You may have noticed the multitude of recommendation posts for the 2014 Steam Summer Sale on Pixel Pacas lately. This was done because people regularly ask “will it go cheaper?” with the hope that the folks they’re asking can see the future. Of course, my text was all suggestions as well because even I don’t know what will happen. Still I’ve weathered enough sales to at least offer some analysis.

So, what does someone obsessed with deals like me actually buy during the Steam sale?

• Can’t Stop Laughing Bundle (Battleblock Theater, Castle Crashers) – $2.49
• Coma:Mortuary (Episode 1) – $0.59
• Defy Gravity – $0.29
• Flock! – $1.24
• Insecticide: Part 1 – $0.29
• Lunar Pack (Lunnye Devitsy, Wake) – $1.24
• Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death – $0.99
• Millie – $1.35
• One Way Heroics – $0.87
• PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ All You Can Eat Edition – $3.74
• Puzzler World  – $0.49
• Roogoo – $0.29

All this stacks up to $13.87. At this point in my life I find it very hard to spend over $5 for one digital game which helps explain the trend. Also, I’m always a big fan of checking through the most discounted games that do not show on the front page.

My Steam wallet had $11ish in card funds at the start and I never added any more money to it. How did I buy more than that? Simple – Steam trading cards! There were many games I had yet to farm cards for, so I nabbed them during the sale and sold off duplicates immediately (for some reason I’m still entranced by completing sets). The same held true for my excess Steam Summer Adventure cards. By the way, if you didn’t do it this year, definitely vote on as many Community Choices as possible to get free cards. These can help fund your own small game purchases!

Of course, Steam wasn’t the only sale in town. I purchased Age of Empires II HD + The Forgotten Expansion for $2.49 off Amazon (with existing gift card funds). All in all, I gained 15 games. So basically the Steam Summer Sale cost me nothing at all! In the future I may post about strategies to help others accomplish this as well.