[Logan Draconia]

I've been trying to come up with new ways to make gil and I've tried numerous things, but they all seem less appealing when I get started. So, I'm here to ask for some advice:

1) My Smithing is my highest craft at 20. Years ago, I wanted to take up Smithing because of it's hard-but-profitable road. Well, I didn't realize how hard it was. Paying for ore is expensive, and mining ore takes forever. Iron ore, for example, I'm lucky to get 4 Iron ores per hour, and I've done my research on the places to mine with the highest drop rates. 4 ores make one ingot, and I don't think 12 hours for 30k is time well-spent. Not to mention there's competition in mines everywhere. However, buying ore has proven to be just as bad with it becoming a gil loss, whether I buy from the AH or the guild itself. So, here's my first request for advice: When it comes to smithing (and goldsmithing), what's the better investment? Trying to mine the ore with hopes of getting lucky, or buying the ore and get faster skill-ups, but eventually lose some gil along the way?

2) Farming is a pain. However, 30k an hour isn't bad for beastmen blood...if I'm alone. And thats rare. Competition isn't terrible. Maybe one other person in Pashow. I also grab the Crawlers for silk and a few bees here and there for chips and honey, but with even Treasure Hunter 2, blood and silk drop rates seem very poor, and competition doesn't help much. So, my second request for advice is this: What's a better item to farm? An item that sells quickly and often, but for junk change (28k per 7 stack beehive chips) or an item that's moderately harder to find (but not stupid hard) and is worth more per stack, like beastmen blood at 30k a stack, assuming there would be at least one person competing with you in the same spot? Also assume demand for both is fairly high, unlike Giant Bird Plumes that are 50k a stack, but only one stack sells per day or so.

3) Finally, this is just a basic question. I can figure out how to adjust myself to make the gil myself (though suggestions would be helpful if you're willing to share). Just how much gil per hour per day is a pretty average and workable amount to those in the crafting/farming community? I've heard 100k, but I've had friends tell me they make easy millions a week, no mules involved, just by simple crafting or farming. I guess I just want to see what I "should" be making as opposed to what I AM making.

[xurion]

1. Crafting for skill ups is not really the thing you should be doing if you want to make gil. Get some mining gear and hit Z mines. I get a lot of irons there, and considering it's a lowbie zone with lowbie ore, you shoulnd't have little to no competition there, and there's always the chance of getting darksteel.

2. ffxiah.com will tell you what is in demand, what the stock levels are and also how much they sell for. The only thing you need to do is find that item. If competition catches up with you, stay ahead of them by researching the next thing you can farm.

3. As long as the demand is there, I can make a good 100k in 20 mins on synthst that I can do often. The thing that'll span that time out is when competition decide to make the same items, or for some unknown reason, people just stop buying X item for a period of time. I can't give you an actual answer to this question, but there are some things you can do to get a good idea of how to make the kind of money your friends make (millions a week). Simply ask them (considering they are friends, whats the harm) or do a /sea all [friendname] and track where they go. I've done this before with someone I knew was making a lot of gil.

[Logan Draconia]

Thanks. That's some sound advice. I think I have an idea on the things I need to start doing now. Thank you very much.