Cheap Ass Budget

[punqsux]

due to my crazy video game spendings, ive decided to force myself to budget my money since i really do need $ for photo supplies and much more important stuff. i decided 30$ per paycheck (bi-weekly) should be enough to still get some games while not going over board

does anyone else have this problem?

[CaseyRyback]

due to my crazy video game spendings, ive decided to force myself to budget my money since i really do need $ for photo supplies and much more important stuff. i decided 30$ per paycheck (bi-weekly) should be enough to still get some games while not going over board

does anyone else have this problem?

yes I do. I made a new year's resolution not to buy games. Mainly I have stuck to it. Due to this I have doe extensive trading and only bought things with money I get from selling stuff.

However if I see something rare or its something I really want I break down and buy it.

[SneakyPenguin]

ive been forced to budget. first, my parents arent letting me buy any games until may 20, under the claim that i have too many (the heresy!). but ive also decided to not buy anything unil june 7, saving up for that new gbasp and the zelda cart. normally though, i do try to budget, but i only buy old cheap games. cant remember the last time i spent 50 on a game.

[punqsux]

usually i stick to cheap games too, but im cursed with finding amazing deals all the time!

at the block buster buy 2 get 1 deal heres what i got for 40$

thug
pirates: legend of black cat
risk for ps2
guilty gear XX
identity on dvd
willard on dvd

i mean i know those are great deals but that was 40 bucks!!!!!!!

[CaseyRyback]

usually i stick to cheap games too, but im cursed with finding amazing deals all the time!

at the block buster buy 2 get 1 deal heres what i got for 40$

thug
pirates: legend of black cat
risk for ps2
guilty gear XX
identity on dvd
willard on dvd

i mean i know those are great deals but that was 40 bucks!!!!!!!

you think thats bad? I spent 40 just in shipping last week

[punqsux]

haha added onto that i bought diablo 2 $5 a joystick that attaches to the psone $7 and a new cd binder (not a game, but game related) $18

[tyecko]

man i run into this problem every week, its hard to buy games only on allowance or pawn money

[SneakyPenguin]

i used to buy like crazy
2300 for a new pc
200 on a controller (x-arcade)
any system id find
5 games in one day

add to that the fact that time = money, and well into the whole here on this damn habit

[punqsux]

wow must be a nice pc..mine was 500 and that included a 17" monitor...yeah u can only imagine the specs >.<

[MorganWebbLover]

due to my crazy video game spendings, ive decided to force myself to budget my money .


Good Luck man I wish you the best I've been trying to do the same thing but with very little luck .

[punqsux]

thanks! im hoping common sence helps alot

and the fact that i have tons of games ive havent played, let alone beaten

[Mr. Anderson]

I dont' have to budget, because I barely have any money anyway. I just spend whatever I get.

[XboxMaster]

I dont' have to budget, because I barely have any money anyway. I just spend whatever I get.

That's exactly how I'm like. I know $10 a week is already generous, but I do spend it quick and wish I had more (generous for allowance I mean). But I haven't spent any money since XI, I'm not saying that it's "so addicting", I just haven't had the need. My Mom said I can't buy anything for awhile because of the subscription charges. But I spent $60 of my B-day money on XI (I traded in my broken PS2 for $40 credit). B-day money=$150. So $90 of it is going to the subscription fees which should last me long enough till I have to think of something to pay for them. So, I still have my normal allowance, which is just stacking up :D . When I do start buying games, I'm gonna start with a bang. 'Cause I'll have atleast $50 saved up, hello new game :D .

[daphatty]

Am I the only one who has a job around here?

[Spruce]

Am I the only one who has a job around here?

no, yer not alone...it does seem the number of employed in this country is greatly dwindling though...

I don't stick to a strict budget per se but I generally try to only spend $150 or less a paycheck between games & dvds...

[karmapolice]

Nope...I do...But I also get 50$ a month allowence because my parents are divorced and i dont tell my dad I have a job...Well I have a job in the summer and make around 1500 to 2000 a summer...but soon I will have a part time job and it will be nice...and the kid who got a 2300$ computer...didnt you say you have an allowence...does anyone else think that much money is a little excessive for someone living with their parents and doesnt have a job?

[SneakyPenguin]

trust funds rule. told my parents it for school (which it sorta is) and they let me get it.

