Quick Tips: Making Money

Finding your pocketbook a little empty? Need cash for that epic mount? Want to buy a sharp new weapon in the Auction House? Here are some basic tips that may not help you "get rich quick," but which can certainly help you put away some gold for a rainy day.

• Buy Low, Sell High. Every month the Darkmoon Faire arrives in Azeroth or Outland, filled with all sorts of wild and wondrous artifacts to buy. You can get exotic leather, strange herbs, motes and gems for dirt-cheap prices. And you should, too. Devote an alt to camping out by the Faire booths. Make sure they have plenty of money and inventory space, and check periodically throughout the day. Stock up throughout the week, and then, when the Faire leaves, run to the Auction House and sell everything you don't need for a higher price. Darkmoon Faire rotates between Mulgore, Elwynn Forest, and Terokkar Forest. This month, it's visiting Elwynn, just outside of Goldshire.
  
• Learn the Zen of the Auction House. Almost any item you find on your travels is worth something to someone, and the best time to sell it is from Friday evening through Sunday night at the Auction House. Prices skyrocket during the weekend. And the higher player volume means that it's much easier to sell more expensive blue or purple items without having to dig deep for the auction deposit; most items sell within 12 hours. Remember: never sell an item if someone else is selling a ton of it. Undercutting someone is one thing, but the more there is in the AH, the less demand there is on the market. That said, undercutting, or selling the same item for just a little bit less than the competition, is encouraged, as long as it doesn't take a bite out of your profits.
• Find a Worthy Profession. I'm sure it's possible to make it to level 70 without two high-level professions, but frankly, I wouldn't ever want to try it. Pick your professions early and stick with them. Keep a list of where to find raw materials, and another list of how much things sell for in the Auction House - that'll give you some backup when in 40 levels you can't remember how much mithril filigree should cost. And sell things all the time, because most professions do pay if you devote enough time to them. If you're absolutely desperate to change professions, try to keep at least one of your originals so you don't completely re-invent the wheel (e.g. try switching from Jewelcrafting to Engineering while keeping your Mining profession). Or create an alt with complimentary professions who you can run through low-level areas stockpiling goods. Professions, unlike dungeon running, don't usually give you a ton of money at a time, but all that selling does add up, and having a high level profession of any sort means you can make friends in high places in later levels.

If you have any more ideas for getting rich in the lands of Azeroth and Outland, paste them into the comments below. Good luck out there!