How to Play Board Games on a Budget! I’ve written in the past about the awesome benefits you will realize playing family board games. The one challenge I have with board games is the cost. This is amplified with kids board games, because many games only hold their interest for a year or two. So how do you get the most out of your board game budget? Check out our how to play board games on a budget guide!
[Stephanie’s note: If the voice sounds different it’s because this post was written by Tyler, my husband, and originally published on Kidsloveboardgames.com which is now defunct!]
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Pin this round-up of family board game tips with this photo or link!
When it comes to playing board games on a budget I think there are two main approaches. One is to find great deals on games to stretch your budget over as many games as possible. The other approach is to make sure the games you are buying are games you want to play over and over, I’ll talk about both below.
While the whole point of this post is to save money and everyone has different financial situations, remember that Amazon’s big savings is often at the cost of its workers. While we’re sharing tips for shopping all over the place, we suggest shopping small and/or secondhand when it is a possibility!
Don’t buy games at all
No, I’m not advocating for shoplifting! Put out a call to friends & your community that you’re looking for games, post in your local Buy Nothing group and see if you get lucky! Other ideas are asking to borrow friend’s copies or using the app if it is an option instead (here are some great board game app versions). We stay pretty screen-light but if you’re on a tight budget, apps are far cheaper. Also consider adding them to any gift wish lists you have, in the hopes of friends & family buying them for you!
Buy Used Games – Thrift Stores
I have to give credit to my wife on this one. She’s a thrift store expert and she turned me onto the awesome deals you can find on board games during thrift store hunting. If you’re hunting for thrift store board games deals, here’s four tips that have helped us find success. Also, don’t forget about kid’s consignment stores – they usually have a nice selection of board games in with the toys!
1. Patience is Key
I would estimate one out of every four or five trips to a goodwill that we actually find games to buy. It’s pretty common to see thrift store shelves riddled with copies of Scene-It and Trivial Pursuit, so don’t get discouraged if that is all you see in the first few trips. The most exciting thing about looking for board games at thrift stores is that when you do find something good it tends to be like hitting the jackpot, finding a bunch of great games for super reasonable prices.
2. Look through the toy shelves
A lot of times we’ll find great card games stashed among the toy shelves rather than separated with the bigger board games. We’ve found some of our favorite kids games like Sleeping Queens and Spot-it! buried among the toys. If we had only been looking on the board game shelf we would have missed out on a lot of awesome finds.
3. Don’t focus on specific games, but look for brands instead
Keeping an open mind when thrift store hunting is essential. There’s a pretty low chance of finding a specific game. So rather than heading to the store looking for one game, we tend to keep an eye out for brands that we know make great games. If we see games by Gamewright, Blue Orange, Peaceable Kingdom, Ravensburger, or Kosmos at the thrift store its pretty much an instant buy for us!
4. Consider buying incomplete games
Its pretty normal to see games at thrift stores that are missing critical pieces. Rather than just passing on the game, consider buying the game and finding replacement parts. A lot of companies will send replacement parts for free! Others may charge you for replacement parts, but the cost of the game + replacement part is often still a steep discount to buying the game brand new. If you can’t get a replacement part from the company, a lot of times it can be found online from sites like eBay or you can get creative and DIY a makeshift replacement.
Buy Used Games – Other Options
Thrift stores aren’t the only place to find amazing deals on used games; you usually won’t find the crazy deals of thrift stores, but there is still some deep discounts over retail to be had.
Kidizen + Mercari
Kidizen is a person-to-person selling app similar to eBay but with no auction option, focused mainly on kid’s items. Big board games won’t work to ship cost efficiently but smaller games and board game lots are often listed at big discounts! Set up an account here: Kidizen.
Mercari is similar to Kidizen but less kid-focused. It does seem to have more listing, so it’s another great spot to look for puzzles, games, etc. Set up an account here: Mercari.
