Budgeting: The cost of board games as a hobby, and how to play for less
The cost of board games as a hobby depends on how many games you buy, since expansions and new releases add up quickly. In a worked example, a year of buying a few games costs about 250, while game cafés and libraries can cut that sharply.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- The cost of board games as a hobby depends on how many games you buy.
- In a worked example, a year costs about 250.
- Try games before buying at cafés, libraries and game nights.
- A small collection you play often beats a big one gathering dust.
What is the cost of board games as a hobby?
Board games are a great way to spend time with friends and family, and a single game can give years of fun. The cost depends almost entirely on how many games you buy. A small collection of favourites costs very little per evening. A collection that grows with every new release and expansion can cost a lot. In a worked example, a year of buying a few games costs about 250.
Compared with going out, board games are cheap entertainment. A game played twenty times with four people costs very little per person per evening. The risk is collecting more games than you can play.
It helps to think about who you'll play with most. A game that's brilliant with six people won't get much use if you usually play as a couple. Games that work well with two players, or that scale to different group sizes, tend to come off the shelf more often. Thinking about this before buying is one of the easiest ways to avoid games that sit unplayed.
Length matters too. Long, complex games can be a highlight for a weekend, but quick games that take half an hour are easier to fit into a weeknight. A collection with a mix of both gets more play, and more value, than one full of epic games that rarely find the right evening.
Board gaming has also become very social, with game cafés, clubs and online communities in many towns. That's good news for your budget, because it means you can try a huge range of games without owning them, and buy only the ones you love.
What does a year of board games cost?
Here's a worked example, in round numbers that work in any currency:
| Item | A year |
|---|---|
| New games | 150 |
| Expansions | 50 |
| Game café visits | 30 |
| Sleeves and storage | 20 |
| Total | 250 |
Someone who buys one or two games a year and plays at home might spend less than 100. A keen collector buying many new releases can spend far more.
What are the main board game costs?
Buying games
Games range from cheap card games to big boxes with many pieces. Price doesn't always match fun: some of the most-played games are small and inexpensive. Reading reviews and watching a short play-through online helps you judge whether a game suits your group before you spend anything.
Expansions
Expansions add new content to games you own. They can refresh a favourite, but buying every expansion for every game adds up. A good rule is to buy an expansion only for a game you've already played many times and still enjoy.
Game cafés
Game cafés charge a small fee to play from their library, often with food and drinks. It's a cheap way to try many games.
Accessories
Card sleeves, storage inserts and dice towers are optional extras that collectors often buy. Most games play perfectly well without them.
What else adds to the cost of board games as a hobby?
Crowdfunded games often cost more and arrive months later, and the excitement of backing projects can lead to overspending. Conventions bring tickets, travel and a strong temptation to buy. Shelf space for a growing collection can become a problem. Painting miniatures, a hobby within the hobby, adds paint and tools.
How can you enjoy board games for less?
Try before you buy at game cafés, clubs and game nights. Some libraries lend board games for free. Buy second-hand from trading groups, where games often sell for much less. Choose games with high replay value, which you'll play many times. Trade or sell games you no longer play. Host game nights where friends bring their own games, so everyone plays more without buying more. How to host a dinner on a budget has ideas for cheap evenings at home, and how to save money on entertainment covers more ways to have fun for less.
Keep a small, loved collection
Before buying a new game, ask whether you'll play it more than the games you already own. Selling games you don't play keeps shelves tidy and funds new ones. How to sell things you don't use covers how. Work out the cost per use: a game played fifty times is excellent value. How to save money on a hobby has more tips.
How do you track board game costs in Wealtie?
Add an entertainment or hobby category to your expense categories and set a budget for games, so new releases don't push you over.
Questions people ask
In a worked example, a year of buying a few games, expansions, café visits and accessories costs about 250.
Yes. A game played many times with friends costs very little per person per evening.
Visit game cafés, join clubs and game nights, and check whether your library lends games.
Try before buying, choose games with high replay value, trade or sell games you don't play and set a yearly budget.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
