Get the most out of your games

In the past when I've finished a game I usually put it back on the shelf just to forget about it. Before I know it, I have accumulated a collection that rivals a video game store.

Now, instead of letting the stockpile sit there and collect dust, I take a proactive approach...I sell them! I've made large portions of my purchase price back by selling my old games on eBay or Craigslist. To get the most bang for you buck, however, it's all about timing and to make the most gain from your games you must unload them at the right time. 

This is especially true for sports games because new games are released each year. A sports game from 10 years ago isn't going to make a killing now. Because athletic seasons are so long you've got a nice window to get rid of your games. In addition, if there's a big sporting event coming up and you have a game in that particular sport, try to list it. Dropping Madden right before the Super Bowl is a good move.

If you buy a game and complete it in a relatively short time and know you won't pick it up again for a while or even at all, in order make the most profit and get the most value, you want to sell it as soon as possible. Like I said, it's all about timing. The closer to the release date of the game that you sell, the more potential monetary earnings there are to be made.

Finally, do your research. Look to see how much your game is going for. You want to make the price comparable to what's out on the market. Why would a buyer choose your game if it's $10, $20 more than what's available already? Offer certain perks that would make the consumer purchase your game like free shipping or include any extras that came with the game itself.

I'm no marketing or economic buff, but this model for selling games has been working for me. If you need to make a few bucks try it out and watch the cash flow in.