Today we will provide a guide that will provide the best ways to make money fast in Runescape early game! At first it may seem intimidating to make money but we’ve got you covered. Inevitably each of us will need to do this and there are certain techniques that can provide optimal skilling rates! No matter the setup you have, everyone will need to upgrade their equipment or buy certain items to enhance their game experience. We’ll explore a variety of money making methods in early game including F2P so it's accessible to those who pay and those who don’t.
10. Crafting Air Runes
Located West of Barbarian Village and East of Varrock, you'll be able to find the air altar.
Only requiring 1 Runecrafting, one can make some easy money from crafting air runes! If you do not have any money to buy rune essence or pure essence, with 30 Mining you can mine from the Rune essence mine. You can always start off with buying a small amount of essence and build up to buying more once you have made some profit from the air runes you have created! Many players use Magic and will always need air runes so this is a sure way to make some money starting off. As you get higher level this method can yield more money per hour but it is recommended to move onto other ways to optimize money.
How do I start?
- Since the Air Altar is in East Varrock, one can go to the East Varrock bank
- Fill up inventory with essence
- Run to air altar with an Air tiara equipped to access altar
- Create air runes
- Do this until done and sell for profit
9. Spinning Flax
This is the most popular location for gathering flax, there are multiple locations to pick up flax.
Spinning flax is one of the oldest methods to make money and even though it is not a lot, it can be a lot for a person starting off. If you have the patience, you can go out to the fields to pick the flax yourself and spin them. If you’re not that patient, it does not cost much to buy the flax and string them. Many players opt into buying bowstring so they can string bows instead of making it from scratch. There are no requirements, just simply the effort and it yields Crafting experience! This can be done in F2P and the profit is about 400k per hour.
How do I start?
- If you have decide to pick the flax in Seer’s village, you can go to a house near the bank and spin here
- If you have decided to buy flax off the GE, another close bank and spinning wheel is in Lumbridge Castle, 2nd floor
- Bank is on the 3rd floor, fill inventory up with flax
- Head to 2nd floor and start spinning
- Once all is completed, sell to the GE for profit
8. Fletching Headless Arrows
Portables are very useful for certain skills and can be placed anywhere. Though usually beside a bank.
This method is slightly better money per hour in comparison to spinning flax and can gain a fair amount of Fletching experience. In order to make the most profit, if you can buy Arrow Shafts and Feathers, you will be able to make 500k per hour. Although if this is not viable for you quite yet, you can cut down trees and go to shops to buy feathers daily. Most higher level player levels vouch for buying headless arrows because they can get fast experience rates by tipping them and creating them into arrows. Arrows are always needed and player’s will buy this due to the convenience.
How do I start?
- If from scratch, you will be cutting a lot of regular trees and fletching them into Arrow Shafts
- You can do daily shop runs at the fish shop near Lumbridge Market and other shops if you are looking for more feathers
- Once a large amount of materials are acquired, you can stand wherever to make your headless arrows (or beside a portable fletcher)
- Once completed you can sell on the GE; profit!
7. Spinning Wool
It may seem simple to shear sheep or to buy the wool off the GE, but it is still a great way for money.
In comparison to flax, this method can make up to 800k per hour but does require a bit more money upfront if you do not want to shear the wool. There are no requirements to do this other than to get a shear to shear some wool from sheep, have it stockpiled and head over to Lumbridge Castle. If you already have the money you can input money to buy wool and the return is much more than what you bought the wool for! If you do not like spinning the wool, you can always simply shear sheep but it won’t provide optimal money like spinning them will. Players tend to buy this to string amulets so there will always be profit with this method.
How do I start?
- Depending on your preference, you can pre buy the wool off the GE
- Head over to Lumbridge Castle
- Go to the bank on the 3rd floor, stock up on wool
- Head to the 2nd floor and start spinning your wool
- Once you have spun all your wool, sell on the grand exchange, profit!
6. Smelting Bronze Bars
It is highly recommended to smelt your bars at the Artisan's Shop but is fine if you do it in other locations. Though you'll be missing out on respect gains!
This method does not yield a lot of experience, but is experience nonetheless with money! From the profit you have made from earlier methods you can buy copper ore and tin ore straight from the GE and go straight to smithing to get the money. Though if you’re a bit old fashioned and would like to raise Mining, you can mine these and get a stockpile to smelt later. This method can be done straight from level 1 Mining and 1 smithing but is recommended to do the smelting at level 9 as there will be a 10% chance to double a bar without using any resources. One can also go to the Artisan’s Shop in Falador to gain respect and get other rewards! This method can yield about 1M an hour once you are smelting your bronze bars per hour.
How do I start?
