Animal Crossing: New Horizons is finally here and many of you will no doubt have landed and taken up residence on your new island already. While there’s a focus on crafting in the latest entry in the series, you’ll still find yourself needing Bells, the main currency of the Animal Crossing world, and this guide details the best ways to make money fast in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
So what are the best, fastest ways to get Bells in Animal Crossing? Below we cover the best ways to make money fast, become independently wealthy and live out your dreams of tycoon island living in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Whether you’re saving up for a project, a natty outfit or just enjoy having a bulging wallet, the tips below should help put a few extra zeroes on your Bell balance sooner rather than later.
So, let’s take a look at the best way to make the big Bells in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
How to make money quickly in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
First up, it’s important to note that ‘quick’ is a relative term. Animal Crossing is a ‘slow-life’ game, and while all of the tips below will certainly bring in the dough, these things still take time. So don’t expect to be swimming in cash immediately!
Sell fruit
At the start of the game, the easiest way to earn Bells is to sell the native fruit that grows on your island. There are five types of fruit in New Horizons; apples, pears, oranges, cherries and peaches. A single piece of native fruit (the fruit your island is randomly assigned at the start of the game) sells for 100 Bells, while foreign fruit (collected from other player’s islands) lands you a cool 500 Bells apiece.
Eventually, some of your native fruit trees will produce perfect variants, which can be identified visually through their golden sheen. Perfect variants will net you 600 Bells apiece, but it’s worth planting one to get a perfect fruit producing tree – think of it as an investment. Finally, non-native perfect fruit from other islands will garner you a whopping 3000 Bells apiece! You’ll be a Bellionaire in no time!
Sell fossils
Each day new fossils will appear on your island, marked by a tell-tale crack in the dirt. Dig up these prehistoric objects with your shovel and then take them to the Museum. There, Blathers will identify and then display them. However, any duplicates you find can be sold for a hefty sum of Bells, so head to Nook’s Cranny to cash in your finds.
Different types of fossils will grant you different profits. As an example, a Quetzal Torso, Right Petra Wing and Plesio Tail will all sell for 4,500 Bells, but a Tricera Torso will net you a tasty 5,000 Bells!
Sell fish and bugs
Your tropical island paradise is home to much more than quirky villagers and money-hungry racoons. Look for shadows lurking near the water’s edge or head towards thickets of flowers to hunt for fish and bugs. Equip either your fishing rod or net, capture a few critters and you’ll be able to sell the local wildlife at Nook’s Cranny.
Similar to fossils, different critter species will earn you different amounts of Bells. A Sea Bass will sell for 400 Bells, whilst a super-rare Oarfish will garner 9,000 Bells! Bug-wise, a Common Butterfly will get you 160 bells and a Mantis will earn you 430 Bells.
Shake trees
In Animal Crossing trees play an important role in island life. Not only do they provide fruit, but you’ll also be able to source essential DIY materials from them. Swing your axe at a trunk to find different types of wood which can all be sold, or simply give a tree a shake. Shaking trees that bear no fruit is always a gamble (you run the risk of aggravating wasps), but sometimes items you can sell will drop down from the branches.
Additionally, dotted across the island are a number of trees that randomly contain Bells. Shaking tress for money isn’t the fastest way to top up your Bell balance, or the safest, but if you’ve exhausted all other options shaking trees is worth a go.
Hit rocks
Whack a rock with your shovel and it will produce smaller rocks, ore and clay. These items can all be sold for small amounts of Bells. On rare occasions you may even find a gold nugget which can be sold for lots of Bells!
Each day a new rock on your island will be designated as the money rock. Finding it can result in you boosting your balance by a massive 8,000 Bells. In order to collect the bounties that this special rock offers, you’ll need to stand close by and continuously strike the stone until there are no more bags of Bells to collect. You need to get a rhythm going to maximise Bell production, so be careful not to miss a hit or you’ll break the money chain.
Sell weeds
Weeds signal neglect and, for many players, their first act in the game will be de-weeding their island. Once you’ve collected a load of weeds you’ll be left with clumps of weeds in your inventory made up of 99 individual plants.
Take these to the shop and you’ll be able to bring in 990 bells for each clump of 99. While this isn’t a huge profit, you’ll be able to kill two birds with one stone by cleaning up your island and earning some Bells while you do it.
Plant money trees
Money doesn’t grow on trees you know! Oh, wait…
As you wander through your island home you might come across glowing golden lights beneath the same dirt cracks that yield fossils. Uncover these treasures with a shovel and you’ll find 1,000 Bells! However, if you opt to rebury the Bells, in a few days’ time your island will become home to a highly desirable money tree. Money trees don’t spawn Bells as often as fruit trees produce fruit, but they do provide a tasty 3,000 Bells with every harvest!
Bell vouchers
At a certain point in the game (once you’ve progressed far enough through the narrative) you’ll be able to redeem Bell Vouchers from the Nook Stop inside Resident Services by using Nook Miles. Bell Vouchers cost 500 Nook Miles and can be exchanged at Nook’s Cranny for 3,000 Bells.
There’s no limit to the amount of Bell Vouchers you can purchase in one day and you’ll receive the ticket immediately. This is a great option for later in the game when you need a quick lump sum of cash.
So, what are Nook Miles and how do I get them?
Nook Miles are a secondary type of currency in Animal Crossing New Horizons. Similar to Air miles and MEOW coupons from New Leaf, these tokens are awarded to players for the completion of various tasks around the island. With multiple Nook Miles to collect and unique rewards to exchange them for at the Nook Stop, it’s well worth paying attention to these stamps.
How to get Nook Miles
Upon landing on your deserted island as part of your Island Getaway Package you’ll immediately begin to earn Nook Miles. In fact, at the start of the game, these coupons will act as your currency to pay off the costs of your flight. By accessing the Nook Phone with ZL you’ll be able to see the various tasks that will grant you Nook Miles. Most of these mini checkpoints drive you to explore the island to the fullest and create a home and thriving town. Change the island flag for example or post a note to the bulletin board and you’ll immediately begin to rake in the Nook Mile rewards.
Nook Miles +
Once you’ve paid off your first mortgage and adjusted to life in a house rather than a tent you’ll be able to access the Nook Miles + programme. As well as general targets to hit in your day to day adventures, Nook Miles + grants the player five tasks to complete to earn rewards on the spot. These rewards are more specific than the general tasks and will see you catching certain types of fish, selling specific items for Bells and interaction with a set number of villagers. Once you complete a Nook Miles + task, a new one takes its place, meaning that there are endless amounts of fun to be had with the aid of this new feature.
We’ll be updating this guide with more information as and when we get it – Animal Crossing isn’t like normal games and new techniques and details will doubtless reveal themselves after weeks – and possibly MONTHS – of gameplay. Rest assured, you’ll be the first to know should we discover any get rich quick schemes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If you’ve got any questions or suggestions, feel free to head to the comments below. Until then, remember: work smart, not hard.