How To Make Money On Animal Crossing

Bells return as the primary currency in Animal Crossing New Horizons. They are needed to pay off the various loans you'll get from Nook Inc., and to purchase certain items. There's a wide range of methods of earning Bells, some being a lot faster than others. In this guide we'll show you the best and fastest ways to make Bells while playing. Let's get started.

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How to Make Bells Quickly in Animal Crossing New Horizons (August 2020)
Selling Fish and Bugs
Catch Tarantulas/Scorpions
Bell Vouchers
Sell Fossils
Dig for Bells and Plant Money Trees
Sell Your Unwanted Items
Take Advantage of the Turnip Market
Fram Atlas Moths
Dream Bells Exchange Tickets
Here's the Fastest Way to Make Bells Early On

How to Make Bells Quickly in Animal Crossing New Horizons (August 2020)

It's important to state that as of the time of writing, there are no known money cheats or exploits available in Animal Crossing New Horizons. The methods outlined below are all legit, and will each be a great way to make Bells as quickly as possible. Here's the best ways to make Bells.

Selling Fish and Bugs

Fish are a great way to make Bells | *Jake Green/USG*

One of the best ways to make Bells early on in Animal Crossing New Horizons is to sell fish and bugs. Obviously, you'll want to donate the new species that you find to Blathers (more on that here), but spending some time fishing and catching bugs will quickly make you money. Fish like the Golden Trout are particularly lucrative, and keep an eye out for any Peacock butterflies while exploring your island (the butterflies are green and blue in color).

Catch Tarantulas/Scorpions

Tarantulas are worth 8,000 Bells a piece | *Jake Green/USG*

This method involves some bravery but it's absolutely worth it in the long run. Heading out at night, you may come across a tarantula. If you manage to catch one, you'll earn a lot of Bells, we're talking thousands here. There's a risk that you may get bitten and faint, so approach with care, you can read more on catching them in this guide.

Bell Vouchers

Once you've unlocked Nook's Cranny (more on that here), you'll be able to purchase Bell Vouchers from the Nook Stop machine. For 500 Miles, you can purchase a voucher which will give you 3,000 Bells upon sale. This is a good way to convert your Nook Miles into Bells.

Sell Fossils

Look for Xs on the ground to find fossils | *Jake Green*

If you want to make a quick buck, selling fossils is the way to go. You'll want to donate the new fossils you have to the museum, but selling any duplicates will net you thousands of Bells.

Dig for Bells and Plant Money Trees

Dig the glowing holes in the ground then plant a money tree | *Jake Green/USG*

There are sometimes Bells buried in the ground. Visit our guide on where to find them here. Once you've dug out the hole, head into your inventory and pull out 10,000 Bells. Bury this back into the hole with a shovel and in a few days you'll have a money tree with 30,000 on it.

Sell Your Unwanted Items

You'll naturally collect a lot of junk that you don't need while playing Animal Crossing New Horizons. Furniture that doesn't fit your vibe can be sold, as can clothing. Consider selling items that you don't need.

Take Advantage of the Turnip Market

You can buy turnips from Daisy Mae every sunday | *Jake Green/USG*

Turnips are unlocked after building Nook's Cranny. Every Sunday, you'll have the chance to buy Turnips. Each day, the price of Turnips will change. Selling on the right day can make you a lot of Bells, read more in our Turnips guide.

Fram Atlas Moths

There used to be a tarantula island exploit that was great for making loads of Bells. Now, Atlas Moths are in, so follow the steps in this guide to learn how to make Bells from Atlas Moths.

Dream Bells Exchange Tickets

If you head into the dreams of other players in Animal Crossing New Horizons you can get a Dream Bells Exchange Ticket in return. You can trade it at Nook's Cranny for 5000 Bells. This is a good way to earn some extra cash.

Here's the Fastest Way to Make Bells Early On

You won't have all that many opportunities to make Bells early on in Animal Crossing New Horizons. Consider the method below when you're just starting out.

Stock up on Tree Branches
Craft a fishing rod
Fish until your inventory is full
Sell the fish to Timmy
Repeat until your fishing rod breaks then swap to another

For more on Animal Crossing New Horizons be sure to read our review. There's also Mat's write-up on how cloud saving works in the game.

Jake Green

Guides Editor

Jake is a former freelance writer who now heads up guides for USG. He spends his days dreaming of an X-Files dating-sim and will play literally any game with monkeys in it. He has an unhealthy obsession with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and would pretty much trade a kidney for Skate 4 at this point.