Here's the completely neurotic method I use to save loads of cash on video games every year

Circuit City

One of my fondest teenage memories is the time I wound up at a mall Circuit City in Nyack, New York, right as it was opening.

It was the day of the now-defunct electronics chain's massive video game clearance sale, where literally hundreds of older titles were getting marked down to $5. Someone, on some web forum, had somehow figured out which games would go on sale, and compiled a master list. I printed it out and took it with me.

When the store opened, it was total chaos, as dozens of nerds like myself swarmed the store. But it was also pretty cool: Since there were so few games and so many gamers, we started swapping them around like Pokémon cards. I myself traded the last "Timesplitters 2" for a copy of all-time Xbox classic "Panzer Dragoon Orta" with a broken case.

Ultimately, I wound up with "Orta," "Gun Valkyrie," "Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance," and at least a half-dozen more games, coming in at about $50 total — the regular cost of a single brand-new game at the time.

Since then, video game deal hunting has become a hobby unto itself, for me. I have less time than ever to play video games, but I still spend my free cycles hunting down deals. There hasn't been a single huge event like the Circuit City sale, but I would dare say that I save hundreds of dollars on video games in an average year.

Here's how I do it — and how you can be as neurotic as me when it comes to saving money on video games:

The first best way to save money on video games is ... patience.

It's not right for everyone, and I totally get that there are some games that you need to play on release day. But the single best way to save money on so, so many blockbuster games is just to wait a little bit.

When I was in high school, I insisted on having every new game right on day one, so I could pick it up right after school and have it all finished by the weekend.

Nowadays, as a thirtysomething, I don't have that luxury. I pick up a game, and I might not even take it out of the case for a week. It stinks, but it happens.

This cloud has a silver lining, though: It's made me realize just how fast games go on sale these days. New and exciting games come out so often that old ones get discounted just to make way.

For instance: "Far Cry 5," the gorgeous new blockbuster first-person shooter, cost $60 when it came out on March 27, 2018. As I write this, it's on sale at GameStop and Amazon for $45. Given my limited playing time, I'm not sure I would have made a dent in those two mere months, so I'd feel pretty silly if I'd gotten it at launch.

It gets more dramatic as you go. "Assassin's Creed Origins," which came out on October 27th, and was one of the hottest games of the Christmas shopping season, has gone from $60 to $30 at many stores.

So if you can wait, maybe wait. It makes so much difference.

Take full advantage of your platform.

Again, this may seem obvious, but it's good to take full advantage of the programs available to you.

For instance: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all run weekly game sales from their digital storefronts. Plus, if you're a member of the $60/year Xbox Live Gold program, you can get a discount on Xbox One digital games, and the same for PlayStation gamers on the $60/year PlayStation Plus plan.

Better yet, Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus offer their subscribers a selection of free games every month, which you can play on an unlimited basis for as long as your account is paid up.

Think of these plans like a Costco membership: It's a fee you pay up front to save later.

On the PC side, Steam, the megapopular digital games store for Windows, Mac, and Linux gamers, has regular blowout sales several times a year — though they're rarely announced in advance.

But if you're looking for a bargain...

The first and best site in the world of video game deal hunting is CheapAssGamer.com, run by David "CheapyD" Abrams. CAG was one of the first forums dedicated entirely to finding and discussing deals, and still one of the most active.

Week in and week out, you can expect CAG posters to find and list out all the video game sales at retailers like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart, with helpful commentary explaining if the price is a good deal or not.

Beyond that, the CAG community is always on the ball, spotting flash sales at Amazon or Fry's Electronics, alerting you to discounts on iPhone and Android games, or surfacing a helpful 20% off coupon for the PlayStation Store.

(Side-note: Back in 2005, it was my neurotic refreshing and triple-checking of CAG that enabled me to find my Nintendo Wii, back when that console was in extremely short supply.)

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