Game guide:Earning simoleons

Simoleons are the unit of currency in The Sims series games. A Sim family must have them in order to buy anything.

The usual way to earn Simoleons is to find a job- look in the paper or on the computer to begin earning. But what if a job just isn’t enough? What if children prevent parents from going to work? What if working just isn’t your Sims’ thing? When that happens, it’s time to look for other ways to get the money you need.

Creative Moneymakers
If a Sim is good in the creative field, perhaps they should become an artist or a novelist.

To become an artist, all that is needed is an easel. This is a good job because it raises the Sim's Fun meter, and builds creativity or painting skill while painting. Once a painting is completed, it can be sold. In The Sims, what paintings sell for is strictly related to the creativity skill of the painter; a painting done by a Sim with maxed creativity will sell for §166. In The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, what paintings sell for is somewhat variable, but a skilled painter can regularly receive upwards of §350 for a single painting. The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 also allow completed paintings to be picked up and hung on the wall. If the painting is hung on the wall for a long time, it often goes up in value, and therefore can be sold for more money.

To become a novelist in The Sims 2, a Sim must have a computer - the cheapest computer sells for §1000. Then, he or she can write a novel. This takes a while, and the fun meter will decrease while writing, but writing a novel builds creativity. (The blue bar over the Sim's head shows progress in building Creativity, not in writing the novel.) Once completed, a novel can sell for between §1,000 and §4,000, depending on its quality. In The Sims 3, writers earn a weekly royalty for several weeks for each book written.

In The Sims, if the woodworking or gargoyle carving bench is owned, a Sim can make garden gnomes or gargoyles (respectively), which can then be sold in buy mode. Early on, they will get little money (say §3-4 for their first creation). However, as the Sim works, his or her mechanical skill will increase. The higher the mechanical skill of the maker the more each gnome or gargoyle will be worth, to a maximum of §100 with a skill level of 10, and speed also increases. This does take a lot out of a Sim, especially comfort and energy early on, and social after a few days (since little time is left for socializing if most of the day is used on crafts) but a Sim with 10 mechanical can make §1000-1500 in one day.

With The Sims 2: University, Sims can play musical instruments for tips: a very creative Sim will earn §100 from each Sim who tips. Performing Sims collect their tips when they stop playing music. As a rule, a non-active Sim will only tip once unless the performing Sim stops playing and then resumes, but that is not always the case. Piano, guitar, bass, and drums all synchronize; the violin does not synchronize with the other instruments. While performing for tips, other Sims can be asked to join if there is a collection of instruments. If non-active Sims are tipped while playing an instrument, the active Sims' household receives the simoleons when the non-active player stops playing. Gather a group of friends with high creativity and perform sets of music working the audience again and again. Make a community lot with an espresso bar and a stage.

In The Sims 2: Open for Business and The Sims 2: FreeTime, items made on the workbenches can be sold off the bench, or in Buy mode.

In The Sims 3: University Life you can make money by "making your mark" - spraying the town. Just develop the Street Art skill by taking a class and reading the skill books. It can be a risk, though, because you'll be fined $1,000 by the police, but the higher your skill, the more money you'll make.

If you're a singer/acrobat/magician in "The Sims 3: Showtime" they can perform for tips. Also in the base game (""The Sims 3") you can play your guitar for tips, and in "The Sims 3: Late Night" you can play the piano/bass/drums for tips.

Career Reward Objects
After unlocking the Culinary or Science career track rewards, a Sim may pursue a new job as a chocolatier or as a medicine manufacturer, respectively. But watch out - it is possible to contract a mysterious disease from the Simsanto Inc, Biotech Station if they have very low hygiene when using it. If Seasons is installed, a Sim can make money using the career rewards for the Gamer and Law career tracks. If University is installed, a Sim with good Creativity can make some quick cash by using the career reward for the Artist career track - a Sim with maxed Creativity can get §100 for a photograph.

Aspiration Reward Objects
The aspiration reward which costs the fewest reward points is the Money Tree. Keep it watered, and it'll produce a steady stream of simoleons.

The University expansion pack added a counterfeiting machine as an aspiration reward, so Sims can literally make money at home. Be careful, though; run it for too long or with aspiration too low, and it could catch on fire.

Simoleons in the Outdoors
While gardening was introduced in The Sims: Unleashed, The Sims 2: Seasons makes it possible for a Sim to become a gardener or a fisherman without ever leaving home.

