Three ways to save big on video games

You can get a lot more bang for your gaming buck by renting from a service like GameFly.

(Credit: GameFly)

Video games are an expensive hobby. A typical new release for a console like the PlayStation or Xbox costs about $60. That might not seem like a lot relative to the number of hours of entertainment you can reasonably expect from a game, but it's still a pretty big chunk of change.

For example, when LEGO Star Wars III and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean came out last year, they were priced at $49.99 apiece. My kids desperately wanted both.

Sorry, kiddos, but in my day we dropped a quarter in a slot and liked it. No way am I paying 50 bucks each for a pair of video games.

Fortunately, I don't have to -- and neither do you. I've learned some simple tricks of the cheap-gaming trade, and I hereby pass them on to anyone else who blanches at the thought of spending $50-60 per game.

1. Try Before You Buy

Not every game is as great as it looks. (Exhibit A: Prototype 2.) And when you come to the realization that you've just wasted a big chunk of hard-earned cash on a disappointing game, that's some serious buyer's remorse.

To avoid this kind of thing, try before you buy: download th... [Read more]



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