[Ebraum]

Hey, I have a Job............Seriously, I got my cube at the price drop and went kinda nuts, I have around 30 games, I got my Xbox on Thurs, last week, and already have 7 games. I plan on picking up Crimson Sky's on payday and then that's it for awhile. I plan on actually finishing some of these suckers. There is nothing really coming up that I am drooling over except Starcraft Ghost and RE4 and those are month's away.Oh but i do plan on getting Xbox live( asking for that for Birthday ) Dam digital crack. It's kinda hard to pass on $5.00 Target games though.

[punqsux]

and the kid who got a 2300$ computer...didnt you say you have an allowence...does anyone else think that much money is a little excessive for someone living with their parents and doesnt have a job?

not really, some people have it better than others, im sure people on this board have had their parents buy them their first car, pretty comparable, i actully got my first car handed down to me, and it died like 6 months later...lame or what?!

[karmapolice]

Yeah I have to pay for my car in full...hence the jobs

[punqsux]

jobs are good, but im pretty sure penguin is only 15 or 16, the only jobs i could get when i was that age was dishwashing and burger king, both of which i did, but they sucked, so i dont really blame anyone for not wanting to do them

[SneakyPenguin]

16, trying to get a job at gamestop. heres some logic for you:

If CAR then JOB
If JOB then CAR

therefore, a job is needed for a car, but a car is needed for a job. i need a jump start to get there.

[msdmoney]

I have to budget, I am out of school (college) and making decent money working part time while living at home. But I am planning a 5 week trip to Europe in June so almost all my money is saving for that. I start a new job later this month actually using my degree, and the amount of money I will be making in that job makes the amount I spend on games a mere pittance. I have spent around $250 on games since around November 2003 when I really started buying, so I really don't think I buy that much.

[daphatty]

16, trying to get a job at gamestop. heres some logic for you:

If CAR then JOB
If JOB then CAR

therefore, a job is needed for a car, but a car is needed for a job. i need a jump start to get there.

Welcome to the real world Sneaky. You'll have the same problem trying to get your first credit card. You will get denied for "insufficient credit history." How the hell do they expect people to have a credit history if they won't give you a credit card?!?!?!

Save yourself the headache (and the subsequent ass raping in high interest fees). Learn how to save your money for the things you want and you will be a richer man for it. MUCH Richer.

[SneakyPenguin]

i have a credit card::twisted:: well debit. its called a visabuxx. im pretty sure it helps with credit history with visa cards.

[daphatty]

i have a credit card::twisted:: well debit. its called a visabuxx. im pretty sure it helps with credit history with visa cards.

You would be wrong sir. It only gives merchants quicker access to your money but it does not develop your credit history. Think about it. Purchasing on credit is using someone elses money to make purchases. Using your Visabucks card is no different than spending your own (or your parents) cash. The money is coming out of your account, not someone elses.

[SneakyPenguin]

arg. oh well, still allows me to buy online. my parents actually told me to get a no-name-accept-anyone credit card as soon as i can, then use it to buy everything, paying it off in full every month. they said this will build up a good history without harming me in the mney department.

[daphatty]

Just make sure you make those payments. Otherwise, you'll end up like I did. At 25 I had $12,000 in credit card debt. :cry: That's not as bad as my buddy though. He had $35,000 in CC debt at the same age. Not sure if his situation has improved.

[bfg9k]

My first card was american express. It's actually just a charge card, not a credit card, because you have to pay the full balance every month. The annual fee is $65 a year however. It's funny how it hasn't changed in 20 years. I would suggest trying them if you can't get a card from anyone else.

[magilacudy]

I've been trying to budget my money but it's really hard. I find random games to buy on CAG and on EBay for cheap and it adds up after a while. I live with a bunch of my friends off-campus and I've been late with rent because of my random spending habits.

I save on money for games by eating mostly frozen food, not going to the mall, scrubbing stuff from home. I go to the gym religiously though so I have to have constant calorie intake. If I had my choice though I'd definitely choose games over everything else.

[BABETOOTH]

I promised myself not to buy anything till my b-day (May 7) I have not bought a single game for 33 days to be exact and I am going thru f-ing withdrawal. I need my fix pronto. Enough is enough. What is the best deal out there ($15 or under, store only, dont want my wife to see a charge) for any system. Please help!!!

[XboxMaster]

Nope...I do...But I also get 50$ a month allowence because my parents are divorced and i dont tell my dad I have a job...Well I have a job in the summer and make around 1500 to 2000 a summer...but soon I will have a part time job and it will be nice...and the kid who got a 2300$ computer...didnt you say you have an allowence...does anyone else think that much money is a little excessive for someone living with their parents and doesnt have a job?

