how have you built your collection on a budget?

After each gen, I sold all my old games. Now I'm regretting it and building my collection back. The kind of collection I want would have a few hundred games and cost thousands of dollars overall

The problem is that my funds are limited, so I'm being smart about it.

I'm buying all my games used from the internet. Lightly damaged boxes and greatest-hits/GOTY boxes are an eye-sore, but I figure I can replace them. I'll get everything I need to practically play the game first and then worry about the cosmetics.

I also decided to stick to 10 consoles max. There are numerous consoles that have stuff I like on them but not enough for me personally to justify a purchase.

So I'll probably piece it together in a couple of years. Granted, already I have more games than I'll able to beat, but collecting is nonetheless really important to me.

What about you?

Salvation Army is a great way to go bargain hunting if you were willing to put the time into it.

The same way anyone in their right mind would by hitting the pre owned shelfs and not buying new releases.

You did what ! :o

did you get caught up in the hype or something ?

Anyway I bought Trine 2 by not paying my Rent...... :p

Goodwill and flea markets are also great places.

Years, sales, online shopping, and not buying day one. Also DRM free digital stores like GOG, humble bundle, and freeware are great things to put on an external hard drive for smaller obscurer titles.

I have a lot of consoles and a lot of games for them, all boxed up and packed away. I will say though, it often gets on my nerves when I'm decorating or something and I have to lug them about, but my wife won't let me sell them because she knows how much I would regret it later.

Good luck getting your collection back :).

I enter next gen 3 years after launch. Then I can get all the games I want in their respective definitive collections, at a steal of a deal. My collection for gen 7 is hovering around 50 games, then there's 5-7 I still have to buy. I'm on pace for a 2016 entry into gen 8, at the earliest, so I'm on a good pace. I like having games to play, not waiting around for something that looks decent at full retail.

Right now is the PERFECT Time to Build an X360 & Ps3 Collection. Almost every single AAA Title from the last 10 years can be purchased at $4.99 - $14.99 or less!

Ive been buying classic awesome games and 4 copies of them (To do multiplayer at the house) Games like Hawx for $4.00!!! tHE oUTFIT FOR $1.99 , cALL OF dUTY 4 FOR LIKE $2.99!!!

I just got Borderlands 2, Spec Ops the Line & Mafia 2 (hey 2 outta 3 aint bad) at Walmart for $19.99!!!!