There's never been a better time to shop smart and take advantage of a gaming bargain.
Back in March, SuperParent brought you our guide to the best ways to save money when buying games. It was one of our most popular features – who doesn’t like to save a few dollars? – and we heard from lots of readers who had their own frugal gaming tips to share. With that in mind, here are five ways to save even more money!
Get Renting
The best way to save money, of course, is to not buy things in the first place. This is especially relevant to video games, which are expensive to buy new and often end up gathering dust if kids decide they don’t like them, or get stuck. The idea of the neighborhood rental store may sadly be a thing of the past for many of us, but there are still plenty of ways to try-before-you-buy when it comes to the latest games. Don’t forget, Redbox doesn’t just do movies – find your nearest kiosk and you can take home a new game for just $3 a day or 3 nights for $7. And you can reserve a game to pick up from your local Redbox kiosk, ensuring no disappointed faces when you go to pick out the game for the weekend. When you consider that kids may only play a game for a weekend, it’s definitely better to spend seven dollars to find out rather than sixty!
You can also purchase games that have been rented previously at a steep discount. Some kid-friendly titles available to buy are: Lego Worlds, Rocket League, Everybody’s Golf, Micromachines World Series, and Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Subscriber Perks
This is a real case of spending money to save money. Both PlayStation and Xbox now offer free games every month when you sign up to their premium online services – PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold. These games are free to download, and yours to enjoy for as long as you remain a member of the service. There are monthly, six-month, and annual subscription options to choose from. You’re looking at $59.99 for a year of Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus, although you can shop around and find online retailers selling subscription codes for less. Time-limited free trials are also offered regularly. Things worth remembering are that these subscriptions include allowing online play – something to be aware of if you’re not comfortable with your kids gaming online – and there’s also no guarantee that the free games will be child friendly.
Humble Bundle
This online service is a great way to get lots of games cheaply, while also supporting good causes. Put simply, Humble Bundle has regular promotions in which digital games are – yes – bundled together. The lowest tier allows you to pay whatever you want – even just a dollar – in return for a small number of games. Higher tiers will set price bands, such as “more than $15,” for which you’ll get more titles. A portion of the proceeds always go to charity, and these bundles are often put together in conjunction with publishers keen to make use of their back catalog. Humble Bundles are most often applied to PC games, but console bundles are available, too. You have no say over what’s in the bundles, but it’s worth keeping your eye on their deals so when there is one that is perfect for your family, you can swoop in and nab a bargain.
Groupon
You probably clip and save coupons for grocery shopping, so why not do the same for video games? They’re now such a mainstream form of entertainment that sites such as Groupon have entire sections dedicated to the latest money-off codes from all the major gaming retailers, including GameStop and Best Buy. Just a few minutes on Google will turn up dozens of voucher websites that collate and check the best promotions currently available – so make use of them!
Be Patient
Good things come to those who wait, and that’s definitely true when you’re looking to save money. This one is pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people overlook it. These days, the price on blockbuster games drops fast as each week brings newer titles demanding more shelf space and press attention. To make space and keep stock moving, retailers regularly discount games that are barely even a few months old by pretty dramatic margins – and the longer you wait, the more you can save. It’s not unusual to find last year’s biggest games for less than ten bucks brand new, and even more recent releases can be found for half price if you can wait a while. This, of course, depends on your child’s ability to delay that gratification as well, but that’s a pretty useful lesson to learn at any age. Patience is a virtue, after all!