Game Stores
I have been seeing more and more game stores carry a used game section. There’s a few great reasons to shop for used games at game stores. First, you can see the condition in person, so you know exactly what you’re getting making it much easier to buy with confidence. You can also be assured the game store has validated that all the parts are included! Most stores that have a used game section will also accept used games for store credit as well, giving you a perfect path to get some utility from games you no longer play. Last but certainly not least, this is also a great way to support a local business rather then sending your money away to other economies.
I have also noticed some video game stores and secondhand book stores will carry used board games, sometimes at great prices. Be sure to check them out as well!
eBay
eBay is a great place to find discounts when you’re looking for a specific game but trying to avoid paying full retail. I have found eBay really supports their customers and makes sure you get what you expect with purchases. It’s nice to have some recourse in the event you end up purchasing a game that is missing pieces or not in the described condition. You can also “save” a search so you get emails if that game gets posted.
Buy/Sell/Trade Groups
Buy/sell/trade groups are another great option. Especially with kids board games, trading can be the perfect option. Once a game you own no longer challenges your kid, find someone to trade with and you both come away ahead! As with most marketplaces, there can be scammers involved, so make sure you take steps to protect yourself. Here are two of our favorite buy/sell/trade groups:
- Facebook – Board Game Exchange – completely run through Facebook, lots of activity with people looking to buy, sell, and trade.
- Board Game Geek’s – Geek Market – Board Game Geek has a great forum to learn more about board games, and a very active market.
Buying New Games
There are a lot of great games that won’t break the bank! Keep scrolling to see a list of the 20+ best games under $20 as a starting point. There are also some great deals to be had on more expensive new games as well. Some big box places to find games are Amazon, Walmart and Target. Target has really grown their board game selection and offers buy one board game, get one 50% off around once every three months. They also have some great black friday deals on games.
I also try to shop at local board game stores as much as possible. While they can’t necessarily compete on price with online retailers and big box stores, but they can help you save money in other ways (more on that above and below!). These local game stores are a great resource so, if you can, don’t overlook shopping there when possible!
Use cashback sites when shopping online
Keep in mind that categories and participating stores change on these apps, so don’t give up if your store isn’t participating the first time you check!
Ibotta is an app that gives you cash back on online and in store purchases. This is great for Target shoppers, but check all the local stores you’re using! Sign up for an account here: Ibotta.
Rakuten aka Ebates is an app and a browser rewards program that gives you cashback on online purchases only. Sign up for an account here: Rakuten.
Try Before You Buy New
The above has mainly focused on stretching your board game purchase dollars as far as possible via getting games for as cheap as possible. The below tips are more geared at playing games for free, and helping you make sure the games you do buy are games you love and will play over and over! All the below places are options for you to try before you buy.
Libraries
In a cool new trend, I’ve been noticing a lot of libraries have been adding board games you can check out! This presents a great opportunity to try before you buy a board game. Or if there is a game that you just have interest in playing once or twice, you can check it out and play for a week or two, and return it to move onto the next game! If your local library doesn’t offer this, call them up and ask why not.
Game Stores
Game stores are another place that can really help you ensure the games you buy are games you’ll love. They often have copies of popular board games available to try out in store. This is a great way to make sure a game you expect to love is a good fit for your family. While you’re there, take the time to talk with the staff and explain what your looking for in a game. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into a store expecting to buy one game, but been convinced (correctly!) that a different game will be a better fit.
Board Game Cafés
Board game cafés are really cool if you haven’t been. They typically charge you a cover ($5-$10) to get in and they have a huge library of board games to play. This is a great set up to get some family or friends together to try out a bunch of board games to find your next favorite game!
Free Printable Board Games
There are tons of great printable board games available online. These generally don’t have the replayability of a boxed game you’d buy, but they are usually free, and a lot of fun for one or two plays. Here’s a list of a bunch of free printable games to get you started!
How do you Board Game on a Budget?
