Running out of Pokeballs

When you first start playing Pokemon Go, you are given a certain number of Pokeballs -- about 20, I think, or maybe it's 50. Anyway, you can catch Pokemon for a few days, but inevitably you will run out of Pokeballs. That situation put me at a standstill for a few weeks because I didn't know how to get more balls without paying for them. 

I found out that I needed to visit Pokestops to get more balls (see the "Getting Started" section of this blog if you need some terminology definitions). I looked that up on the internet hoping to find a map of Pokestops in my area. It turns out there are some unofficial maps for various parts of the country, but there is not one big map of Pokestops around the world, and I couldn't find a map for my area. By word of mouth, I found out the location of a few Pokestops, so my sister and I set off in search of them. Sure enough, when you are near a Pokestop, it appears on the map as a blue cube. When you are in range, i.e., close enough to get items, the Pokestop changes to a circle and starts spinning. You can then tap on it to open to open the Pokestop. 

When the Pokestop opens, you will see a round photo of it. Spin the photo by swiping it with your finger, and it will release Pokeballs and other items. You can tap on the items to collect them or just press the X at the bottom to close the Pokestop. In either case, the items will be stored in your bag. After you collect items from a Pokestop, it changes color from blue to pink, and it takes about 5 minutes before you can collect more items. 

At some point, you will run out of room in your Items bag. Ways to deal with that, as well as a description of the items, will be the subject of another post.  

Early Strategy

At this early stage of the game, your best strategy is just to keep catching Pokemon and collecting Pokeballs. Have fun!