Stardew Valley Money Making Guide: Advanced

This article is part of a directory: Stardew Valley: A Complete Guide and Walkthrough

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While Stardew Valley allows its players to take their time getting acquainted with its worlds and systems, players will want to make sure they are making as much money as possible. Gold in Stardew Valley ensures that upgrades to the town and farm are easier to acquire and even helps players acquire items that will improve their relationship with villagers. This world currency is especially important in the later years of the game, as more impressive (and more expensive) items are unlocked.

Making money becomes easier but more important past the first year in Stardew Valley. Aside from farming, there are plenty of different ways in which players can make significant amounts of money. In order to make sure that players are maintaining high profit margins throughout their playthrough, this guide is here to help.

How to Make Money While Farming in Stardew Valley

Heading into the second year and each one after gives players the opportunity to plan ahead with their farming and take full advantage of the Greenhouse. In order to keep profits high, players need to make sure they are planting the right crops in the right season as well as keep the Greenhouse they unlocked in their Stardew Valley playthrough as productive as possible.

For Spring

Of the Spring crops that can be purchased from traditional stores, Rhubarb has the best profit margin. Its seeds can be purchased at the Oasis in Stardew Valley's Calico Desert for 100 gold and can be sold for 220, 275, 330, and 440 gold depending on quality. When it comes to multiple harvests, the Strawberry reigns supreme in Spring. This strategy is reliant on saving Strawberry seeds from the first year and taking advantage of them on the first day of the season. At Farming level 5 and with the Tiller profession, players can get five harvests of this crop and can make over 6,000 gold in profit with an investment of just 1,000 gold.

For Summer

Once more the Oasis is home to the crop with the best available profit margin in Stardew Valley's Summer: the Starfruit. Its seeds can be purchased for 400 gold, and the final crop sells for 750, 937, 1125, and 1500 gold for its respective qualities. When it comes to multiple harvests there are a few options, but Blueberries produce a minimum of three Blueberries with each harvest. At the same Farming level (5) and with the same profession (Tiller), players will get four harvests and will earn themselves just over 7,000 gold in profit with an investment of 1,000 gold.

For Fall

The crop with the best profit margin in the Fall season of Stardew Valley is the Pumpkin, which, despite its 100 gold seed cost at Pierre's General Store, manages to sell for 320, 400, 480, 640 gold for each respective quality. For those more inclined to multiple harvest crops, Cranberries will bring a minimum of five harvests over the season producing a minimum of two cranberries each time. With the same level and profession, players will get five harvests and earn around 2,500 gold in profit for their investment of 1,000 gold.

Special Crops

While much less accessible than traditional crops, there are a handful of special crops that can be sold for extremely high prices. Of these options the two that stand out are the Ancient Fruit and Sweet Gem Berries. The most reliable way to get either of these seeds is through the Traveling Cart from Stardew Valley. Ancient Seeds grow after 28 days but offer multiple harvests, while Sweet Gem Berries sell for between 3,000 and 6,000 gold but only offer up fruit once.

The Greenhouse

Unlocked through either the completion of the Pantry Bundles in the Stardew Valley's Community Center or via purchase through JojaMart, the Greenhouse is crucial to getting the most out of farming. Depending on how players lay out their sprinklers, there will be around 116 places to plant crops in this space. To get the most out of these, players should lean on growing as many Ancient Fruit as possible.

These fruit regrow after seven days, sell for a minimum of 550 gold, and will never stop regrowing so long as they are watered. To further add to the profit, players can also plant the available Fruit Trees in Stardew Valley along the outside of the crop field within the structure. Up to 18 of these Fruit Trees can be planted inside and these will always bear fruit as though it is their correct season.

Raising Animals for Profit in Stardew Valley

While animals are an expensive prospect when starting out they will pay for themselves in the long run. This means that as soon a player can afford a barn or coop they should consider investing in it. While all animals will make a profit eventually, pigs are the best option. To unlock this animal, players need to invest a total of 43,000 gold, 1,350 wood, and 650 stone in creating a Deluxe Barn with Stardew Valley's carpenter, Robin. With that done players can purchase up to 12 pigs for a single Deluxe Barn but, with a cost of 16,000 gold each, it may be more frugal to purchase less than this and allow them to reproduce.

