The Budget Gamer:
Food Edition
Written By: J. Michael Neal

Hello and welcome to the second installment in our new feature The Budget Gamer: Things That Will Improve a Gamer’s Life For Cheap.

Ok, ok. So you went a little over-budget this week buying rare PlayStation imports on eBay, it’s not the end of the world. You can just go without eating for a while. Maybe you can even call it a “hunger strike” and get on the local six o’clock news… but before you pull the old Gandhi robe out of storage consider taking some of these suggestions on cheap “meal substitutes”…

Breakfast: Oatmeal

A big container of oatmeal won’t cost you more than a few dollars, particularly if you get the no-named brand. All you’ve got to do is throw in your own brown sugar or cinnamon and stuff and you’ve got a hot, filling, and most importantly, cheap ass way to start the day!

Lunch: Nothing

Hey, you spent all your money on games; you got to make some sacrifices buddy! Tighten that belt! Besides, if you’re the type that would rather spend money on games than anything else, you could probably stand to lose a few pounds around the mid-section anyway…

Gaming Snack: Combos

Ok, so the effects of skipping that meal kinda caught up with you in the middle of a heated game of Madden. No big; not as long as you have some Combos handy. They can be a little pricey depending on where they get them, but they are worth keeping around. Not only do they kick major ass, but they are super filling. If you each enough you’ll be full for hours.

Dinner: Ramen Noodles

They come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic Ramen Noodle is about as cheap a meal as you can get. You can get cases of the stuff for like a penny if you look in discount stores. If you get creative you can find hundreds, if not thousands of ways to prepare them aside from the traditional “boil, add flavor packet” method.

Dessert: Brains*

Zombies can’t seem to get enough of ‘um. There must be something to that. Maybe they know something the rest of us don’t. They are free, and in ample supply, plus most people don’t seem to get much daily use out of theirs anyway. Just be sure to watch out for that sub acute spongiform encephalopathy. It’s a killer.

Live on those for a few weeks and you’ll be back on your feet again. If push comes to shove you can always just happen to pop up at your parents house around the time they have dinner. Would be somewhat rude of them not to offer you a plate and all.

* Don’t be an idiot. VGF does not advocate the eating of human brains. However, VGF also does not discriminate against an Undead American’s constitutionally protected right to eat the brains of humans, as defended by the Supreme Court decision of Tyrant v The People of Raccoon City.

Posted: 7-16-03