For budgets under ~$100/month, best value rule of thumb: buy only when a wanted bonus appears in 'Limited Time Promotion'; buy only 'Event Package' or 'Super Value Activity Package' (skip Membership/Bounty Cave, poor value); buy only during the 3-day weekend (extra Weekend Purchase Package bonus); cap spend at one $4.99 pack/day. That's roughly $20/month buying weekly, ~$60/month buying 3x/week. Limited Time Promotion: 4 package types (Speed Up, Resources, Materials & Skills, Research) rotate hourly, in 3 purchase tiers (Tier1 ~1,000 gems/$5, Tier2 ~24,000 gems/$100, Tier3 ~100,000 gems/$400), max 1 of each tier/day; 'Speed Up' is most useful until mid-game, 'Materials and Skills' has the best rate of return (best late-game), 'Resources' is NOT recommended (poor redemption rate). Event Package ($4.99 base: 26,000 Gems, 3M Gold, 23.5M Resources x4 types, ~4 days speedups, resurrection/research/enhancement items) escalates through 5 grades same-day ($4.99->$9.99->$19.99->$49.99->$99.99, each requires buying the prior grade first that day; max 1 of grades 1-4/day, up to 12 of grade 5/day); over time these packages help stockpile Source of Life, Runestone, and Research Stone. Super Value Activity Package (unlocked at 120 daily activity score, 1/day) gives ~15 days speedups, 26,000 Gems, 2.5M Gold, 7.5M Resources x4, but no Source of Life/Runestone — use it when you need speedups urgently. Weekend Purchase Package: bonus tier based on total gems bought that weekend (500 gems->Level1 up to 70,000 gems->Level10); one $4.99 pack reaches Level 2.
Original research source: Evony Guide Wiki
