The Thrifty Gamer

The popularity of video games continues to increase every year, with new video game console ownership at all time highs. With the increase in console ownership comes an increase in the number of video games purchased each year. Video games sell for an average price of $50 for a new title and most gamers purchase a number of new games every year. With most gamers spending hundreds of dollars on games every year, many are looking for ways to reduce their costs while still being able to play as many games as they would like. How can gamers play unlimited video games for a fixed price and save money? The answer is video game rentals.

The costs for buying vs renting video games will vary from person to person, yet this quick look at the basic costs will provide a good estimate for the video game users of different levels. The numbers used for the analysis are estimates based on general market research and are only intended to provide a general idea of the costs and benefits of renting vs buying at various game playing levels.

Heavy Gamers - 2+ Video Games Per Month Average

For heavy gamers the number of games played per month will be set at 2. There are gamers who play more than this (some hardcore gamers play many more!), but two games will be used for this comparison. The average price of a new video game is approximately $50, so the cost of purchasing video games would be set a $100 per month. This equals $1200 per year in video game purchases.

For comparison, we will use the 2 game at a time plan from GameFly. This plan costs $22.95 per month. So the yearly total for renting 2 games at a time is $275.40. A heavy gamer could therefore save as much as $924.60 a year by renting video games instead of buying them.

Moderate Gamers - 1 Video Game Per Month Average

For moderate gamers the number of games played per month will be set to 1. The rest of the figures will remain the same. Under this scenario, the annual costs of purchasing video games will be $600 vs $275.40 for renting. A moderate gamer could therefore save approximately $324.60 per year by switching to renting video games.

Light Gamers - 1 Video Game Every Two Months Average

For light gamers a slightly different set of numbers will be used. Light gamers will be set at purchasing one game every two months. Due to the low number of games played, it is more accurate to assume that they would be using a one game at a time plan. So we will use GameFly's single game plan of $15.95 for the rental costs, or $191.40 per year. So the costs of purchasing one game every two months would be $300 per year. Therefore a light gamer could expect to save approximately $108.60 per year by renting video games vs buying them.

So looking at these figures, it is obvious that heavy gamers, moderate gamers and even most light gamers can save money by renting video games vs buying them. Most gamers who start renting video games also find that they end up playing more games than before. This is due to the fact that most video game rental companies have unlimited rentals, so there is no additional cost for playing more. In addition, gamers who rent can try games that they otherwise may never have tried. If you rent a video game and do not like it, simply put it back in the envelope and send it back. Your next game will arrive just a few days later.

So can gamers save money without having to cut back on their gaming? The answer is a resounding yes. Gamers can play unlimited video games and save money by renting video games.

Justin H Martin is the head writer for [http://www.videogamerentalsinfo.com], the leading website for information on video game rentals. The website contains extensive information on video game rental companies and provides detailed comparisons and ratings on each company. You will also find special offers and free trials from the top providers of video game rentals [http://www.videogamerentalsinfo.com].