Columns, Gamers Pocketbook, Sections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.