Have you always paid the full price for PC games? If you’re the type who doesn’t shop around, then you probably answered yes to this question. But it’s always a prudent move to look for better deals out there. Even if it means getting a game for a couple of dollars cheaper, all that money adds up in the long run. You just have to spend a little extra time to find out where and when to buy in order to get the biggest cost savings. Here are a few simple tricks to get you started.

1) Get CD keys at a discount

It’s surprising how so many gamers spend a ton of money on game codes. Sure, they’re pretty cheap, but you can keep more money in your pocket if you know where to look. CD Key Prices gathers all the latest discounts on current and popular titles. You can even find game codes for pre-orders, which mean you’ll be one of the first to try upcoming games.

There are many sources of game codes online, but be careful where to spend your cash. It’s best to stick to a reputable store. Also, understand that when you buy CD keys, you’re essentially buying from the official stores, but you’re getting them at a much lower price.

2) Watch out for Steam Sales

Steam has started to hold regular sales a few years back, and it is during these special events that you should be prepared for a buying spree. You’ll be enticed by the daily, weekly, and weekend deals, but what you’re really after are the seasonal sales when you can purchase virtually anything on Steam at huge discounts. While the dates vary each year, except for these sales to hit during the winter holiday, Thanksgiving, and Black Friday.

For even more savings, try to be patient enough to buy your desired game only if it becomes a temporary deal during a holiday sale. For example, the game you like might be 50% on a holiday sale. But if it becomes a daily deal, too, then you might be looking at a 75% discount. Of course, you can always buy the games you want on the last day if they don’t get featured.

3) Look beyond Steam

Steam enjoys an enormous market share of the PC games buying community, but it’s not the only platform in which you can get your favorite games. In fact, many stores make certain to match the prices on Steam or even offer better deals for their customers. What’s great is that many stores also offer Steam keys, allowing you to buy the game at a lower price elsewhere before adding them to your Steam account.

Amazon, for one, has a huge collection of PC games and sells Steam keys as well. Humble Bundle also has enticing one-time offers, enabling you to get your hands on popular titles at surprisingly low rates. They also offer a monthly subscription service which only costs $12 a month in exchange for some of the hottest PC games.

The lesson is clear: Spend more time looking beyond the usual place where you get your games and you just might find amazing deals on PC games. But you should also remember that no matter awesome sales are, you should only buy games that you would play. There’s no need to rush as you can always expect a new sale right around the corner.