I hope these tips can help you get more bang for your board game budget! Now I’d love to hear from you! What are your tips for playing board games on a budget? Comment below!
20+ Best Board Games Under $20
There are a lot of ways to play board games on a budget, one way is to find great games your family will love for cheap, band new! The following list is sorted by age and has our favorite board games under $20! These games all retail for under $20, and some of them are even discounted periodically, for even better deals!
Preschoolers
Spot it! by Blue Orange
Spot it! is the perfect spot to start a list of best board games under $20! This is a great game for keeping energetic preschoolers engaged since the game is all about speed and not turn based. Players compete to see who can spot a matching letter or shape as fast as possible. The metal travel tin is prefect because you don’t have to worry about ending up with a smushed box.
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Manufacturer Suggested Age Range: 3+
- What we like best: Well balanced with older/younger kids because the person who ‘lost’ the last round is using the same card, while the ‘winner’ of the last round has to start fresh
- Prerequisite Skills: Ability to match shapes/letters between two cards (but kids don’t need to know them by name)
- Kids will learn: Attention span/focus, letters, shapes, and colors
Create and Tell Me a Story Cards by eeBoo
This isn’t a game in the sense of competing, but more just a fun card games for being creative together. The best part about this game is there are lots of different versions depending on your child’s interests (animals, robots, and fairy tales to name a few). Players take turns drawing cards and telling their portion of the story. Since the cards are random the story always changes into something new, fun, and silly.
- Number of players: 1+
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 3+
- What we like best: Non-competitive play, and it’s entertaining to see the preschoolers mind at work creating stories.
- Prerequisite skills: Ability to create a sentence based on a picture
- Kids will learn: Creativity, communication, story telling, connecting thoughts
Race to the Treasure by Peaceable Kingdom
In Race for the Treasure players cooperatively collect keys and build a path to the treasure chest. The twist is that they could be caught by ogres at any time. Players draw and place the path they are following, navigating to keys and treasure chest. this game is a great intro to a game like Carcassonne, not requiring the strategic decision making, but asking gamers to evaluate where to place tiles and how to position them.
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 5+
- What we like best: Cooperative gameplay, fast paced gameplay
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with simple turn based games
- Kids will learn: Spatial and strategic thinking, turn taking
Hisss by Gamewright
Hisss is a quick, simple game for preschoolers where players build snakes. Players take turns drawing cards by matching the colors on the drawn cards to the snakes that are in process. If a player completes the snake (adding a head when a tale has already been placed, vice versa), they collect the snake into their snake pit. The game ends when all the cards have been played. The winner is the person with the most cards in their snake pit.
- Number of players: 2-5
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 4+
- What we like best: Fast paced turns, great to avoid ants in pants!
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with simple turn based games
- Kids will learn: Colors, very basic strategic thinking
Obstacles by eeBoo
Obstacles is another great game for preschoolers to work on communication! Each round players have a handful of tools and are presented with an obstacle (a lava river, for instance). Players play one of their tools and explain how they would use the tool to get past the obstacle. This leads to some hilarious and fun explanations, and great creativity development!
- Number of players: 2-5
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 5+
- What we like best: Laid back, non-competitive game, lots of silly fun
- Prerequisite skills: Ability to explain a simple decision
- Kids will learn: Communication and creativity
Kindergarteners
Outfoxed! by Gamewright
In Outfoxed players work cooperatively to figure out which fox stole the prize pig! This game does a great job of keeping everyone engaged and working to solve the mystery. It provides a perfect test of deduction and reasoning skills for kids, and has great replayability.
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 5+
- What we like best: Perfect balance of logic challenge for the targeted age range
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with simple turn based games
- Kids will learn: Logic and deduction as well as communication
Labyrinth by Ravensburger
I love when I can add classic game from my child hood to these lists! While so many of my child hood games can’t stand against modern games, Labyrinth is one I played growing and still hangs with the best modern board games. Its one of those awesome games that is a challenging test from five-year olds through adults. Players compete to move through the ever-changing labyrinth and collect treasures to win.