Pigs in Stardew Valley that are fed every day will mature after ten nights. A mature Pig is able to dig up Truffles every day so long as it is not raining or Winter and this is where they repay the player's investment. Truffles themselves can be sold for 625, 781, 937, and 1,250 gold depending on their quality. Combining Truffles with the Gatherer and Botanist Professions underneath the Foraging Skill can guarantee iridium quality Truffles as well as add a 20% chance of a double harvest when picking them up.

The Advantage of Artisan Goods

From the Oil Maker and the Mayonnaise Machine to the Preserves Jar and Keg, Artisan Equipment are important to making money. In general these pieces of equipment can be used to increase the prices of the crops and animal products that players harvest. While many professions within Stardew Valley are beneficial, players should invest in the Tiller (crops worth 10% more) and the Artisan (Artisan goods worth 40%t more) professions to further add to their profits.

The Cask

This Artisan Equipment is unlocked through the basement upgrade to the farmhouse which also grants players with 33 Casks. Up to 125 casks can be fitted in the basement and have each still be accessible. Each Cask in Stardew Valley costs 20 wood and 1 Hardwood to create and age different ingredients at different paces. In general, Wine will earn players the most gold.

Name	Ingredient	Base Quality	Silver	Gold	Iridium
Wine	Any Fruit	Triple the Fruit base price	(Triple the Fruit base price) x 1.25	(Triple the Fruit base price) x 1.5	(Triple the Fruit base price) x 2
Pale Ale	Hops	300g	375g	450g	600g
Beer	Wheat	200g	250g	300g	400g
Mead	Honey	200g	250g	300g	400g
Cheese	Milk or Large Milk	230g	287g	345g	460g
Goat Cheese	Goat Milk or Large Goat Milk	400g	500g	600g	800g

The Cheese Press

The recipe for the Cheese Press is unlocked at Farming Level 6 and allows for the quick creation of Cheese from any milk. At its best, a Cheese Press can only produce Gold star quality Cheese but at a much faster rate than the Cask. Players need 45 wood and stone, 10 Hardwood, and one bronze bar to create a Cheese Press.

Name	Ingredient	Sell Price
Cheese	Milk or Large Milk	Base: 230g Gold Star: 345g
Goat Cheese	Goat Milk or Large Goat Milk	Base: 400g Gold Star: 600g

Keg

The recipe for Kegs in Stardew Valley is unlocked at Farming Level 8 and requires 30 wood, one Copper Bar, One Silver Bar, and Oak Resin. Kegs are the only way to create Wine, which can be one of the most profitable items in Stardew Valley. While players will likely want to fill their storage sheds with examples of this Artisan Equipment, they can be placed all over the game world.

Name	Ingredient	Sell Price
Beer	Wheat	200g
Coffee	Coffee Bean (5)	150g
Green Tea	Tea Leaves	100g
Juice	Any Vegetable	2.25 x Vegetable Base Price
Mead	Honey	200g
Pale Ale	Hops	300g
Wine	Any Fruit	Triple the Base Fruit Price

Mayonnaise Machine

Once players have gotten their hands on a Coop in their playthrough of Stardew Valley and filled it with chickens and ducks, they are going to want to create Mayonnaise Machines. These become available at Farming Level 2 and cost 15 wood and stone, an Earth Crystal, and a Copper Bar.

Name	Ingredient	Sell Price
Mayonnaise	Egg, Large Egg, Ostrich Egg, or Golden Egg	Base Quality: 190g, Silver: 237g, Gold: 285g, Iridium: 380g
Duck Mayonnaise	Duck Egg	375g
Void Mayonnaise	Void Egg	275
Dinosaur Mayonnaise	Dinosaur Egg	800g

Preserves Jar

When compared with the Keg, the Preserves Jar in Stardew Valley is best suited for low-value but high yield crops such as Corn and Tomatoes. Unlocked at Level 4 of Farming, Preserves Jars cost 40 wood, 50 stone, and 8 coal.

Name	Ingredient	Sell Price
Pickles	Any vegetable or Ginger	2 x Base Vegetable Price + 50
Jelly	Any Fruit	2 x Base Fruit Price + 50
Caviar	Sturgeon Roe	500g
Aged Roe	Roe	2x base Roe sell price

Oil Maker

One of the most talked about ways in which players can make money in Stardew Valley is through the creation of Truffle Oil. Having dozens of pigs digging up truffles and then transforming them through the Oil Maker will quickly pay off any initial investment. The Oil Maker recipe becomes available at Farming level 8, and requires 50 Slime, 20 Hardwood, and one Gold Bar.