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Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – How to Make Money, Pickpocket, Sell items

Find out how to make money effectively in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered.
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

If you want to be a successful adventurer in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, then you’re going to need to make lots of money. Today, we’re going to take you on a journey of self-discovery and help you become the money-making machine that you should be because how to make money, pickpocket and sell items is important in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered. 

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There are a lot of ways to make money in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. You could become a traveling merchant, join the Thieves Guild, or even learn how to use console commands. No matter which route you desire taking, there are always surefire ways to make lots of dough so that you can afford that shiny new sword and armor set your favorite merchant has for sale. 

Join the Thieves’ Guild 

First off, we’re going to take a look at how to make money being a thief. The best way to do this is to join the Thieves Guild. You can pick up the official Prima Games Strategy guide for a detailed walkthrough of how to join the Thieves’Guild. Joining the Thieves Guild will give you access to a specialized fence, who you can sell stolen items to. Once you’re a member of the guild, simply go around the land stealing, raiding, and pickpocketing your way to success. Then, after you’ve garnered a successful haul, head back to the Thieves’ Guild headquarters and sell your items off to the fence for a profit. 

Become a Traveling Merchant 

The second way to make money in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered is to become a proper merchant. You can’t actually set up shop anywhere, but you can go around to the various towns and villages of the world and purchase specific items, which you can then craft into items that sell for higher values. To do this, first level up your Speech skill and unlock the Investor Perk (this part is optional, but highly recommended). Now rotate to all the cities in Skyrim and buy out all of the ingredients in each and every alchemist shop in the game. The rotation (with Fast Travel) should roughly take 48 hours in-game. 

Once you have all the ingredients, convert them into high-cost options like Regeneration and Invisibility. Then sell the potions off, and wait another 48 hours for the vendors to restock their shops. This is a very well-know and trusted way to make money, especially if you’re trying to keep your character ‘within the law’. 

Explore and Adventure 

The most tried and trusted way to make money in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is to make use of your adventuring skills. There are plenty of tombs and crypts hidden throughout the world that you can explore and loot. Inside of these areas you will find jewels, weapons, armor, and a plethora of other items that can usually be sold for some very decent prices. You won’t become a billionaire in a hurry, but this is the best way to make money if you’re just looking to enjoy the combat and adventuring that comes with Skyrim. This is also a good time to put our tips for new players in Skyrim to use, as our guide points out some very good ways to make sure you aren’t missing important items and events. 

Focus on Crafting 

Crafting can play an extremely important part in your journey through the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, and it is also a great way to make some extra cash along the way. One of the best ways to make use of the crafting systems is to level up your Smithing and start crafting the various pieces of armor and weapons that you can create using resources from around the world. It takes a little work, as you’ll need to level up and find the resources, but many of the items that you make can be sold for a very nice profit that will make it all worthwhile in the end.  

When it all comes down to it, there is no right or wrong way to make money in Skyrim. There are plenty of options for players, and it all comes down to your personal playstyle preference. Become a thief, focus on your crafting, or just go around raiding tombs during your adventures. No matter which route you decide to take, you’ll find yourself swimming in gold coins within a matter of hours. You can learn more about Skyrim, and the game mechanics throughout, by heading over to our Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim walkthrough and guide. 


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.