That explains it. You've posted a couple of times noting how much you spent and those posts were pretty close. I thought you had said that you were getting allowance, but I couldn't remember if you did say that, and with all that money, I didn't think you were. How old are you?

[punqsux]

I promised myself not to buy anything till my b-day (May 7) I have not bought a single game for 33 days to be exact and I am going thru f-ing withdrawal. I need my fix pronto. Enough is enough. What is the best deal out there ($15 or under, store only, dont want my wife to see a charge) for any system. Please help!!!

dont do it, 33 days is nothing to knock, i started today haha, well actully i guess i started thursday, but im sure youve got a game youve barley played somewhere!

[Indiana]

Am I the only one who has a job around here?

No I have a job and a wife in college full time! :shock:

My goal is now one bargain game every two weeks. I have about 7-8 games that I have not played yet due to the job taking up my free time.

[BABETOOTH]

I promised myself not to buy anything till my b-day (May 7) I have not bought a single game for 33 days to be exact and I am going thru f-ing withdrawal. I need my fix pronto. Enough is enough. What is the best deal out there ($15 or under, store only, dont want my wife to see a charge) for any system. Please help!!!

dont do it, 33 days is nothing to knock, i started today haha, well actully i guess i started thursday, but im sure youve got a game youve barley played somewhere!

You are so right, but try about 20 games I`ve barely played and some not even opened... :roll:

[punqsux]

then next time u want to go buy a game, instead use that time to actully play a game, something im sure alot of us on this board need to do more of ^^

[BABETOOTH]

then next time u want to go buy a game, instead use that time to actully play a game, something im sure alot of us on this board need to do more of ^^

:oops: U r so right again!!! I apreciate your input! BTW is Giants citizen Kabuto (ps2) any good? Thanx again...

[JohnnyDrama]

I'm most likely going to budget my money soon. In a few months I gotta pay back my student loans and that's really gonna empty my pockets fast.

[Murcielago77]

im on a 5 buck a week allowance(i dont have to do anything for it though) and i need to save my cash for this winter season because even though im a cheap ass gamer i just cant say no to certain games like halo 2, mgs3, GTA:SA, and i need to get my football gaming so i buy madden every damn year

[Mr. Anderson]

I wish I had a job....

[punqsux]

then next time u want to go buy a game, instead use that time to actully play a game, something im sure alot of us on this board need to do more of ^^

:oops: U r so right again!!! I apreciate your input! BTW is Giants citizen Kabuto (ps2) any good? Thanx again...

hey, thats what the cheap ass support group is for ^^

i hear giants is really good but ive never played it

[Spruce]

then next time u want to go buy a game, instead use that time to actully play a game, something im sure alot of us on this board need to do more of ^^

:oops: U r so right again!!! I apreciate your input! BTW is Giants citizen Kabuto (ps2) any good? Thanx again...

yeah, Giants was pretty good...don't expect anything mind blowing and you won't be let down...
the cutscenes are pretty funny if you like your humor British...


What is the best deal out there ($15 or under, store only, dont want my wife to see a charge) for any system. Please help!!!

I recently picked up Freedom Force for $9 at Big Lots and I Was an Atomic Mutant and Shogun: Total War for $3 each at Wal-Mart...

[Mustang O-Line 75]

I told myself that as soon as the buy two, get one free deal at blockbuster ended, I was going to quit. I always buy my games in spurts, like this one month, I have bought 20 games from blockbuster in the past month, and I need to stop.


But it always seems like there are so many good deals. I can't control myself

[jdpimp]

well, I don't normally budget as I'm pretty good at showing restraint, but now there are 3 games that recently came out that I want. I just bought a house, so the last thing I should be dropping cash on is games, but these games are near must-have status. Damn house, why did I buy you?

[bradr]

I wish I had a job....

Old Chinese saying: Be careful what you wish for, it may come true! :wink:

[ilovemyapplesduh]

I just moved from California to Missouri by myself(at age 18)to live with my girlfriend, if you think you've got it just handed to you, your lucky, but make sure you can make it out on your own. A few bills = $1,000 for College, $1,000 for Car Insurence, $1,000 for a pos car, $330 rent, $40 phone bill, $10 internet, $100 gas, $100 food, just for starters, it's not easy on your own. But I did get an Xbox and 7games within the first week of having my xbox, my gf says I need to finish them beofre I get more and I don't blame her, hehe.

