Money — reddead

“	While there are guns and money, there won't be any freedom, Luisa.	„
	—John Marston to Luisa Fortuna

Money, more specifically, the U.S. Dollar, is the primary currency in the Red Dead series.

Overview

In all entries, money can be exchanged for goods such as weapons or consumables by shopping in General Stores, Gunsmiths, Tailors, and other merchants. Money is earned by completing missions and in various other ways that vary between games.

Red Dead Revolver

Earning Money

In Red Dead Revolver, money is awarded at the completion of a mission based on the player's performance during the mission. The amount earned is based on the location of the player's shots, with an additional multiplier for consecutive kills. Individual shots earn the following amounts:

Head = $8
Arms = $6
Legs = $4
Chest = $2

When more than one enemy is killed in rapid succession (within a few seconds), this counts as a Kill Streak and the total amount earned is multiplied by the number of kills within the streak. The player’s best kill streak for a mission is shown on the end-of-mission stats page.

Spending Money

Shop interfaces are available within several stores in Brimstone, at the start of or during many missions, and from various NPCs. Money can be spent on four categories of items:

Maximum Health/Dead Eye improvements
Weapon purchases, upgrades, and repairs
Journal page unlocks
Showdown Mode character and map unlocks

Red Dead Redemption

Money can be earned by completing certain activities and missions or selling items such as animal pelts. Money can also be used to bribe witnesses or to pay off any bounties that may be on the player's head.

Money in Red Dead Redemption is a substantial currency. The scarcity and the value reflect the pre-inflationary value of modern American dollars. The frontier environment is a region of economic growth; sources of income will be ever-present, as will opportunities to spend, lose, and steal. Money is hard-earned and easy to lose after a few bad calls in gambling games. In the Hardcore Mode added in the Game of the Year Edition, money is an even more precious commodity.

Earning Money

Various activities and missions can be completed to generate cash for the player:

Bounty Hunting: Apprehending bounty targets rewards you cash as well as a boost in honor. The money received depends on whether the apprehended criminal is dead or alive. A live bounty rewards twice as much as a dead bounty. You can also loot the bodies of gang members, plus the later reinforcements, to maximize cash. Blackwater and Manzanita Post seem to be the most profitable place to do bounty hunting. Several of the bounties are worth $600 if the criminal is kept alive.
Gambling: The games of Poker, Blackjack, Liar's Dice, Arm Wrestling, Five Finger Fillet, and Horseshoes are all methods of gambling that can earn the player money. The Elegant Suit outfits allow the player to cheat at poker and the Gentleman's Attire allows one to enter high stakes poker games in Blackwater respectively, which can make it easier for the player to earn large amounts of money. A good opportunity to earn a lot of money from gambling is during Part 1 of the stranger mission Lights, Camera, Action. The player has to win a land deed from playing Liar's Dice, and this is the only time in the game where the ante is $200, as opposed to the normal $20. Repeatedly joining the Liar's Dice session will keep the ante at $200, the game being autosaved everytime the game is won. However, if autosave is loaded then the ante will drop back down to $20.
Gang Hideouts: Some of the gang hideouts in the game can yield the player considerable amounts of money from treasure chests found within the hideout. For instance, after killing all the gang members at Fort Mercer, a treasure room is located with two chests containing over $100, there are also a few safes. There is also and Gaptooth Breach hideout has a treasure chest with over $100 in it. Gang hideouts can be done more than once.
Hunting: Hunting involves killing a wild animal, skinning it, and selling its provisions. Many people consider this the best way to get money, especially when hunting animals such as Grizzly Bears, Cougars, and Bobcats. Doing this, you can easily make thousands, however the player must be careful, as the animals won't just stand there and let the player kill them.
Plant Gathering: Gathering involves roaming wilderness until a flower icon appears in the mini map, this indicates a plant of some sort. Picking these plants and selling them will net you money. However this is not a very good method as most often the plants are scarce and don't sell for much money.
Robbery: The player can earn money through robbery. This can be done by presenting a weapon to an NPC and demanding money, by robbing bank vaults, or by committing a robbery in randomly generated events. Doing this will cost the player honor, unless the bandana is equipped. If your honor is low enough, this offense will NOT be reported to officials.
Treasure Hunter Challenges: Acquiring treasure maps and locating the item(s) within the game's environment can generate money. This is done by either keeping the treasure (if it is coins you find) or by selling it to an NPC (if the treasure is gold bullion)
Looting: Money can also be earned by looting dead bodies which usually carry around $5-$10 each. Looting dead bodies can also give you other goods such as Bait or Snake Oil.
Bird Hunting Challenges: Lose a couple on purpose, the bet will double every time. Win before your money runs out.
Quick money can be made with the 'Nice Eyes' random encounter.
Certain Missions may also provide income.

Mexico

In Nuevo Paraíso, Marston still uses American dollars even though the form of currency should be the Mexican peso. This was likely to not over-complicate monetary transactions between the two countries. However, even today, many Mexican border shops still accept dollars due to the high amount of cross-border commerce, and during a time of war when the peso would be fluctuating wildly, this may have been even more common.

