Grand Theft Auto 5: How to Make More Money

Running low on funds? Take part in these activities and you'll be rolling in it again.

As you journey through the streets of Los Santos and Blaine County in Grand Theft Auto V, at one point or another you’re going to realize that you need money. Using money lets you build your empire wherever you please, whether it’s creating a luxurious mansion with a number of fancy cars in the garage, or a separate business where you can store a huge cache of weaponry.

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Money doesn’t come easy, though. Like any given job, you have to work for it. Thankfully, Grand Theft Auto V has a number of ways where you can clean up on cash. Sure, most of them are illegal, but you can consider that part of the “with the risk comes the reward” way of thinking.

Rob to Survive

Obviously, the quickest way to make a buck is through simple robbery. Whether you jump a citizen after they manage to take a few bucks out of the ATM, or intercept security vans that are roving the area, it’s quite effective – though not without risks. 

You can also rob stores, including jewelry stores and other businesses, for a quick buck. This has even more risk involved, not only because of eyewitnesses, but also because someone could easily call the cops – making their presence a little more immediate. Choose your businesses wisely and hit them quick and clean.

Probably the highest payoff when it comes to robbery is the armored car. You’ll see quite a few of these around the city, and they’re going to take some work to loot. Armored car drivers aren’t stupid and will take a lot of convincing before you pull them over. What’s more, their ride-alongs may be armed, forcing you to use whatever weapons you have to put them down. Once you do, it’s a matter of blowing the doors open and cleaning up on the cash inside.

Both robbery and looting armored cars will eventually get the attention of the police, which means you’ll have to put your evasion skills to the test in order to escape with the loot. If you’ve followed our evasion tips (link here), then you should have no problem doing this.

Discovery is Everything

You don’t necessarily have to go through criminal means to earn your keep. With Grand Theft Auto 5, you can find treasures by doing a little digging. For instance, there are a number of collectibles strewn throughout each city, including those awesome Hidden Packages that have become a staple in the series for many years. Locate these and you’ll earn some cash rewards to add to your stockpile. Word of advice: if you can, take your dog Chop with you. He can find secrets that are out of plain sight, using his snout.

In addition, you’ll come across stolen goods often throughout the game. The best way to find these is to watch out for police pursuits. Usually, they’re going after robbers that are making their own clean getaway. If you can manage to get the cops out of the pursuit, pull over the bad guys and take them out, you can easily make their rewards yours. Just be careful if any other police officers are in the area, because the chase might be aimed toward you.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for a little diving, grab yourself a scuba suit and make a swim underneath the city. Here, you’ll find a number of ruins to explore – as well as some hidden treasure that will give you dollars aplenty. This is probably the simplest way to make a buck in the game, though it’ll take time. Persistence pays off, though – literally.

Odd Jobs

If you prefer to earn your money honestly – we know that a few of you do – there are side activities you can take part in to make a few bucks. Among these are odd jobs that will put a buck in your pocket and add allies to your team, like Tonya in the start of the game. Though towing a car doesn’t sound like the most exciting activity in the world, it’s easy to do, and will take just a few minutes to finish. As a result, Tonya will have more work later in the game – and you’ll have access to a tow truck to use as muscle later on.

Betting may be your thing as well, and GTA 5 is loaded with activities where you can play the races. Simply place your bet against fellow drivers, hop in a car and get first place the best you can. You’ll be swimming in it like Scrooge McDuck in his money bin.

An Honest Business

Need income that’s a bit more permanent? How about founding a business? It doesn’t matter what you’re in the mood to do, the potential to start your own business and build a foundation behind it is there. You can put together houses, delivery drivers, warehouses and more so the money keeps coming in, though you will need to set aside a healthy chunk to handle expenses.

Once you’re good enough at business, you might even be able to bring on a business partner or liquidate someone else’s failing business. Make sure you keep your partners at a certain distance, though. Last thing you want to be is screwed over with zero cash.

Playing the Stocks

Last but certainly not least, you’ve got the stock market – which is awesome. With this, you can invest in two general stock exchanges – the LCN and the BAWSAQ.

The LCN is a market that you can easily corrupt. All you need to do, after investing your hard-earned money, is keep an ear on the radio based around activities with that stock. From there, you can play a direct influence with your actions, including car robberies and other dangerous activities. The more confidence in the business, the higher the stock – and the more you move in millions. Don’t be afraid to destroy a few rivals, either. It’s good for business.

As for the second, BAWSAQ, you don’t really have direct control, so it plays out more like a general stock market. It’s actually based around the Rockstar Social Club, where moves by the community affect how it’s going to do.

If you can, start out investing in weapons companies and high-end car dealerships. They manage to produce the most interest from buyers – even if the means are a little questionable.

Happy moneymaking!

 

Grand Theft Auto V is available now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Be sure to check out our other guides for the game, including a full rundown of cheats!


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.