No matter how you choose to spend your time in Animal Crossing, earning lots of Bells is something you’ll want to do. Without plenty of Bells, it’s tough to upgrade your home, organize public works projects (if you’re the mayor), and generally make much progress through the game. Fortunately, Bells couldn’t be easier to come by—if you know where to look!
Selling Stuff
Selling stuff is a great way to earn Bells—the best way, really! But selling stuff is easy—the real trick lies in knowing where to find stuff to sell. Let’s explore the many ways in which you can acquire goods to sell for Bells.
Shake Trees
Shaking trees is an easy way to find stuff. Simply approach a tree and press 
to give it a good shake (make sure you aren’t holding any tools). If it’s a fruit tree, the sweet treats will drop to the ground. Shaking other trees may produce a few loose Bells, or even a furniture item. How did that get up there, anyway?
Smack Rocks
Once you’ve purchased a shovel, whack every rock you see in the hopes of discovering loose Bells or precious ore. It’s easy and fun!
Sell Fruit
Only one type of fruit grows naturally in your town, and these treats can be sold for a few Bells. It’s possible to cultivate other, more valuable types of fruit trees, though—a quick trip to the tropical island is a great way to score some exotic fruit. Fruit that doesn’t grow naturally in your town is worth a lot more than the town’s trademark fruit, so use a shovel to plant lots of exotic fruit trees and reap the rewards!
Use a shovel to plant fertilizer next to fruit trees for a chance of growing a perfect fruit tree. Perfect fruit is delicious, and worth much more than the standard variety. You can buy fertilizer from Leif at the gardening store—see the “Shops and Such” chapter for details.
Comb the Beach
Precious shells and coral wash up on the beach all the time. Some shells are worth quite a lot, so scour the beach each day to see what has washed ashore. See the “Other Items” chapter for a listing of every shell and their values.
Dig for Loot
Shovels aren’t just meant to help you whack rocks and plant fruit trees—they also let you dig up all kinds of valuables. Whenever you spot a star-shaped crack on the ground, dig there to unearth a long-lost fossil, a gyroid, or who knows what else? Anything you dig up can be sold for Bells—just be sure to have Blathers identify your fossils at the museum before selling them (it increases their value).
Go Fish
Fishing up aquatic life from ponds, rivers, and the sea is a fantastic way to earn fast Bells. You can fish all day and never run out of things to catch, so make good use of your fishing rod and fill your pockets with slimy specimens.
Bug Out
Like fish, insects are always in plentiful supply. Run around town with a net in hand, ready to catch anything that flies, hops, or crawls.
Help Thy Neighbor
Being a good neighbor has its perks. Whenever you lend a neighbor a helping hand, they’re likely to hand you a helpful item in return. Run errands for neighbors, then return to them to receive your thank-you gift. It’s usually a piece of furniture or an article of clothing, both of which can be sold at Re-Tail for easy Bells.
Look for Shrooms
Mushrooms grow only during the month of November. Look for these special treats near the base of trees, then pluck them up and sell them for Bells. It’s fun, guy!
Exploit Events
Seasonal events are happy affairs, and most offer you a chance to score lots of rare items. Check out the “Special Events” chapter for an in-depth look at every event, including tips for getting the most loot out of those events that offer it.
The Turnip Trade
The turnip trade is another good way of earning Bells. Joan visits your town every Sunday morning, ready to peddle her trademark turnips. These special root veggies can be bought only from Joan, and they can be sold only at Re-Tail.
The price of Joan’s turnips changes each time she visits, and the amount of Bells that Re-Tail will buy them for changes twice a day each day thereafter (prices are set once in the morning and again in the afternoon). Your mission: Buy low, sell high!
ABD Account Interest
Once you’ve accumulated plenty of Bells, be sure to visit the post office on Main Street and use the ABD machine to deposit your excess Bells into a savings account. There’s rarely a need to carry so many Bells around with you, and you’ll earn a bit of interest based on how many Bells you’ve kept in your savings account each month. You’ll also earn special badges and unique prizes from the post office when you save up lots and lots of Bells!