So, a lot of people are officially having problems with money, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your love for gaming. This potentially expensive pastime can be made much more affordable and still retain its entertainment value.

Resale stores are your friend: The old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” definitely applies here. Most resale stores have decent prices on games that you would have to pay top dollar for at retail outlets. The only downside is that you won’t have much luck on new releases, but those aren’t cheap no matter where you purchase them.

The Internet is your friend: The online rental Web site gamefly.com is a good option if you need a steady supply of console games. For a small monthly fee, this company lets you keep two or three games for as long (or as short) as you like. What it boils down to is a ton of variety at a fraction of the price, compared to buying the games outright. Another good online source for cheap games is ebay.com.

Time is your friend: It pays to wait when it comes to buying console games. Not being the first kid on the block to have the hottest, newest game will get you large discounts. Awesome games that were initially expensive often go into platinum or greatest-hits editions after they begin to lose their luster. Games like “BioShock” get their prices knocked down $20 or more when this happens. The wait may seem like torture, but aside from pooling money amongst friends to co-own a game, waiting is a cheap way to get the games you want.

MMOs are your friends: Massively Multiplayer Online games often get a bad rap; however, it doesn’t change the fact that they are easy on the pocket book. MMOs offer hundreds of thousands of players the opportunity to fraternize with each other, and the games feature ongoing content, so they tend to grow old much slower than console games. But the best part is, after the initial software fee, you’ll only pay a small monthly installment for unlimited play. The prices range from $9.99 to $14.99 per month, about the same price as a movie ticket and a soda.