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 7+
- What we like best: Challenging for everyone and everyone has a chance to win no matter the skill level
- Prerequisite skills: Experience solving simple puzzles
- Kids will learn: Problem solving, thinking ahead
Pass the Pigs by Winning Move Games
If you love dice games, you have to check out Pass the Pigs! Pass the pigs is a press your luck style game where players roll pigs and score points based on the way the pigs land. At any point you can bank the points. If you chose to press your luck you could lose them all!
- Number of players: 2+
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 7+
- What we like best: Quick fun, other players turns are as entertaining as yours!
- Prerequisite skills: Understanding simple math (counting/basic addition)
- Kids will learn: Addition, risk taking, simple probability
Sleeping Queens – 10th Anniversary by Gamewright
This was the first game I can say our kids were officially OBSESSED with. Sleeping Queens is a turn based card game where players try to wake queens to score the most points. There are lots of ways to interfere with your opponents strategy (stealing queens or putting them back to sleep) which adds a fun twist to this game that your kids will love. There is also some subtle strategies regarding pairs/runs that kids pick up on over time. The 10th anniversary edition adds new Kings and Queens! The recommended age from the manufacturer is 8+, however once your kids can count to ten and recognize the numbers on the cards they are ready to play.
- Number of players: 2-5
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 8+
- What we like best: Quick turns, card art is fun, very competitive regardless of skill, good with only two players
- Prerequisite skills: Ability to remember the powers of multiple cards and recognize and order numbered cards
- Kids will learn: Counting, number recognition, addition, card game strategy
Kingdomino by BlueOrange Games
In Kingdomino players build the landscape around their kingdom, scoring points for larger areas of the same type of landscape with more crowns. The kingdom worth the most points at the end wins. This game is a perfect first intro to the concept of multiplication as the scoring is based on multiplication, but it isn’t required to have a firm grasp of it to play the game. The construction quality is top-notch and the tiles are beautifully designed which only adds to the great experience provided by the underlying gameplay!
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 8+
- What we like best: Tile selection mechanism adds a nice layer to the strategy, gameplay is quick
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with strategy games
- Kids will learn: Basic multiplication, strategic thinking
7 Year Olds
Lost Cities by Thames and Kosmos
Lost Cities is like taking the game Solitaire and making it competitive and strategic! Players start expeditions and try to add as many cards as they can to each expedition to score points. You also lose points for each expedition which doesn’t meet the minimum number of cards played to it. There are also cards which multiply the points for your expedition (positive or negative!).
- Number of players: 2
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 10+
- What we like best: Specifically built for two players and because of this it is really well balanced!
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with strategic games as this game is a little heavier on the strategy other recommendations for the is age range
- Kids will learn: Strategic decision-making, very basic multiplication
5 minute Dungeon by Spin Master Games
So just for clarification, this isn’t a five-minute game, it’s five, five-minute rounds, so roughly 25-30 minute game. This is a cooperative speed game, players have five minutes to get through the dungeon and beat the dungeon boss. If you run out of cards or fail to defeat the boss before the timer runs out, you lose! This is a great ants in the pants game, because there is no waiting around for turns, it’s a complete free for all with everyone playing at once.
- Number of players: 2-5
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 8+
- What we like best: Great with a bigger group, super fast paced/high intensity
- Prerequisite skills: Ability to communicate and make decisions quickly
- Kids will learn: Processing speed, decision-making, communication
Sushi Go! by Gamewright
Sushi Go! is a pick and pass game, where each player starts with an initial hand of cards, picks one, and passes the hand to the next person. Once all cards have been selected you tally the score. After three rounds the person with the highest score wins! This is a great balance of light and quick, but adding some strategic thinking. Love this one at the end of a long day to wind down as a family.