- In the mines South of Burthrope lodestone, you can begin mining copper ore and tin ore
- The mined ore can be deposited into the furnace right outside the mine
- If higher leveled, can use a bronze ore box to mine for a while and upgrade
- If looking to gain respect, can travel to Artisan’s shop in South Falador
- Begin smelting, sell to GE and make profit
5. Stealing from Vegetable Stalls
With a fast spawn rate after stealing vegetables, this is a good way to get theiving up as well.
This method can yield some pretty good Thieving experience, with only 2 Thieving you can make up to 1M an hour by stealing from vegetable stalls in the Lumbridge Market. Not only does it make good money, but this method can allow for higher level Thieving which can make more profit later on. Not only that, but this method does not require anything else but your hands! This can be done in F2P.
How do I start?
- Simply pickpocket men or women in lumbridge market until you have 2 Thieving
- Once you have 2 Thieving, stand in a spot where the guards cannot spot you
- Start stealing from stalls
- Once inventory is full, bank at the chest nearby
- Bring yourself to the GE and sell all the vegetables for profit
4. Mining Clay
There are many mining locations for clay, just look for the right one for you closest to a bank!
If you’re not much into combat and would like to just raise Mining, this is the money making method for you. Only requiring 1 Mining, clay is used often for Crafting and will always be needed. It is recommended to mine clay with at least 20 Mining with a steel pickaxe to receive more at once. If you have some money you can also buy a Bracelet of Clay which creates the clay into soft clay, doubling the profit from 1M to 2M per hour. Of course this is dependent on how fast you are! This is a viable F2P method.
How do I start?
- Head over to the Burthrope mines, south of Burthrope lodestone
- If applicable, make sure to wear a Bracelet of clay
- Begin mining clay
- Bank each time inventory is full and sell for profit
3. Making Unfinished Guam Potions
Herblore can be an expensive skill, make sure to use a portable to save on supplies or make an additional potion!
Guam potions are a viable way to make money even starting at level 1. Most players are looking to quickly get Herblore levels and will tend to buy the unfinished version of potions instead of making it themselves. This is where you can step in and make those unfinished potions! Of course this method will depend on what players are seeking to create. This method can be done at higher levels and yield more Herblore experience. This method does not require too much money out of pocket to buy Clean Guam and a vial of water to mix together. It is recommended to use a Portable well since it can save on resources and possibly create more. This method can profit 1M per hour.
How do I start?
- This method works best buying off of the GE, so buy plenty of guam and vials of water
- Find a portable well and create guam potion (unf)
- Sell on the GE, but do make sure to start off with a small amount before deciding to sell a ton of these
2. Killing Chickens
May seem pretty basic, but all those basic supplies from these chickens have a good profit.
This one is pretty basic, you simply need to kill chickens! I know, you must be thinking, really? Is this a viable method? It sure is. Raw chicken can be used to raise Cooking, feathers are used for Fletching, and eggs may be used for cooking or even for certain quests. A lot of players who are higher leveled don’t go out of their way to kill chickens as they prefer to do more viable methods of experience. Not only can you make money from the raw chicken, feathers, and eggs gathered but you can get a good amount of combat experience depending on the style you’re looking for and Prayer experience. If you do this for a few hours, you are guaranteed some good money to buy better equipment. Depending on how fast the chickens are killed, this method can yield up to 2M an hour.
How do I start?
- Any low level magic, ranged, or melee gear to kill chickens
- Head over to Fred the Farmer’s farm, north of Lumbridge Market
- Kill chickens!
- Use area loot to pick up raw chicken, feathers, eggs, and bones
- Once inventory is full, travel south to the bank chest in Lumbridge market and bank
- After an hour or more, go to the Grand Exchange (GE) and sell
1. Stringing Shieldbows
This technique requires a bit of clicking but is well worth it for the money.
Only requiring 10 Fletching, a player can make a lot of profit and gain a good amount of Fletching experience by stringing shieldbows. If you don’t have a good amount of cash stack, you can always start small and build up. You can either cut all the logs, fletch into a Shieldbow (u) and collect flax to create a bowstring. If the idea bores you and you are willing to invest money in this method you can buy it off the GE and sell it right back for a profit of 2.7M per hour. Keep in mind the money will depend on how fast you are doing this method and it is helpful to have a portable fletcher along with a preset in your bank.
How do I start?
- If you do not have the money you may cut regular trees for logs, fletch into shieldbow (u) and pick flax south of Burthrope lodestone and spin into bowstring
- If you do have money upfront, these materials can be bought off the GE
- If you would like access to a portable fletcher, you can access one in world 84 (though keep in mind this is P2P)
- Keep fletching until desired and sell for profit
