Since getting my Steam Deck in July 2024, I’ve gone a little overboard. In the past 7 months, I’ve purchased 199 items—games, DLCs, and soundtracks. I’ve mostly snagged these during big Steam sales or from third-party key sites.
I’ve spent $686 total, and based on Steam’s full retail prices, all this would’ve cost $4,297. That means I’ve “saved” about 84%. But honestly, it’s gotten out of hand.
Every time I find a good deal, it’s an easy dopamine hit, but now I realize I’ve gone too far. I’m done buying games for now. I’ve got to face the music, tell my wife, and start focusing on what I already own.
Anyone else been through this? How do you stop the urge to buy just because it’s on sale?
Peyton said:
I never save my card info on Steam. Having to enter the details every time makes it a hassle and gives me time to think before buying.
I do something similar. I wait at least a week before buying anything over $100. For Steam, I make myself wait on impulse buys even if they’re cheap. Helps a lot.
Peyton said:
I never save my card info on Steam. Having to enter the details every time makes it a hassle and gives me time to think before buying.
I save my card, but I leave items in my cart for a day. If I still want it the next day, I buy it. If not, I delete it and tell myself, ‘If I really wanted it, I wouldn’t have forgotten.’
@Macon
I used the Steam Library feature on HowLongToBeat to help with my backlog. It lets you sort your games by estimated playtime. Last year, I finished about 14 games across Steam, PS5, and Switch. It really helped!
Jordan said:
Here’s what worked for me: Buy a game, finish it, then buy the next one. You can only play one at a time anyway.
For me, the rule is: Only buy a game if I have time to play it right now. Sorting my wishlist by price helps, and I only grab games on sale if I know I’ll play them soon. Otherwise, it’s just wasted money.
I wish you the best in tackling this. But let’s be honest: You didn’t save anything. You spent $686 on stuff you likely won’t even play. It’s good you want to stop now, because it could spiral into another $700, and then another.
Mackenzie said: @Ellis
You’re absolutely right. Realistically, I’ll only play 10% of these games in a year. I’ve got enough to last me over a decade.
Exactly. If you can manage the urge to buy, gaming can still be a healthy hobby. Just focus on what you really want to play and avoid sales altogether.
Shopping addictions can sneak up on you. At least you didn’t pay full price. If you feel it might manifest in other ways, consider talking to someone about it.
Sales are designed to make us feel like we’re saving money, but the real question is: Are you actually getting value from what you buy? A game you never play, even if it’s cheap, is still wasted money.