American dollars seem to be accepted by just about everyone in Nuevo Paraiso, but it appears that Marston is paid for bounty hunting and other activities or missions in Mexican pesos, according to NPC dialogue. It could also be assumed that all transactions in Mexico are done in pesos, but shown to the player as an equivalent amount of US dollars.

Multiplayer

In Multiplayer, money is used for two things, gambling with other players and how much XP you earn, though the only ways to obtain money in multiplayer is to complete challenges, kill enemies, and win at Liar's Dice or Poker against other players. (Note: If you gamble, and lose, you lose money)

Undead Nightmare

Due to the fact that money is useless in fighting the Undead, money is absent and of no use in the Undead Nightmare DLC, being replaced by ammunition and weapons as the new form of currency, usually used to reward the player.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The use of money serves a very similar purpose in Redemption 2 to its predecessor. Players have the opportunity to earn money through a variety of activities. These include selling animal pelts, completing both challenges and missions, and engaging in the robbery of establishments, which can occur during missions or within the game's free-roam mode. The accumulated money can be spent on a range of products and services, such as purchasing food or buying train tickets. However, there are several risks that come with riches: cash can be easily lost, whether it be from getting arrested with a high bounty or getting too cocky during a gambling match.

Throughout the story of Redemption 2, money especially plays a major role within the Van der Linde gang's camp. From Chapter 2 to 4, the player can donate cash and other valuables into a tithing box by Dutch's tent in an effort to save up for the gang's dream of living in "paradise." The amount of money the camp has reflects gang morale and overall happiness.

Earning Money

Bounty Hunting: The player can accept bounty hunting missions from sheriff's offices in several different settlements by taking wanted posters. The local sheriff will comment on the bounty, and provide additional details when questioned. Unlike its predecessor, the amount of bounty targets in Redemption 2 are finite, and once the player turns in all bounties to a town, the local sheriff will inform the player that they’ll refrain from posting any more, for reasons which vary depending on the settlement. Some bounties are wanted dead or alive, in which case the reward will stay the same no matter the condition they're turned in.
Completing Missions: There are over a hundred storyline and stranger missions that the player can complete. Often, completing mission involving activities such as robbery can net the player considerable amounts of money, ranging from small rewards to thousands of dollars.
Fishing: A mechanic exclusive to Red Dead Redemption 2, the player can catch various species of fish and sell them for money. All the player needs is a fishing rod, some bait, and a body of water to fish at. Across the map, there are fifteen species of fish, with each one having a legendary counterpart, and they differ in weight, size, and appearance. Legendary fish can be mailed to Jeremy Gill for a reward.
Gambling: A popular pastime and a quick way to make it or break it, the player can gamble their earnings on several games in saloons and stations across the map. Poker is the most abundant method, found across the map, although high stakes poker can only be played on the Grand Korrigan during "A Fine Night of Debauchery." Blackjack can be played in the Blackwater and Rhodes saloons, and five finger fillet can be played in several locations across the map. From Chapters 2 to 4, the player can play poker and five finger fillet with other gang members at camp.
Gang Hideouts: Ambushing rival gang hideouts across the map can yield considerable amounts of money. The player can loot fallen enemies for cash and valuables, and search hideouts for any collectibles that can be sold at a fence.
Hunting: Hunting is an activity that can yield high returns when done correctly. Hunting legendary animals and selling them to a trapper or butcher is a reliable way to make money. Additionally, if the player is able to make a clean kill on big game such as wolves or moose, the player can earn a considerable amount of cash.
Robbery: Robbing people and establishments is a lucrative and risky method in earning money. Ranging from sticking up a pedestrian passing by to robbing entire trains, robbery can net the player considerable sums. Despite this, robbing typically lowers the player's honor. If the player is caught, they can be reported to lawmen and become wanted. In several missions throughout the story, the player can earn hundreds, sometimes even thousands, from heists pulled by the gang. Additionally, the player can be tasked with robbing things such as stagecoaches for money.
Single-Player Challenges: There are nine sets of challenges that the player can partake in, each with ten ranks, that the player can complete. Ranging from gambling to treasure hunting, the player can complete these challenges for rewards, which often include cash, along with XP and special clothing accessories.
Looting and Gathering: Money can also be earned by looting dead bodies and finding consumables and plants across the map. The amount of money an NPC has can vary depending on their wealth and location- for example, pedestrians in Saint Denis typically have more valuable items than people in Valentine. Items found across the map can be sold to local stores for cash, although illegally found items (such as looted valuables) can only be sold to fences.
Although time-consuming, money could be earned by buying and selling horses, provided that the character’s honor is level 7 or higher, giving him 50% discount at the stables. That way, having bonded with the horse to the level 4, horse can be sold with 90% profit. To maximise amount of money earned, it is preferrable to deal with more expensive horses, e.g. Arabians, Missouri Fox Trotters and Turkomans.

Red Dead Online

A lesser known discussed topic for increasing the money you make is reducing travel distance, giving you more time for missions. Reducing the amount of times you have to load in and out.