Where does it come from?

[btboy500]

I'm kinda curious as to where people here might get the money for video games, so tell me where it comes from

[Locke]

work and mom

[Azier the Swordsman]

Work.

[shooraijin]

The Colombian cocaine cartel. (Okay, okay. Work.)

[Fsiphskilm]

Work of course... Durring t

[inkhana]

I get money from b-days, Christmas, etc, and I occasionaly make a few meager dollars from commissions. My sister and I pool our finances to get whatever we're working toward...^^

[Bobtheduck]

I get my money from being a maid, but I really should be saving that until I can get a credit card, then it's back to spending (but controlled and with purpose) so I can build my credit... I guess I have a one track mind, don't I... No... Wait... I have too many tracks in my mind, I should be happy being able to stay on one track... I love my DDR...

[cbwing0]

Work is definltely the surest way to get money for video games. If you have trouble getting a job, talk to people that you or your parents know to see if they know of any openings in their area/business. It is more enjoyable to work with people that you know, and they will probably treat you better. Still, hard work is the key. If you are lazy, you will hate your job (I don't think there is a question of "liking" the job at this stage in your life, since most teenage jobs are pretty dull and monotonous). If you can stick with one job and impress your employers/employees, then, in addition to raises, you will also have something that looks good on college applications and resumes, not to mention a reliable source for recommendation letters if you ever need them.

A credit card is a great thing to have, as long as you are responsible with your spending. I would suggest paying off your bill in full every month, and getting no more than 2-3, with one serving as your primary card. You might even want to set a spending limit for yourself, so that you won't drain your savings with impulse buying. Credit cards open up the world of easy online shopping to you, which is awesome. Also, now is the time to get one, since you will get more offers now than at any other time in your life. They will come to you, and it will be easy to get approved. Then, you can start building credit.

[Link Antilles]

Me, Four ways:

1. The remnants of money remaining from my old job
2. Parents - my mom loves Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario, Pikmin, and she actually goes out and buys 'em. O_o
3. Christmas and B-day
4. Random fortunate moments - finding money, odd jobs, and such

[Mithrandir]

Mostly work - but I'm a programmer, (like some others mentioned here, it's definately an "odd job") so that's not really fair. Let's see what Video Games did I get when I was a teenager? Hmm.... Usually when my parents bought me a video game for our Atari, but I also liked rummaging through the "old games" section of computer stores. Unless you have a really sweet paying job, I'd recommend that. Buy old or used games, and wait a few months for the newer ones' prices to drop down. I also had a few friends that I would swap games with. We'd keep the other person's game as sort of a hostage. Speeking of which, I have to get me lain dvds back from another friend. *sigh* Old habbits die hard. (As do old hobbits but that's another issue).

[Straylight]

I don't really tend to buy video games, I just play other people's.

[btboy500]

Interesting replies here. I've wanted a job since last year, but so far, I'm a tad lazy in trying to get one. As for me, being umemployed, I get video game money from birthdays, christmas, donations from strangers:lol:, sibling pooling, etc

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="djnoz"]I don't really t

[madphilb]

I'm kinda curious as to where people here might get the money for video games, so tell me where it comes from

Well, I earn what money I spend by working (some of it comes from money my Grandmother sends me, but she doesn't send as much as she used to since she's moved into an ALF).

The big trick is to learn how to be cheap!

2002 I worked in a warehouse, technically it was a part-time job (though I figure what I took home was more than what I would have made full time flipping burgers for min. wage). After exhausting my collection of software, having played through just about everything (including my old N64 games) I started looking at the used stuff at EB. Over the course of 2002 the most I spent on a game was $20-30 for Rollercoaster Tycoon 2, or was it Diablo 2 + expansion? Hmmm?

Anyway, I found lots of great titles, most where under $10, many could be had for $5 or so (and some of the $10 where multi-packs with up to 5-6 games in them).

Granted not everything I got was top notch stuff, but most kept me entertained, and some, like my $3 copy of Theif Gold, where worth 10x what I spent on it.

Even now you can find lots of original PS titles as well as some XBox titles for under $10 (preowned of course)... you do need to watch where you get them from (I trust my local EB, and they have a good return policy, even if the original one they had was neutered by corporate due to leaches who abused it). Yard sales and Flea markets are another good source, though often times it's buyer beware.

I've learned to be cheap.... I usually don't buy something unless my dollar/hour ballance out very much in my favor (that is, I'm not spending 20-30 for a FPS that I'll play through in one weekend, Deus Ex:IW has been one of the few exceptions). RPGs are good for this, generally they tend to have a long play life, and if you're into trying new things (with games like Fallout, Arcanum, or the Balder's Gate/Icewind Dale series) you can replay the game with a different types of characters.

Sadly many new games rely on online play to make up for lack of single player gameplay.... which for people like me (esp back in 2002 when my only online time came from using the timed public terminals in the library for checking mail) that is a major bummer.

If you're online you can find all sorts of good stuff... Home of the Underdogs has tons of games, many of which are available for download as abandonware or even freeware (I recently started looking at "German gaming" and found a version of the Settler's of Catan boardgame done up for the PC for free).

When you're dirt poor (well, maybe not that bad of) you learn how to make do, and it's not always a bad thing. I've gotten more playtime out of my $5-6 "Outcast" for my PC than I did (so far) with my $50 Deus Ex: IW.

Please note... you're milage may vary.

[blue elf]

Well, most of my money comes from my parents, b-days, Christmas, and I did have a job at a Dollar Tree, but it was just seasonal and has now gone byebye. lol It was good while it lasted though.
-BlueElf

[TheMelodyMaker]

When I first read the title of this thread, I thought it was going to ask where games come from, not the money to buy them. A few years ago I asked my sister how games are made--just to see what she would say. (You guys don't know her like I do; if she were on here you wouldn't believe that we're related. ) Anyway, her answer was that you type a few random characters into the computer and some game comes out of it.

I know better. (Especially after almost 11 years of typing random characters and such. ^_~ )


...Money, you say? From work. (Sorry to get off topic. ^_^; )

[PXDN Gamer]

Well being a Manager at my Local EB I get allot of games for free w00t down side is there mostly the cruddy games >_<.. but hey they are free, but I mostly buy my games. While I dont get a chance to play them that often though blasted school and work O well ^_^ and they all come from my paycheck I reserve birthday and christmas for stuff I dont wwant to spend my money on ^_^

[shooraijin]

> Well being a Manager at my Local EB I get allot of games for free

Ooooo! Now that's a nice little side benefit of employment, ne?

[Michael]

The trick is to wait until they stop breathing before taking their wallet or purse.

OK, Ok, birthday's, christmas and whatever my handelers decide to gice me for ops.