How to get a ton of money fast in Starfield

Consider this your extra credit assignment

It won’t take long before you need extra credits in Starfield. Med packs don’t grow on space trees, you’ll likely need to restock ammo, and if you have a mortage or the Kid Stuff trait, you need even more cash to meet your needs — to say nothing of how expensive ships and ship upgrades are. Starfield has plenty of ways to get quite a few credits quickly, though, if you know where to look. Here’s how to get money fast in Starfield.

Scavenge Dead Bodies

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Almost everyone in Starfield has credits on them. That means Crimson Fleet pirates, Zealots, Eclipse mercenaries, and any innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire — especially innocent people caught in the crossfire. It’s not a pleasant thing to do, but if you check their bodies, you’ll almost always find a few hundred credits. That sounds like a paltry sum in a world where ship parts and outpost resources cost so much, but it adds up surprisingly quickly.

Sell Your Loot

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Grab anything off of defeated enemies, especially weapons, suits, helmets, and packs. These sell for several hundred credits at stores, so load yourself and your companions up with any equipment you find. Modified weapons and gear tend to go for higher prices than standard-issue items. And if you see any rare (blue) or epic (purple) items, definitely grab those for a tidy profit.

Just make sure not to stray too far from your ship when you’re looting. You can’t fast travel back to it if you exceed your carry load. Our guide to increasing your carry capacity can help you load up on even more stuff.

Complete Faction Quests

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Faction quests reward you with a few thousand credits once you finish them. Tackling the first few quests affiliated with the United Colonies Vanguard is one of the fastest ways to pad out your wallet in the early hours. You can join the Vanguard as soon as you arrive in New Atlantis by speaking with the commander at MAST headquarters, the guy to the left of the entrance. The second quest (or third, depending on which order you complete quests in) on Mars that pits you against the Crimson Fleet again is particularly lucrative, though you can earn a fair few credits just from doing security grunt work back on New Atlantis as well.

Ask For Money

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Some non-faction quests give you the option to demand money in return for help, and while you don’t always get what you ask for, you can pick up some extra credits as a reward for your hard work. You won’t face any large-scale repercussions if you take this route, since Starfield doesn’t have a morality system. That said, Sarah Morgan and some other companions value generosity, so you might want to briefly part ways with them before demanding cash.

Similarly, if you stumble upon a firefight in space, siding with the faction over the pirates can give you bonus cash. The Freestar Collective and United Colonies ship will offer you a reward if you join the fray on their side — and survive, of course. Selecting payment as that reward will give you 1,000 credits each time (in addition to anything you loot off the ships you destroy).

Take On Trade Commission Requests

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Head down to The Well in New Atlantis, and speak with Zoe at the Trade Commission to unlock Commission Requests. These are pretty standard and range from tasks such as hauling cargo or tracking down Crimson Fleet targets. They’re quick and usually straightforward, so you can get a few thousand credits — and some extra XP — just from taking a few minutes to run an errand.

Sell Anything That Isn’t Nailed Down

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

You can also just pick up anything that isn’t someone else’s property and sell it. Books, notepads, digital frames, pharmaceutical equipment, sample tubes, literally anything is up for grabs — as long as it’s not private property. You can and will be arrested even for picking up a stray spoon if it has that red “don’t steal this” icon next to it. While you can’t sell stolen goods at all vendors, the Trade Authority at least will look the other way and buy it off you.

The credits you get from selling loose junk won’t earn you enough to get a house on New Atlantis, admittedly. However, if you just want some basic supplies or an ammo refill before heading out to space again, this is a quick and easy way to get the funds you need.

Sell Organic Matter To Noel At Constellation

Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

At The Lodge in New Atlantis, Noel will buy any organic material you find — plants, animal tissues, and things of that nature. If you explore a lot and heed our advice about picking up everything you see, she’s an excellent way to get some extra cash when you stop back at New Atlantis for a bit.

Back Original Source