A: try play games six months after they come out. If you maintain a consistent six month delay, you never run out of recently fresh games to play.

B: scour the bargain and used bins at Target, EB, etc.

C: borrow, rent, and/or steal games

I’d like to add one caveat to all this. I believe in being a conscious consumer and I pay attention to who I’m potentially screwing by my lack of full price purchasing. If it’s made by Microsoft or EA, I feel no guilt in getting them for free unless it’s only being distributed by them for a less fortunate smaller developer (such as Oddworld:Stranger which I pre-ordered at full price). In the case of Psychonauts which was made (and for the most part funded) by one of my favorite game makers through his small development company, I’d feel guilty not paying full price and supporting their efforts. In both of these cases, Microsoft initially agreed to distribute them and then dropped out leaving them in the lurch. I feel my full price purchase is a way of helping the little guy while sticking it to the man.