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How to get rich quick in Red Dead Redemption 2 or die trying!
Numerous ways to earn easy (and sometimes hard) money in the Old (digital) West...
At the start of Red Dead Redemption 2, Dutch Van Der Linde and his gang find themselves on the run and out of pocket. Having fled Blackwater with barely any cash to their name for having buried it on-the-run from the law, it falls to your character Arthur Morgan to add to the funds for the escapee camp you and your ilk are a part of. Money makes the world go round in the game, being necessary to buy better camp equipment, pay off expensive bounties, upgrade your gear and do myriad other cash-required elements of the game-world. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to earn it.
Here are some of the fastest ways to make money in Red Dead Redemption 2. With this guide you'll discover what to sell, how to steal, who to steal from, where to search and other tips to help you afford the finer things in life.
01
Complete Missions
Earn cash by playing missions
© Rockstar Games
Let’s start with the obvious. Completing main missions in the game is one of the easiest ways to make money. Without spoiling too much, quests focus on the gang’s attempts to rustle up some extra income. So it comes as no surprise then that they have some of the game’s greatest rewards. If you’re ever struggling for cash, go back to the main story and take advantage of these. You won’t regret it. Unless, of course, if you advance the story too much and lose position in the game-world. By now you likely know that Arthur and the gang rove about a bit, and each story beat pushes the gang's geo-timeline forward a bit, so be ready to make sure any Story Missions you do won't impact you're attempt at getting the most out of the place you're currently in.
02
Rob Banks and Trains and People, Carefully
Get on the train and rob passengers
© Rockstar Games
Another way to make money is through robbing banks and trains. Robberies are hard to pull off, but also come with some excellent rewards if you’re successful. Just remember to plan an escape route in advance and wear a mask to ensure that your reputation doesn’t take too much of a hit.
To steal from trains, simply get on at any station or catch up to a train with your horse to hop aboard. Once inside you can then draw your six-shooter to threaten passengers into giving you their valuables and loot any lockboxes and drawers you may find.
As for robbing banks, the process is slightly more complex. You need to make a bank teller open the door to the vault, before unlocking the safes or blowing them up with dynamite.
Regardless of what you choose, there will likely be a gunfight after, so make sure you have enough ammo stashed away to fend off the law and some transportation nearby to make a quick exit
In addition to the above, you can also rob individuals, stage coaches and more. Often taking the time to observe the people of the world (NPCs) can reveal unique ways to gain cash or learn of secret elements with potentially huge rewards, but bare in mind how you're perceived in the world impacts this. Your mask and a sense of restraint as well as patience to observe will take you a long way.
03
Locate Hidden Businesses
Some stores are fronts for illegal activities
© Rockstar Games
As mentioned briefly above, trains and banks aren’t the only places you can target. You can also locate hidden side businesses in towns, which reveals certain stores to be fronts for illegal activity. These sometimes appear on the map in the form of a question mark, while other times you will need to get a tip from an NPC in order to uncover them. These work in pretty much the same way as banks, with the player having to coax a shopkeeper to open up a door. Upon gaining entry, you must then quickly kill the gang running the operation and loot everything that isn’t nailed down before the law shows up. Just make sure your horse is nearby and don’t kill civilians or police unnecessarily as it will only raise the cost of your bounty.
04
Wrangle Horses and Wagons to Sell
Selling horses is an easy way to make money
© Rockstar Games
Selling horses is another great way to make some quick and easy money in game. There are two ways to get horses: the honest way and the dishonest way.
The honest way is going out into the world and finding wild horses to lasso and tame. This is fairly simple. Just calm a horse, mount it, and spin the left stick counter-clockwise so that it doesn’t buck you off. The dishonest way involves stealing horses that are already tamed. Either way, once you have a horse in your possession, travel to the horse shoe on the map and sell it. Stolen horses will earn less than ones you’ve acquired legitimately, so keep this in mind. Also, remember, you can tag along one horse while riding another, meaning you can steal two horses who, if behaved well enough, will accompany you to the seller location. Extra tip: turn on Cinematic Mode for the camera while doing this and you'll more likely than not avoid most dangers in the world.
