What Is The Highest Amount You Usually Spend On A Used Video Game

[alzorath]

I'm probably a bit of an off case... since I'm not a completionist collector (I have no interest in collecting 100% of a system's games for the most part), so my range is a lot wider than most the other people in this thread...

I would have to say my hardcap on any single item would have to be in the $200 range, and even then it would have to be something pretty rare and in truly mint condition for me to pay that much. Though really, that limit is more because I just can't afford more than that because I'm on the low end of the economic spectrum (ie - "working poor"), and a big purchase like that is something I'd have to save months for.

Generally I function on a hunt list... I make up a list of ~$300 worth of stuff for the year, and as I get that list marked off, I +/- what I spent on it vs estimate, then use the gap to treat myself near the end of the year, since I find I can snag some good deals to round off the year as people are selling their old stuff to buy new things .

Obviously, if I find something good for a fiver, I will pick it up though. (oddly enough that's what most my pickups in January have been)

[turf]

If I'm out digging, I have a good idea what stuff goes for on the open market (eBay, game stores, conventions...)  I'll pay about half of that.  So, it really depends on the game. 
I buy some new stuff at full retail minus that sweet Amazon Prime discount. 

The most expensive game I own?  I bought Little Samson at a convention.  It was under retail, but it was still really expensive.

[dharmajones93]

I make up a list of ~$300 worth of stuff for the year, and as I get that list marked off, I +/- what I spent on it vs estimate, then use the gap to treat myself near the end of the year, since I find I can snag some good deals to round off the year as people are selling their old stuff to buy new things .

I really like this idea! I find myself in the same position most of the time. Not a completionist, just looking to capture the games I loved, and the ones I thought I might.

I cap at $50 for the essentials, LOZ:LTTP, Super Metroid. Still looking for FFII & III under $50, but I have made some friends I think I can work with.

I don't trade so there's that.

New games, I try to save of survey coupons and Microsoft account points (though they stopped offering Gamestop certificates).

NES, DS, Genesis, N64, PS1 I shoot for under $25, and that's only if I really want it. I'm looking at you Dragon Quest VI...

SNES a little more, $35-50. GameCube I can run up this high as well on occasion.

I try to stick to $100 a month, which rolls over both ways, so $1,200 a year max.

But, as others here have said, Chrono Trigger and Earthbound are exceptions to any rule. If I could just find them in the wild!

Mitch, the Dharma Gamer

[alzorath]

But, as others here have said, Chrono Trigger and Earthbound are exceptions to any rule. If I could just find them in the wild!

Yea, they're insanely hard to find unless you're in specific parts of the country here (US) (I am a bit lucky in the fact that I only have to be hunting for one of those - Earthbound - There's a copy of Chrono Trigger in a box of games/systems I'm working on restoring/repairing... all that's wrong with it that I know of is that it needs a new battery - I don't put things from that box on my list until I have them up and working guaranteed, that way I guarantee I only have 'functional' things on my list, since I use it when friends have found something)

[jcalder8]

225 on Bubble Bobble 2 with box.

But my average is about 15.

[Cartagia]

I make up a list of ~$300 worth of stuff for the year, and as I get that list marked off, I +/- what I spent on it vs estimate, then use the gap to treat myself near the end of the year, since I find I can snag some good deals to round off the year as people are selling their old stuff to buy new things .

I really like this idea! I find myself in the same position most of the time. Not a completionist, just looking to capture the games I loved, and the ones I thought I might.

I cap at $50 for the essentials, LOZ:LTTP, Super Metroid. Still looking for FFII & III under $50, but I have made some friends I think I can work with.

I don't trade so there's that.

I don't do much trading myself either, but a good deal can always break that rule.

I typically function in my own little bundle economy involving bundle purchases and reselling:

Let's say that there is someone selling a console that is bundled with 5-10 games.  Now, I already own that console, and most of the games, but there is value here.

An example I've had in the past was: A SNES with Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man X2 and The Seventh Saga.  The ask here was about ~$120.  That's the value of X2 alone.  So, I snatched up the whole thing.  Dusted off X2 and Seventh Saga for myself and resold the console and DKC for ~$70.  So, I'm only down $50, got X2 and Seventh Saga.  A $70 is a more than reasonable price for a SNES and game in this area.