The 2009 list of Thrifty People - The Result

Like a lot of people, I spend far too much money on games and thought now is as good a time as any to change my habits.

I was going to limit the amount I spent on each game (I tried it last year but it didn't work) but thought I could still end up buying loads of games. Instead I thought I'd set myself a budget for the whole of 2009. I plan on limiting my total spending to £300 which, for me, could be quite difficult especially when you consider I spent over £200 in the space of 3 weeks in October.

Hopefully, this time I'll be able to stick to my resolution. There's plenty of bargains at the moment so I hope these will carry on into the new year. I bought Saints Row 2 last week off play.com for £18 and have just ordered Lego Batman off them for the same price. Also, if I delay getting new releases for a short while, I'm sure I'll be able to pick them up cheap a month or so later.

Is anyone else considering doing something similar or do you have a gaming related new years resolution?

__________________________________

GRCade Annual gaming budget's for 2009:

Adam Pollard = £200 (Spent £202.74) Balance = £-2.74 (101.37%)
akijones = £400 (Spent £160.92) Balance = £239.08 (40.23%)
Alex = £350 (Spent £217.00) Balance = £133.00 (62.00%)
AlexHarman = £200 (Spent £39.80) Balance = £160.20 (19.90%)
Alpha eX (w.e.f. 22/08) = £200
Avon = £300 (Spent £295.54) Balance = £4.46 (98.51%)
bigcheez2k3 = £500 (Spent £37.06) Balance = £462.94 (7.41%)
Buffalo = £500 (Spent £250.78) Balance = £249.22 (50.15%)
cooldawn = £700 (Spent £369.42) Balance = £330.58 (52.77%)
Cropolite = €350 (Spent €478.00) Balance = €-128.00 (136.57%)
Dante = £1200 (Spent £1382.75) Balance = £-182.75 (115.23%)
F-Heonix = £300 (Spent £334.33) Balance = £-34.33 (111.44%)
FatDaz = £400 (Spent £305.34) Balance = £94.66 (76.33%)
final-fx = £250 (Spent £272.07) Balance = £-22.07 (108.83%)
gaminglegend = £200 (Spent £110.00) Balance = £90.00 (55.00%)
Garth = £300 (Spent £188.66) Balance = £111.34 (62.88%)
HailTTKB = £500 (Spent £173.26) Balance = £326.74 (34.65%)
hamm sandwich = £600 (Spent £79.26) Balance = £520.74 (13.21%)
Harry Bizzle = £250 (Spent £188.01) Balance = £61.99 (75.20%)
Henke = £250 (Spent £55.00) Balance = £195.00 (22.00%)
HSH28 = £1200 (Spent £2931.76) Balance = £-1731.76 (244.31%)
IronHide = £600 (Spent £601.60) Balance = £-1.60 (100.26%)
IronMaiden = £500 (Spent £14.18) Balance = £485.82 (2.83%)
JayGo = £500 (Spent £91.10) Balance = £408.90 ** Withdrawn **
JiggerJay = £500 (Spent £629.90) Balance = £-129.90 (125.98%)
Jimmy Shedders = £650 (Spent £151.71) Balance = £498.29 (23.34%)
Joer = £300 (Spent £67.42) Balance = £232.58 (22.47%)
KingK = £200 (Spent £489.32) Balance = £-289.32 (244.66%)
laggyjim = £300 (Spent £313.91) Balance = £-13.91 (104.63%)
Loire = £150 (Spent £2.08) Balance = £147.92 (1.38%)
marillion Col = £300 (Spent £1025.63) Balance = £-725.63 (341.87%)
mcjihge2 = £600 (Spent £624.49) Balance = £-24.49 (104.08%)
Neph = £350 (Spent £496.06) Balance £-146.06 (141.73%)
Nook29 = £500 (Spent £657.73) Balance = £-157.73 (131.54%)
Nova = £100 (Spent £30.00) Balance = £70.00 (30.00%)
Oh Teh Noes = £300 (Spent £32.34) Balance = £267.66 (10.78%)
Peter Crisp = £300 (Spent £374.63) Balance = £-74.63 (124.87%)
plaido = £300 (Spent £527.49) Balance = £-227.49 (175.83%)
Project = £300 (Spent £262.93) Balance = £37.07 (87.64%)
Project Rain = £300 (Spent £155.09) Balance = £144.91 (51.69%)
Prototype = £250 (Spent £347.03) Balance = £-97.03 (138.81%)
PurplePenguin = £500 (Spent £316.68) Balance = £183.32 (63.33%)
Rex Kramer = £100 (Spent £195.50) Balance = £-95.50 (195.50%)
Rik = £1200 (Spent £4947.00) Balance = £-3747.00 (412.25%)
rikkit = £250 (Spent £181.27) Balance = £68.73 (72.51%)
Roonmastor = £120 (Spent £166.95) Balance = £-46.95 (139.12%)
Rubix78 = £500 (Spent £541.48) Balance = £-41.48 (108.29%)
Sarge = £750 (Spent £1488.00) Balance = £-738.00 (198.40%)
Seven = £1200 (Spent £1820.06) Balance = £-620.06 (151.67%)
Shadow = £1200 (Spent £67.70) Balance = £1132.30 (5.64%)
$ilva $hadow = £200 (Spent £137.00) Balance = £63.00 (68.50%)
Skarjo = £1000 (Spent £431.50) Balance = £568.50 (43.15%)
Slayerx = £300 (£1.81 in credit)
Something Fishy = £400 (Spent £220.00) Balance = £180.00 (55.00%)
suzzopher = £500 (Spent £241.21) Balance = £258.79 (48.24%)
TigaSefi = £300 (Spent £62.00) Balance = £238.00 (20.66%)
tomvek = £300 (Spent £248.04) Balance = £51.96 (82.68%)
TruGamez = £350 (Spent £367.01) Balance = £-17.01 (104.86%)
Weapon of Choice / Mommy / Eyes Of God / Trinity = £250 (Spent £194.94) Balance = £58.06 (77.97%)
Wedgie = £200 (Reduced from £300) (Spent £285.90) Balance = £-85.90 (142.95%)
White Rabbit = £250 (Spent £75.77) Balance = £174.23 (30.31%)
WKD = £350 (Spent £671.00) Balance = £-321.00 (191.71%)
Zenigame = £450 (Spent £58.97) Balance = £391.03 (13.10%)

Why?

