If you rush through Act 1 in Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll slam headfirst into a major (and annoying) roadblock. Early in the game and after you complete Act 1, you’ll need to buy a new car — and they don’t come cheap. You’re going to need a ton of cash, and cash is your most valuable resources in Cyberpunk 2077.
And there are more ways to earn money than you might realize. The map is littered with extra activities, and some of them only take a few minutes — and they can work out all of your skills. Some of the extra activities are all about taking out bad guys, but others allow you to tackle the challenge more creatively, so you don’t have to waste cash on bullets or healing.
We’re going to break down all the ways to make loads of extra cash in the early game so you don’t have to go walking around without a car. Don’t make the same mistake we did!
More Cyberpunk 2077 guides:
How Romance Works | All Love Interests & Companions Guide | How To Find Hideo Kojima & BB | Easter Eggs Guide | How To Improve Performance On PC & Console
How To Get More Cash In The Early Game
To get more money, scan constantly for anything you can hack. Once you gain the [Ping] daemon, equip it so you can find everything connected to a local network. Often, this is the easiest way to locate Access Points.
Access Points are hidden consoles you can access with a hack. You’ll play a quick mini-game — connect the numbers to complete it and you’ll be rewarded with quick cash and random loot. You might get rare upgrade components or other junk. Very useful for crafting items and selling them for cash.
You can find Access Points easier (and earn more cash) in the Breach Protocol Character Perk Tree. Some of these skills can be unlocked early and they’re very useful for earning cash.
- Extended Network Interface: Automatically highlights nearby Access Points.
- Advanced Datamine: Upgrades the Datamine daemon, increasing the amount of eurodollars acquired from Access Points by 50%.
Walk around the city and search dark alleys for strong boxes that contain stacks of eurodollars. You can find boxes with 200+ per chest, and they’re literally all over the place if you spend some time exploring. It isn’t a lot, so only do this between jobs or after clearing a hustle.
Walking around the city can reveal new gigs. Some of these gigs are extremely simple — just sneak into a small area and take someone out. You’ll earn thousands of credits, so always lookout for “?” marks on the map while driving around. You’ll get a call from the fixer for the job.
These gigs might seem too difficult, but with the right quickhacks, Technical Skills, and stealth these missions can be completed without fighting anyone. Police Hustles are marked in blue — these missions are usually more difficult, involving combat, but they’re quick and give you a good reward. If you’re struggling against enemies at this point in the game, go to the settings and lower the difficulty — you can bump it up later when you’re more experienced and want the challenge.
Those are our tips for earning quick cash in the early game. Experienced players will already know all this stuff, but this is an overwhelming game! It takes awhile to get your bearings, and when you’re stuck without a ride, it’s pretty frustrating being forced to walk all over the city.
