OSRS Early Game Money Making Guide for Beginners

Starting your journey in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re low on gold. As a beginner, you need gold to buy better gear, supplies, and unlock opportunities to progress faster. This guide covers the best early game money making methods tailored for new players with low stats, minimal starting cash, and free-to-play (F2P) or pay-to-play (P2P) accounts. Whether you’re collecting items, skilling, or flipping, these methods will help you build your bank efficiently.

Gold is the backbone of OSRS. Without it, you’re stuck with basic gear, limited training options, and slower progression. Early game money making is crucial because it creates a snowball effect—small profits lead to bigger investments, unlocking more lucrative methods. For new players, focusing on low-requirement, high-profit methods ensures you can afford essentials like a bond for membership (around 3.4M gold) or better equipment. This guide prioritizes methods with no or low skill requirements, making them accessible to everyone starting fresh.

Top F2P Money Making Methods for Beginners

Free-to-play players face trade restrictions (100 total level, 20 hours of gameplay, 10 quest points), but there are still plenty of ways to make gold without spending real money. These methods require minimal skills and can be done with zero starting gold.

Collecting and Tanning Cowhides

Killing cows in Lumbridge is a classic F2P money maker. Cowhides sell for 100-200 GP each, and bones add extra profit. This method is ideal for new players since it requires no combat skills and doubles as melee training.

• Location: Cow field north of Lumbridge.
• Requirements: None, but 15 Attack/Strength/Defence and steel gear (scimitar, armor) boost efficiency.
• Process: Kill cows, collect cowhides, and bank them in Lumbridge. Take hides to Ellis in Al Kharid (pay 10 GP toll or complete Prince Ali Rescue for free passage) to tan into leather for 1 GP per hide. Sell leather on the Grand Exchange (GE).
• Profit: 50K-75K GP/hour.

Selling Maple Longbows to Shops

This method involves buying maple longbows from the Grand Exchange and selling them to the Rimmington archery shop for profit. It’s simple, low-effort, and great for F2P players with some starting cash.

• Location: Rimmington archery shop.
• Requirements: 50K-100K starting gold.
• Process: Buy noted maple longbows on GE, withdraw 3-5 at a time, sell to the shop when stock is low (<10), and hop worlds. Use the RuneLite Menu Entry Swapper plugin to set “sell 5” as the left-click option.
• Profit: 100K-200K GP/hour, depending on shop stock.

High Alching Profitable Items

High alchemy is a profitable F2P method once you reach 55 Magic. By alching specific items, you can turn a profit while training Magic.

• Requirements: 55 Magic, 20M GP for items and nature runes, staff of fire to reduce rune costs.
• Process: Buy F2P items with high alch value (e.g., rune items) on GE. Check prices at prices.runescape.wiki, ensuring only F2P items are selected. Alch items for profit.
• Profit: 400K-500K GP/hour.

P2P Money Making Methods for New Players

Members have access to more diverse and profitable methods, even at low levels. These options leverage P2P skills and areas to maximize early game earnings.

Buying Beer in Varlamore

Introduced with Varlamore, this method is simple and requires minimal effort. It’s perfect for players who’ve completed the Children of the Sun quest.

• Location: Pub in Quetzacalli Gorge, Varlamore (near a bank).
• Requirements: Children of the Sun quest, 100K-500K starting gold.
• Process: Buy beer from the pub (infinite stock, no world hopping needed), bank it, and sell on GE. Check GE prices before buying to ensure profit.
• Profit: 500K-900K GP/hour.

Crushing Bird Nests

Crushing bird nests is a passive, low-skill method that yields decent profits. It’s ideal for players with limited time or stats.

• Location: Any bank with GE access.
• Requirements: Pestle and mortar, 25M for an hour’s worth of nests (or smaller amounts to start).
• Process: Buy bird nests on GE, crush them into crushed nests using a pestle and mortar, and sell the crushed nests on GE. Manual crushing is faster than auto-grinding for higher profits.
• Profit: 300K-500K GP/hour with manual crushing.

Flipping on the Grand Exchange

Flipping is one of the most lucrative early game methods, requiring no skills but some market knowledge. It involves buying items low and selling high on the GE.

Getting Started with Flipping

For F2P players, you need to clear trade restrictions (100 total level, 20 hours, 10 quest points). Members can start immediately with any amount of gold, though 500K (F2P) or 5M-10M (P2P) is ideal.

• Process: Research items with high buy limits (e.g., runes, herbs) or stable, low-margin items (e.g., mithril darts). Buy below market price, sell above. Check prices on prices.runescape.wiki.
• Profit: Varies (100K-1M GP/hour), depending on capital and market knowledge.

Passive Flipping for Busy Players

Passive flipping involves setting buy/sell orders and checking every few days. Focus on high-volume, stable items like buckets of sand or runes. It’s less profitable but pairs well with other methods.

Tips to Maximize Early Game Profits

To make the most of these methods, follow these strategies to boost efficiency and profits:

• Check Prices Regularly: Item prices fluctuate. Use prices.runescape.wiki to confirm profitability before investing.
• Use RuneLite Plugins: Plugins like Menu Entry Swapper or GE Tracker streamline tasks like selling to shops or flipping.
• Complete Easy Quests: Quests like Prince Ali Rescue or Children of the Sun unlock profitable methods or save time (e.g., free Al Kharid toll).
• Reinvest Profits: Use earnings to buy better gear or more capital for flipping to scale up profits.
• Avoid Crowded Areas: For shop-based methods, hop worlds to avoid competition.

Comparing Early Game Money Making Methods

Here’s a quick comparison of the methods to help you choose based on your account type and resources:

These methods are just the start. As you earn gold, reinvest in skills like Mining, Woodcutting, or combat to unlock more profitable opportunities. For F2P players, aim for a bond to access P2P content, which opens up methods like herb runs or bossing later on. Stay patient, keep researching prices, and enjoy the grind—your bank will grow faster than you think!