Also, don't forget you can steal any wagons that you come across. These aren’t sold at the stables, but instead at the wagon fence located at Emerald Ranch. They can fetch around $40 a pop depending on what type of wagon you have in your possession, so keep an eye out while on the road.
More Red Dead Redemption 2
05
Gamble
Gambling is a risky way to make money
© Rockstar Games
Another activity that you can get up to in the world is gambling. Playable games include Five Finger Fillet, Blackjack, and Poker. It’s not the most efficient way to make money, due to the small cash prizes and the fact that you may lose more than you earn, but it is unlocked fairly early on in the game when other options aren’t available.
06
Become a Bounty Hunter
You can earn $100 by capturing outlaws
© Rockstar Games
Inside the sheriff’s office in most towns and settlements, you will sometimes find bounty posters pinned to the walls. These are optional missions that you can do that involve finding and turning in criminals for cash.
After reading a wanted poster, a huge marker will automatically appear on the map detailing the criminal’s last known whereabouts. Go to this area and use your tracking skills to find them. Then tie them up with the lasso and stow them on the back of your horse. Bring them in unharmed to the holding cells and the sheriff will give you a reward, which can range from anywhere between $20-100. They can also be brought to justice dead, but the reward is far less. Equally, some bounties expand across the map and invite all manner of other events and opportunities, so it's a good thing to engage these as often (if not always) as possible.
07
Loot Bodies
Loot bodies for cash and valuable items
© Rockstar Games
Early on, it is a good idea to make a habit of looting bodies that you come across. Bodies often have valuable items on them to sell and small sums of cash that you can collect. However, the game's karma system does give you negatives each time you do it, so pay attention to the risk-reward value of this here.
So, whenever you’re in a situation where there are a lot of bodies around, take some time to walk about and check that you’ve taken all you that you can carry before moving on. It’s not the fastest way to make money, but it is one of the simplest.
Look in Chimneys and Under Beds, Everywhere
Most houses in the game, even if derelict, will have goodies hidden
© Rockstar Games
The game-world in RDR2 is littered with abandoned or dilapidated homesteads, as well as totally torn down structures and more. If you happen to see one with a chimney still standing, go and check it. There's usually a huge chance you'll find a wad of cash stored away for the rainy day that never came. Also, whenever you come across any shacks or empty houses or the like, look under beds and cabinets, you'll definitely find things of value in these areas, and even if it's not money you might find elusive cigarette collectible cards or other items of value you can sell at the Fence.
08
Locate Treasure
Go on a treasure hunt with this map
© Rockstar Games
Treasure maps can also be found out in the world. You can buy them from strangers or simply take one off them if they’re not too keen on handing them over.
Treasure maps put your orientation skills to the test and have some fantastic rewards to reap if you’ve got the time to spare. So, if you ever come across a stranger on the side of the road, pull over and see whether they have a map on them. You never know – it could lead to more riches and wealth.
09
Sell Pelts and Fish
Make money by selling pelts
© Rockstar Games
Hunting and fishing are other activities you can do to turn a tidy profit. Pelts and fish can be sold for cash at the trapper, so if you’re in need of money why not track some animals or cast a few lines? It all adds up.
As a side note, higher quality pelts earn more money. So remember to use your binoculars while hunting to identify the animals that can you give a better pelt. Also, ensure that you have the right ammo equipped. You don’t want to damage the creature’s hide and reduce its value. This information can be found inside the animal compendium.
Collect Debts and Rob Homesteads
Collect debts and rob homesteads to earn cash
© Rockstar Games
At the campsite, there are a number of side missions that you can take part in, including robbing homesteads with Javier and collecting debts for the group’s treasurer Leopold Strauss.
Both of these mission types can result in some pretty good payouts. However, the payments for debt collecting need to be put straight back into the camp funds, so can’t be spent on anything else except the camp itself, but there are Achievements and Trophies tied to camp upgrades, so it's still worth doing.
Look for these opportunities whenever you’re in camp. It will keep your account topped up and ensure that you also have some loose change rattling around to spend on goods or upgrades.
