I got my Steam Deck one year ago and that was also when I created my Steam account. Besides really enjoying handheld gaming, the discounts and sales were an important factor for me when I decided to get it as my second console.
After experiencing 3 major Steam sales since then, I learned how tempting they can be and how one can end up with pockets empty and more games gathering dust in the backlog.
It’s easy to understand why it feels satisfying to browse and buy during these sales, as our brains are “trained” to respond to them. Research shows that brains release dopamine not when you actually get something, but in anticipation of getting it (basically when waiting for a reward). That doesn’t mean you can’t work around this dopamine response, as you can still feed your brain’s reward system without actually spending money.*
If you’re tired of buying new games during these sales only to never play them, or if you’re actively avoiding all the “Top 10 games to get this Steam sale” videos that pop up, this post might be for you. Here are some strategies to help you resist the urge to spend (and avoid some post-sale backlog shame).
* Sources: Psychology Today, Cleveland Clinic
1. Track your unplayed sale purchases
Before the Summer sale, I realized there were still games from the Winter and Autumn sales that I hadn’t played yet. I decided to make collections on Steam for them so I could keep better track of my sale purchases and their completion rates.
Collections might be a bit overkill, but you can write a simple list of all the games you purchased in sales within the last year and mark how many of these you played. You can consult your purchase history in this Steam page and cross-check them with the dates from past major sales:
- Summer Sale 2025: 26 June – 10 July
- Spring Sale 2025: 13 – 20 March
- Winter Sale 2024: December 19, 2024 – January 2, 2025
- Fall Sale 2024: November 17, 2024 – December 4, 2024
Having visibility over this can help you make a decision on whether to cut back on the sales this time.
2. Shop your own backlog, on all your consoles
Are you getting an itch to get that game with a big discount? You can try to “shop” your own backlog to scratch that itch. It simply means checking out games you already own. Maybe there’s one you even forgot you had because it’s on another console or on Epic Games instead of Steam?
3. Clean up your wishlist and/or disable email notifications
Before the Fall sale starts on the 29th, clean up your wishlist so you receive fewer notifications via email. Think about it: if a game has been on sale multiple times per year, and you’ve had it in your wishlist for a good while, are you sure you’ll still be getting it?
You can also consider turning off wishlist-related emails. You can do that in your account > account details > manage email preferences.
4. Before the sale starts, make a list of the games you *really* want to play
If you want to make use of the sale for its discounts while also avoiding impulse purchases, you can make a list of the games that you really want to play prior to actually knowing *what* will be for sale. Creating a budget for your purchases is also helpful for that same reason. Sticking to buying titles that you want to play right away is also a good rule of thumb to avoid growing your backlog.
5. Check Steamdb or DekuDeals for sales frequency
Steamdb or DekuDeals are your friends when fighting FOMO (fear of missing out). You may find out that a certain deal happens several times a year, or that it’s genuinely the right time to make that purchase, if they show you it’s the lowest that a game has ever cost.
6. Recommend games to your friends instead of asking for recommendations
Sometimes the fun is in discussing what games people in your community are eyeing, but you don’t need to miss out on those conversations if you skip the sale. Join them by recommending games you’ve actually played, rather than asking your friends whether you should buy something new.
7. Shop for free demos instead
Do you see yourself coming back to the store to browse? Look for demos of upcoming games instead. They’re free and scratch that discovery itch without the spending part.
8. Make use of Steam refunds
Shout out to Kishikku for sharing this tip on Discord! You have 14 days to return a game if you’ve played it under 2 hours. Use this to your favor and test the games you purchased to make sure they work correctly and that they’re something you will enjoy. Your wallet will thank you later.
9. Be kind to yourself 😉
Maybe you were planning to skip this sale, but you ended up making some new purchases. And that’s ok! Enjoy your new games ❤️
I hope you found some of these tips helpful. Happy conscious shopping!
-Luna
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