What else are you going to spend your money on?

LoveFilm?

I'm putting a £500 limit on what I spend this year(on games) as 2008 has seen me spend silly money on games.

I've cut back on spending by lowering the amount spent on each game, last year it was nothing over £30, next year I could lower that to £20 the way all these sales are going.

Paitence pays dividends.

Santapher wrote:I'm putting a £500 limit on what I spend this year(on games) as 2008 has seen me spend silly money on games.

Broken by May.

bear wrote:
Santapher wrote:I'm putting a £500 limit on what I spend this year(on games) as 2008 has seen me spend silly money on games.

Broken by May.

I'm going to get a select few at launch and then wait for prices to drop.

Like hell you will.

Awaiks Rik and Hugo!

bear wrote:Like hell you will.

I have to as I have a ban from the wife :oops:

Take out the PS3 and I don't think I spent £300 this year on gaming.

Professor Layton
Advance Wars DS

Metal Gear Solid 4
LittleBIGPlanet
Motorstorm
Heavanly Sword

Battalion Wars 2
No More Heroes
Mario Kart
Smash Bros
Wii Music
Okami
Animal Cossing Wii Speak
Lost Winds

There are probably a few I'm missing out there, the PS3 was my BIG gaming purchase this year I can't see another large spend like that next year, unless you count a HDTV.

I suppose I'm lucky in that the majority of 360 games I want to play are provided through my brother.

Can't see myself spending more than £400-500 on games in 2009

Theres no way I could do anything like this.

I'd be hard pushed to limit myself to £100 a month.

Herbi wrote:Take out the PS3 and I don't think I spent £300 this year on gaming.

Professor Layton
Advance Wars DS

Metal Gear Solid 4
LittleBIGPlanet
Motorstorm
Heavanly Sword

Battalion Wars 2
No More Heroes
Mario Kart
Smash Bros
Wii Music
Okami
Animal Cossing Wii Speak
Lost Winds

There are probably a few I'm missing out there, the PS3 was my BIG gaming purchase this year I can't see another large spend like that next year, unless you count a HDTV.

I suppose I'm lucky in that the majority of 360 games I want to play are provided through my brother.

Can't see myself spending more than £400-500 on games in 2009

Yeah, take out the £300 console and it makes me look like I've spent less than I have.

Shadow wrote:Why?

What else are you going to spend your money on?

Mortgage, Bills etc

Someone else has just mentioned the Lovefilm idea. GAME are also starting a rental service so I may have to look into those options.

HSH28 wrote::lol:

Theres no way I could do anything like this.

I'd be hard pushed to limit myself to £100 a month.

No gooseberry fool. :lol:

dont change.

If you want to cut down, don't buy on release, wait a few weeks after when nearly every game drops to around £20. Also, trade in your old games against new ones and you'll keep within limits.

CosmoKramer wrote:
Herbi wrote:Take out the PS3 and I don't think I spent £300 this year on gaming.

Professor Layton
Advance Wars DS

Metal Gear Solid 4
LittleBIGPlanet
Motorstorm
Heavanly Sword

Battalion Wars 2
No More Heroes
Mario Kart
Smash Bros
Wii Music
Okami
Animal Cossing Wii Speak
Lost Winds

There are probably a few I'm missing out there, the PS3 was my BIG gaming purchase this year I can't see another large spend like that next year, unless you count a HDTV.

I suppose I'm lucky in that the majority of 360 games I want to play are provided through my brother.

Can't see myself spending more than £400-500 on games in 2009

Yeah, take out the £300 console and it makes me look like I've spent less than I have.

I paid just over £200 for mine with GT5P and that's a 10 year investment (according to Sony).

I don't set a limit on what I buy, mostly because I don't think I spend that much as I tend to only buy a few games on release and wait until the rest are cheap.

This year has certainly been cheaper than the last couple for me, mostly because I haven't bought any systems or other big purchases, whereas last year I bought my PS3, HDTV and a laptop, and in 2006 I bought a Wii and a DS Lite so both of those years were costly.

£300? £500? I don't think I've ever spent that much on games in one year, excluding hardware. Where do you find the time to play all those games?

Tineash wrote:£300? £500? I don't think I've ever spent that much on games in one year, excluding hardware. Where do you find the time to play all those games?

It's not about that. I guess its like our version of crack. You know you shouldn't but that "one more go" feeling hits you every time. With the crazy price drop weeks after release I am very tempted to stop myself pre ordering things from now on. Another not to buy 3 games with in a week. I try to play them all and can't connect with any of them. Fable 2, Far Cry 2 and Fallout 3, only one made it and that was Fallout and I am still in awe of this game. One game at a time is part of my New Years Resolution

Tineash wrote:£300? £500? I don't think I've ever spent that much on games in one year, excluding hardware. Where do you find the time to play all those games?

£300 is less than a game a month.

The 2009 list of Thrifty People - The Result

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