To not understand how people afford to play video games

[Birra]

Xbox, PS4, Wii etc. never been interested before but ds has been asking about skylanders so I thought I'd look into it.
I cannot justify that money, how do people do it?
And iPads, iPods?

Oh, and we got the ps4 because it's really a different console to the ps3, want to be able to play the newest games etc.

However we kept the ps3 because it would be a waste not to and we don't want to rebuy all our games and hardware for the ps4 - rockband and sing stars.

We also have iPads one each, laptops one each (relics from uni), nds, a wii, and game boys.

We don't get rid of them just cos new consoles are bought, all have different uses.

OP, do you ever buy anything non essential?

And by money I have worked to earn I mean money that anyone obtains legally, before anyone starts on me for benefit bashing, or something

Ok, I thought every new game that came out was available for every console.

I've never seen a new console for £129 zeeboo, I'm talking £200-£400, I've only just started looking into this, obviously need to do more homework, but £129 is a flight to my family's holiday home, so yes it's a holiday.

I'm am not questioning people's choices, spend your money on whatever you want.
I'm trying to figure how to get my son started without spending what seems like a massive amount of money. More than I would spend for Xmas or birthday.
I'm sure it is because I don't get gaming.
I don't think I'd be asking the question if he wanted a drum kit or a guitar. But I have a musical family, we never played video games!

CeX sell second hand ones. Xbox 360 and PS3 are now previous-generation models, so they are cheap. Don't bother with a wii or a PS2, wii doesn't have enough games and PS2 is so old now it's only worth it for a very young child who doesn't know about newer games being released.

I'm young enough to have had a console as a child, and IIRC it was a joint christmas and birthday present for me and DSis, so it was actually 4 present-budget's worth in one go. If he's too young to understand that then he's probably too young to have a console, really. You could look at one of the portable ones like a Nintendo DS. You can even play skylanders on one of those if you get the 3DS or 2DS.

You don't need multiple consoles at all, just that lots of people who are very into games do.

How old is he?

If you look at the various gaming stuff in our house it probably would add up to the cost of a holiday, but like other hobbies the various bits and bobs are gathered over time. So while I may have spent several hundred pounds on the gaming stuff, it wasn't all in one sum, and was paid for by working hard and saving and saving.

If it doesn't interest you then you'd think it's more expensive than it seems or not worth it. I have multiple consoles because they offer different things and some games are console exclusives, so if I want to play Mario kart it has to be nintendo etc. after the purchase of consoles games can be pretty cheap, I use steam for my PC gaming and I've probably spent less than £15 on the thirty or so titles I have thanks to humble bundle and their brilliant sales. Many games are on,y 69p on the Apple AppStore and several great stuff goes free for short durations. I don't go out and don't drink so think £15 quid on a bottle of vodka or £50 on a night out is a waste, but it wouldn't be for those who enjoy doing that.

Gaming is a valid hobby or use of leisure time as knitting, cycling or whatever, people who like gaming save for the equipment just like a cyclist would.

Slimy toad- I have spent many years on just buying essentials, maybe I'm just turning into a miser

He's 7

What's there to not afford? Newest gadgets may be expensive, but prices fall quickly. Go to Cash converters -- you can buy an old Wii for about £20

And Skylanders can be expensive if you buy the game at release at want all the characters, (you don't have to have them all to complete the actual game) but I wait until march time when they usually drop to £20 and borrow all the figures from my brother ( he's lovely letting me borrow them) who buys every singe one for the collection element.

The Skylanders Trap Force has only been released this month so will still cost a lot, if you wait til next year it'll be a lot cheaper and the figures will start popping up in pre owned shops.

What sort of game might he like?

My son's currently sitting playing "Batman: Arkham City". It's an online game and cost him £2.50 which I am told "includes all the DLC" so there are no additional charges. This is the expensive end of his gaming habit - he's only had games which weren't free in the last couple of years.

He's 15.

It doesn't have to be $$$ on the latest consoles. A 7 year old can have a fun time gaming for absolutely nothing.

Apparently it is "steam" which mumwithanipad mentioned above.

Perhaps if you have spent years without any disposable income for treats it has skewed your perspective slightly.

But if your family has a holiday home, consider that a console costs 1 or 2 flights and will last 7/8/9 years etc. That's a tiny price per use.

I justify it as I have a good job and plenty of disposable income.

We are pretty comfortably off but I couldn't justify a holiday home so I guess we all prioritise different things.....

DS is 6 and has access to a PS3 which we had anyway. He gets a lot out of that but he'd also enjoy a PS2 I think. He doesn't have Skylanders because I think he'd get bored of it. I want to get him Disney Infinity (similar idea) because I think he'll get more play out of it, but it's a lot of money for the base module.

He also has a DS Lite which he gets a lot of use out of. You could look at the 2DS which is about £129 new. You can play Skylanders on that but I wouldn't particularly recommend it, it's better on a larger screen.

My son is a really big Skylanders fan but we got the wii (it's a wii, not a wii u) for a joint xmas present from my parents 4 years ago and he's got a new Skylanders game every birthday ever since. He's now got lots of figures but he really has been collecting them for nearly 4 years. He saves his money or gets them for presents.

He also has SN which means he can't ride a bike or a scooter or play any sport. So I don't spend anything on any other after school activities (football kit can run into £££ I believe).

Yes, I'm frugal in other ways.

Have a second hand caravan for uk holidays. Rarely go abroad and when we have its been last minute bargains or hosteling or camping.

Have a 3 bed semi so a small mortgage.

Don't smoke, don't drink, eat out a couple of times a year. I'm not into new clothes, shoes, handbags, etc.

The Wii U is a family one - we had a Wii pre-kids anyway and upgraded lat year. They use our iPads - my old one, DH's work one. I have a mini now. PC has been in use for years and is like Trigger's broom.

They buy games/figures by saving up - got Skylander Swap Force last Christmas and thanks to the Christmas threads will be getting Disney Infinity this year.

DH wants a PS4 and has been told he has no chance!

We got out Wii from a product test on MN a few years back. It came with several games, 3 remotes, nun-chucks and a drawing pad. We've since added to the games by buying them for birthdays and Christmases. I never spend more than £20 on a game. TBH it's not something I would spend a lot of money on so if we hadn't got one from MN we wouldn't have one.

Perhaps you could sell "the family's holiday home", OP