- Number of players: 2-5
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 8+
- What we like best: Plays great with any number of players
- Prerequisite skills: Reading, or ability to remember scoring rules for quite a few cards
- Kids will learn: Decision making, addition, memory
Dragonwood by Gamewright
In Dragonwood players battle/capture monsters to score points and win the game. This is a really fun combo of card and dice game. Players collect cards and play them to earn a certain number of dice to roll. They use these dice to battle the monsters! Looking to know more?
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 8+
- What we like best: Fun combination of luck and strategy
- Prerequisite skills: Counting/number ordering
- Kids will learn: Decision making, odds, addition
Tiki Topple by Gamewright
In Tiki Topple, players compete to get their tiki’s to the top of the line to score points. Players have a tiki card which shows them which tikis they are trying to get to the top and a hand of cards which allow them to manipulate the tikis. Moving them up or down, or taking them out of the game all together. This makes for a lot of gamesmanship since no one knows which tikis the other players are trying to advance for sure!
- Number of players: 2-4
- Manufacturer age recommendation: 10+
- What we like best: Gamesmanship
- Prerequisite skills: Experience with simple strategy games, ability to keep a secret
- Kids will learn: Strategic thinking and gamesmanship
Older Kids
Love Letter by AEG
Players compete to try and get their love letter to the person closest to the princess each round without getting caught by their opponents first. Each round goes quickly and play is very interactive. Bonus points because this game is still fun with only 2 players. Travel tip: The cubes that come with the game aren’t needed, you can just use paper or your phone to keep score.
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Manufacturer Suggested Age Range: Not provided
- What we like best: Great balance of perception and random luck
- Prerequisite Skills: Reading
- Kids will learn: Basic statistics, deductive reasoning, perception of others
Unstable Unicorns by Unstable Games
Build an army of unicorns?! Unstable Unicorns is about building your unicorn army and snuffing out your opponents’ army. This game is a lot of fun, and very vicious. It offers a great combination of quick gameplay, strategic thinking, and foiling other players plans.
- Number of Players: 2-8
- Manufacturer Suggested Age Range: 14+
- What we like best: Great for expending family tension!
- Prerequisite Skills: Reading, emotional maturity to handle being obliterated by your family
- Kids will learn: Reading comprehension, strategic thinking
For Sale by Gryphon Games
For Sale is a simple, fun way for kids to gain a basic understanding of investments. The game focuses around real estate, but the real asset of the game is how simply it teaches investing lessons, while the whole family has a blast playing!
- Number of Players: 3-6
- Manufacturer Suggested Age Range: 10+
- What we like best: Simple fun teaching mechanism
- Prerequisite Skills: Ability to understand auction style gameplay
- Kids will learn: Investing, strategic thinking
Coup by Indie Boards and Cards
Coup is all about reading people and convincing people of the cards you have in your hand. Players can pretend to have any card the want and it’s up to the other players to decide if they actually have that card or not. This game plays super fast, and has a great mechanism of encouraging even the most honest gamers to bluff as the game progresses. This party game is one of the best board games under $20 you can find!
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Manufacturer Suggested Age Range: 10+
- What we like best: Simple play and tons of entertainment as you try to trick the family into believing you
- Prerequisite Skills: Ability to read, ability to keep a secret
- Kids will learn: Bluffing
Escape the Room by Think Fun
A game you can only play once?! While usually we look for board games that have great replayability, these ‘One’ play games are a blast for a special occasion. Similar to the Escape Room locations that have become very popular lately (but much cheaper), players work cooperatively to solve puzzles and challenges to progress through and escape the game.
- Number of Players: 3-8
- Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 13+
- What we like best: Cooperative gameplay, challenging puzzles, pressure to get out before time is up
- Prerequisite Skills: Reading, experience with puzzles
- Kids will learn: Problem solving, working under pressure, communication
Which are your favorites?
Which of these games do you already love, and which are you excited to try as the best board game under $20? Comment below!
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