The books last forever because they take forever to read–like an entire year for one if you work at it regularly.

It is not as much exercise as a wii though, and most of my friends will not play mathematics with me.

Next time you want to go someplace (the big city) and have a great deal on a hotel, but not spend a lot of money, just bring a rice cooker or electric skillet and a small cooler with you. You can cook meals in the rice cooker from groceries you leave in the cooler. Even in a hotel room.

I know this is a different style of travel than most people do when traveling to a city, but you can also have an unconventional and different trip that’s not focused around dining out and spending money and seeing shows but maybe on looking at architecture, wandering around on the street and soaking up local flavor, all the while packing a brown bag lunch to snack on in a public park or whatever.

I have been known to use my camp stove on the trunk of my car to cook dinner at a rest stop during long car trips, using the same philosophy but slightly different cooking technology.

I’m a teacher at a small private school (about 170 students K-8) with a faculty of 13. A few faculty own Wii’s. We’ve gotten together several times and played — let me tell you, that’s fun. And, it’s fantastic bonding. It’s good, clean fun — not to mention cheap entertainment.

There are ton of other non-wholesome things that college students could spend $300 on…

bring on GTA4!

Personally, I own: a DS Lite, PS2, Wii (Christmas present) and an Xbox 360. My girlfriend owns a PS3 and a PSP, so I can play the exclusives for those platforms without trouble when I want to (e.g. Metal Gear Solid 4 this summer).

Even if I didn’t have access to a PS3, I’d hold off on it for the time being. I don’t think the richness of that platform’s library justifies a purchase at this time. Also, rumors are flying left and right about the release of an external Blu-Ray player for the Xbox 360 sometime this year.

I have a cool little project I’ve been working on for a couple months that should help you manage this sort of issue in the future, and I hope to unveil it soon. Hopefully, J.D. will find it interesting enough to mention and you’ll hear about it that way.

Cheers,
Aaron

Outside the Wii, which of the next-gen systems is the best investment? Xbox 360 or PS3?

The Xbox plays all the games I want (like GTA IV) but not blu-ray. It also has the better online play, but this costs something per month(not sure how much). The PS3 doesn’t play all the games I want (like Bioshock) but a future new PC purchase will cover that, and it does play blu-ray, saving that purchase, and PS2 games, which I sat out on since I haven’t had a console since the N64, if you can believe that.

Now, this looks like a big time/money sink, but I just have to play the new GTA! Advice?

Sigh. I’ll probably wait, it’ll just be painful! Like Cara, my summer vacation is foremost on my future large expenses, though the flight is already paid for.

Stories like these help keep me on track!

Let’s say you spend $30 every time you go out. Let’s also say that a Wii costs $270 ($250 retail + sales tax). That means if you spend 9 nights playig Wii instead of going out, you’ll break even on your investment, and every subsequent night spent playing will save you more and more money. This may sound a bit anti-social, but you can always invite your friends over. Wii is great for parties, and if your friends are as frugally-minded as you are, they’ll appreciate your initiative.

From a time and productivity point of view, this was a fantastic decision. Video games can suck you in and take over your free time. Work and grades can suffer. I’ll have to admit this is my Achilles tendon. I have to set firm boundaries or loose myself in game time!

Flash forward ten years and I am out of school and have a job. I also really wanted a Wii. They were impossible to find when I came across one, this time with cash in the bank and a nice savings account. I paid cash and walked out of the store like I had discovered gold. I still play about 2 hours a week, sometimes less (it’s harder to put off a job than it was homework). Only now do I realize how much stress my earlier purchase led to though. Without the strain, the same amount of playing is much more relaxing.

Is a luxury good really much of a luxury if it just adds stress to your life?

Not true. My bf has always been a gamer and uses a lot his Wii. Actually, we use it. After one year and a half we’re still enoying our bowling or tennis matches… Despite my being wary at first, it’s really something else. And WiiFit is awesome. I hope our friend Joshua will buy it some time…

Thats a good one Joshua. If I was in your shoes, I would have probably got the Wii.. Nice to see that you have saved it up for future.. Way to go..!!!

I can’t tell you how much stuff I bought that now sits ignored because family, work and other interests demand my time.

That said, everyone needs a hobby or thing to enjoy or you’ll get burned out pretty badly. Not all of us can live on lentil soup and turnips and collect scrap aluminum all day long to turn in at the reimbursement center. As hobbies go, video games are comparable or cheaper than things like bowling, golf, hunting/fishing, and far cheaper than paintball or shooting sports. Plus, with Wii Fit about to release, a video game system that’s “not too bad” for active engagement is about to get even better.

I would conclude that if you have enough discretionary cash (NOT CREDIT CARD BALANCE) to buy the Wii, knock yourself out. Mario Kart Wii is great fun, Wii Fit is coming, and I’ve had a very high hours-of-entertainment-per-dollar return from Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Zelda, Wii Play, and Wii Sports (the included title), not to mention that I was able to sell my Gamecube and play all GCN titles on the Wii instead, since it is backward-compatible.

Excellent and inspiring post! Thanks for sharing it.

Best Wishes,
D4L

Aaron

Our local Costco had some Wiis at the checkout counter this past week. They were priced very temptingly and I was longingly looking at one while waiting for my turn at the till. I thought about the fun games that I could play. And then I remembered the Nintendo DS with Brain Age that I had bought, at the same Costco, only six months earlier. I don’t play that very often, once or twice a week. So why buy a Wii? Oh but this would be more kinetic, I could play standing up, move around…

The woman behind me at the lineup egged me on to start placing my things onto the checkout counter. The Wii was just within my grasp….. and I demurred.

And just like Josh, now that I am home, I do not regret my decision one bit.

I’m proud to say that my wife and I saved up cash for our Wii, and while it is worth every penny in terms of fun, I am so happy we didn’t charge it.

Way to go, Joshua! And kudos to J.D. for continuing to put out the message to delay gratification for long term gain. We need more of this kind of advice.

JD, thanks for sharing this. It’s good inspiration!