Farming’s a tough gig—and when you’re only starting out with a small wallet of money, that’s even more true. That’s equally true in Stardew Valley, where you begin with just a meager 5000g. In line with this thought, today, we’re looking at some of the key things you should know about money in Stardew Valley to help you decide what you should (and should not) be spending your money on. After all, not everything is necessarily lucrative, and there are several key tips to keep in mind that can help you spend a little more effectively.
Things You Shouldn’t be Spending Money On In Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley’s economy is a bit of a strange one, as there often doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason behind the cost of items. As a result, knowing what you should buy—and which items you absolutely should not purchase—is pretty crucial to help your next Stardew Valley game go smoothly. But luckily, there are still plenty of great value options, and we’ve outlined the main dos and don’ts as follows to help.
What Purchase Items Should You Avoid?
Before we go any further, there are some items that are simply a waste of money, and buying these will inevitably leave you out of pocket for very little reward.
Joja Cola
One of the main no-no items to purchase in Stardew Valley has to be Joja Cola. Indeed, this drink might be renowned as Joja’s flagship product, but it’s really not much use—inevitably, there’s a reason it’s classed as a junk item! And, while you can buy it for 75g at JojaMart, it’s not much to shout about.
Joja Cola has a speed +1 buff, but only for 21 seconds, and only provides 13 energy and 5 health. So, while it might be useful if you really need to run a bit quicker, that’s generally its only value—and since you can literally find these frequently in the trash, there’s very little point in paying for it. What’s more, if you complete the Joja Warehouse, you’ll also receive a soda machine which provides free Cola daily.
Rice Shoots
Another item in Stardew Valley that you shouldn’t purchase in most cases is rice shoots, which are used to grow rice. These shoots can be handy little money earners, as they don’t need to be watered and can even be irrigated directly from a pond or natural water source. However, they cost 40g to purchase from the General Store in year two onwards, and the resulting unmilled rice is only worth a maximum of 66g at iridium quality with the tiller profession. Ouch—not good returns at all.
The main crux of the issue is that rice shoots are actually incredibly easy to find. There’s a 10% chance that they will be dropped by Grubs in the mines when killed and are also found in artifact spots in spring and treasure chests (to name a few). So, you’d do much better to simply find a rice shoot and plant it, then use the resulting rice to create more seeds in the seed maker.
Ore, Stone, and Wood
If you’re looking to upgrade your tools or buildings and just need one or two more materials (and critically, it’s not long until closing time), you might want to consider buying a few pieces. However, in the vast majority of cases, buying ores, wood, and stone simply isn’t worth the cost.
After all, the amount you’ll need for upgrades makes this an incredibly costly way to build or improve your equipment. Frankly, most resources (ores and stone) are pretty easy to come by once you begin making progress in the mines; making sure you’re always cutting down trees as they grow can help keep a consistent supply of wood, too.
Monster Loot
While it’s not necessarily true in every single scenario, monster loot is generally not worth buying. It’s not usually expensive, but it’s easy to gather when fighting enemies in the mine. So, unless you’re struggling to beat the specific foes you need, avoid buying monster loot—such as void essence and solar essence—to save money and prevent you from spending out needlessly.
Of course, one challenge that some people face when attempting to kill monsters in Stardew is lag, which can make even the best-timed sword swing useless. Luckily, ScalaCube’s servers are designed to offer a consistent, 24/7 uptime, and lag-free server experience instead, so you’ll never get caught out.
Should You Purchase a Stardew Valley JojaMart Membership?
If you’re looking to save money, buying a JojaMart membership won’t generally be worthwhile. Indeed, the costs involved with this will be very expensive, as you’ll have to pay out for all of the community upgrades directly. In contrast, before you buy a JojaMart membership, you’ll be able to access upgrades by donating to the community center instead.
What About Buying Items From the Traveling Cart?
Items from the Traveling Cart are almost always more expensive than in regular shops. However, these items can sometimes (not always) be rare or out-of-season items. As such, you may want to purchase items from the Stardew Valley traveling cart if there’s something specific you need for a recipe or quest. However, if it’s simply as a way to get hold of an item, there’s likely more cost-effective ways of doing so. As a result, it’s generally not worth buying items from the Traveling Cart, but always consider the mark-up to help inform your choice.