To become a gardener in Seasons, one must either buy orchard trees (for §1200 each) or buy garden plots and plant seeds in them. After raising and tending plants/trees, the fruits or vegetables they bear can then be sold. But watch out- overspraying of plants or trees could cause the Sim to become a PlantSim.

To become a fisherman, just put in a pond (it must be deep enough), click on it, and select Fish With Worm. As time progresses, the Sim will earn new talent badges, allowing them to catch bigger and better fish that earn more money.


 * BOOT- §15
 * LARGEMOUTH BASS- §33
 * JUMBO LARGEMOUTH BASS- §61
 * BLUE CATFISH- §49
 * JUMBO BLUE CATFISH- §124
 * RAINBOW TROUT- §87
 * JUMBO RAINBOW TROUT- §221
 * GOLDEN TROUT- §518

This may not seem like much money, but if a Sim spends time catching fish and earning Talent Badges, large amounts of money can be earned.

Cooking for Cash
Some expansion packs for The Sims added objects which allow Sims to make money by cooking. The Sims: Hot Date added the Boggs Home Canning Center, which allows Sims to make preserves. They don't sell for much, but making them does build the Cooking skill.

The Sims: Makin' Magic added the Old-Fashioned Butter Churn and the Wax'n'Honey Maker, which allow Sims to churn butter, and to harvest beeswax and honey. Again, they don't produce much income, but do build the Cooking skill. Of course, the honey can be used in the A Pressing Feeling nectar press.

If the A Pressing Feeling nectar press is owned, Sims may create nectar from grapes, elderberries, honey, and sugar. For a Sim with high cooking skill, nectar can sell for hundreds of simoleons a batch (§500 with cooking at 10), which can allow for a substantial income even if all ingredients are bought. Sims can raise their own grapes and elderberries, so sugar is the only ingredient that has to be bought.

Cash In The Cosmos
Another way to earn money is by stargazing- if a Sim is lucky, he or she will find an undiscovered star and be awarded §500 by the Sim City Astronomy Club. But watch out- a Sim who stargazes too long may get abducted, leading to unwanted alien pregnancies in any male Sim.

Dollars For Dating?
After going on a great date or a Dream date with an NPC (not playable character), a Sim might get a present left by their door from their date-sometimes flowers, sometimes large items such as telescopes, pool tables, karaoke machines, or Electro Dance Spheres. These can be sold for big bucks.

Repairing for Revenue
In The Sims 2: Free Time, the player can have a Sim purchase a junk car, restore it, and sell it for a good profit.

Marrying a Rich Sim
This is just what it sounds like- rich Sims will bring plenty of money to the family. But if you want to earn the family fortune (see below) it is better if your Sim shares a good level in the friendship meter. That way, you shall get a lot of money (you will have to keep it that way!).

You may also get technically rich if a Sim (for example Vita Alto) comes with a very expensive car in their inventory (the car has to be worth roughly §100,000).

Getting Dead Rich
After a Sim dies of old age, they often will leave behind money for their friends and relatives. Obviously, this does not apply to The Sims.

If You're Lucky
If child Sims have A+ grades, their 'relatives' will occasionally give them §100..

If a teen Sim has a high Body skill, they may make the football team while accidentally throwing a chair across the classroom and get some money from it

If a family gets robbed and the burglar is caught, they will get §1000 or §500 for helping to catch him. In The Sims, they may get reimbursed for an item the burglar was about to steal, even if he was caught before he was able to take it.

Hacking your Way to Success
Sims with the Computer Whiz trait can make money by hacking. At first, they will earn §300 per night at maximum, but as they work on their logic and hacking skills, they can earn §4,000 per night.

Cheating
The Sims has no equivalent to motherlode, however it is still possible to increase the amount of simoleons earned without having to reopen the cheat box over and over again. Type klapaucius or rosebud, then type !;!;!;!;!;!;x. Any amount of ! and ; can be added, as long as there are at least one of each. The "X" can be replaced with any character, as long as it is not ! or ;. Press and hold the Enter key. A dialog box will repeatedly appear, saying that the cheat doesn't exist; however, Simoleons will still be added to the household. Repeat and hold for as long as desired.

While this is not exactly a cheat, The Sims 3 for 3DS has a glitch that can be taken advantage of. After going to Buy mode, the player can open the shop tablet on the right and click the purchase button. This will buy the item again, even if the household cannot afford it. These items can then be sold.

Become a Celebrity
As well as discounts, sometimes Sims get free stuff. The more the celebrity status a Sim has, the more likely he/she gets the freebies.