[Theenternal]

I didnt really start buying games on a regular basis until december, I have purchased probably about 70-80 games in that time, but its naturally slowed down as there are not too many games at a low price that I want now. Im waiting for Metal Gear TTT, and a few others to drop

[Theenternal]

I didnt really start buying games on a regular basis until december, I have purchased probably about 70-80 games in that time, but its naturally slowed down as there are not too many games at a low price that I want now. Im waiting for Metal Gear TTT, and a few others to drop. As of now im spending maybe 20 a week

[magilacudy]

I just moved from California to Missouri by myself(at age 18)to live with my girlfriend, if you think you've got it just handed to you, your lucky, but make sure you can make it out on your own. A few bills = $1,000 for College, $1,000 for Car Insurence, $1,000 for a pos car, $330 rent, $40 phone bill, $10 internet, $100 gas, $100 food, just for starters, it's not easy on your own. But I did get an Xbox and 7games within the first week of having my xbox, my gf says I need to finish them beofre I get more and I don't blame her, hehe.

Damn, quite impressive applesduhlover. I haven't had everything handed to me, I've had to work odd-jobs and such... but I don't think I could handle living on my own at this point even though I'm almost 22.

[Theenternal]

I didnt really start buying games on a regular basis until december, I have purchased probably about 70-80 games in that time, but its naturally slowed down as there are not too many games at a low price that I want now. Im waiting for Metal Gear TTT, and a few others to drop, as of now im spending roughly 20 a week

[JSweeney]

$330 rent.

Missouri must have absolutely no commerce or something. Any decent apartment in the Metro Detroit Area that isn't in the city limits of Detroit is going to run you at LEAST $500 a month... and that's just the cheap ones... Oakland county accomidations are more likely to run you around $1000 a month.

[Theenternal]

sorry about the triple posts :), i got a php error didnt even know it actually posted.

[alongx]

I have no money, nor do I expect to have money within the next decade, so, yes, I am on a tight gaming budget as well. That's what drove me to become a CAG last December. I used to spend like $600-900 every fall (usually less in the spring) on games and perhipherals. Which obviously sucked me dry nice and fast.

[SteveMcQ]

I was trying to enforce a budget on myself, but I got a part-time job and the tips for that goes toward whatever I want. The parents are pretty damn good about money, too. I haven't had to worry about anything thus far.

They've pretty much paid for anything...new PC, new car, allowance every week. Damn, the real world will suck.

[daphatty]

I was trying to enforce a budget on myself, but I got a part-time job and the tips for that goes toward whatever I want. The parents are pretty damn good about money, too. I haven't had to worry about anything thus far.

They've pretty much paid for anything...new PC, new car, allowance every week. Damn, the real world will suck.

Shit, I wish I had your parents. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[jdpimp]

$330 rent.

Missouri must have absolutely no commerce or something. Any decent apartment in the Metro Detroit Area that isn't in the city limits of Detroit is going to run you at LEAST $500 a month... and that's just the cheap ones... Oakland county accomidations are more likely to run you around $1000 a month.

Missouri might be a hole, but I'm guessing his $330 a month is his half of the rent with his gf. $330 does not generally pay for rent in its entirety in Missouri. This comes from a fellow Missourian.

[punqsux]

just an update:

well my first week on budgeting is almost over, and tho i had 2 pass up 2 great gba games for 11$ total..i held strong and the grand total spent is 12$+tax

with this i bought
Broken Sword 2 (ps1) - $3.00
Pandemonium 2 (ps1) - $3.00
and 2 copies of Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition (ps1) - $6.00

so not only do i have an extra 3 bucks to throw into next weeks fund-age, check this out

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3090691683&category=62 053

[punqsux]

thought id put an update on here

week 1
broken sword 2 $3
pandemonioum 2 $3
Fatal Fury: WA (2) $6
total $12

week 2
klonoa:EoD - $7
Broken sword gba - $4
Wavebird - $5
NHL 2K4 - $2
total - 18$

week 3
Fatal Frame 2 - 10$
Tetris DX - 5$
total 15$

week 4 (next week)
i couldnt pass up these deals so im just counting them as next weeks buys
NHL 2K2 - 2$
nascar 98 collectors edition - 1$


im actully shocked and proud of myself for controlling my spending so well.

[SneakyPenguin]

go you! but you have to remember the possibility of me finding a dark cloud 2. thats ten right there.

[punqsux]

penguin, i have 12 to work with next week. and dark cloud 2 would just be so worth it anyways!

(weeks start sundays)