Things You Shouldn’t be Spending Money On In Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley’s economy is a bit of a strange one, as there often doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason behind the cost of items. As a result, knowing what you should buy—and which items you absolutely should not purchase—is pretty crucial to help your next Stardew Valley game go smoothly. But luckily, there are still plenty of great value options, and we’ve outlined the main dos and don’ts as follows to help.What Purchase Items Should You Avoid?
Before we go any further, there are some items that are simply a waste of money, and buying these will inevitably leave you out of pocket for very little reward.
Joja Cola
One of the main no-no items to purchase in Stardew Valley has to be Joja Cola. Indeed, this drink might be renowned as Joja’s flagship product, but it’s really not much use—inevitably, there’s a reason it’s classed as a junk item! And, while you can buy it for 75g at JojaMart, it’s not much to shout about. Joja Cola has a speed +1 buff, but only for 21 seconds, and only provides 13 energy and 5 health. So, while it might be useful if you really need to run a bit quicker, that’s generally its only value—and since you can literally find these frequently in the trash, there’s very little point in paying for it. What’s more, if you complete the Joja Warehouse, you’ll also receive a soda machine which provides free Cola daily.
Rice Shoots
Another item in Stardew Valley that you shouldn’t purchase in most cases is rice shoots, which are used to grow rice. These shoots can be handy little money earners, as they don’t need to be watered and can even be irrigated directly from a pond or natural water source. However, they cost 40g to purchase from the General Store in year two onwards, and the resulting unmilled rice is only worth a maximum of 66g at iridium quality with the tiller profession. Ouch—not good returns at all.The main crux of the issue is that rice shoots are actually incredibly easy to find. There’s a 10% chance that they will be dropped by Grubs in the mines when killed and are also found in artifact spots in spring and treasure chests (to name a few). So, you’d do much better to simply find a rice shoot and plant it, then use the resulting rice to create more seeds in the seed maker.
Ore, Stone, and Wood
If you’re looking to upgrade your tools or buildings and just need one or two more materials (and critically, it’s not long until closing time), you might want to consider buying a few pieces. However, in the vast majority of cases, buying ores, wood, and stone simply isn’t worth the cost. After all, the amount you’ll need for upgrades makes this an incredibly costly way to build or improve your equipment. Frankly, most resources (ores and stone) are pretty easy to come by once you begin making progress in the mines; making sure you’re always cutting down trees as they grow can help keep a consistent supply of wood, too.
Monster Loot
While it’s not necessarily true in every single scenario, monster loot is generally not worth buying. It’s not usually expensive, but it’s easy to gather when fighting enemies in the mine. So, unless you’re struggling to beat the specific foes you need, avoid buying monster loot—such as void essence and solar essence—to save money and prevent you from spending out needlessly.Of course, one challenge that some people face when attempting to kill monsters in Stardew is lag, which can make even the best-timed sword swing useless. Luckily, ScalaCube’s servers are designed to offer a consistent, 24/7 uptime, and lag-free server experience instead, so you’ll never get caught out.
Should You Purchase a Stardew Valley JojaMart Membership?
If you’re looking to save money, buying a JojaMart membership won’t generally be worthwhile. Indeed, the costs involved with this will be very expensive, as you’ll have to pay out for all of the community upgrades directly. In contrast, before you buy a JojaMart membership, you’ll be able to access upgrades by donating to the community center instead.
What About Buying Items From the Traveling Cart?
Items from the Traveling Cart are almost always more expensive than in regular shops. However, these items can sometimes (not always) be rare or out-of-season items. As such, you may want to purchase items from the Stardew Valley traveling cart if there’s something specific you need for a recipe or quest. However, if it’s simply as a way to get hold of an item, there’s likely more cost-effective ways of doing so. As a result, it’s generally not worth buying items from the Traveling Cart, but always consider the mark-up to help inform your choice.FAQs
What is the best crop to purchase in Stardew Valley in the spring?
The best crops to purchase in Stardew Valley in your first spring are Strawberries, although these cannot be purchased until the Egg Festival. As such, you’ll likely want to buy a selection of fast-growing seeds at the start of the season, such as potatoes, turnips, and kale, to make enough money to buy plenty of these excellent seeds.
Where is the best place to buy seeds for good money in Stardew Valley?
Generally speaking, most seeds are more affordable at Pierre’s store rather than at JojaMart. However, after you’ve purchased a JojaMart membership, seeds are generally the same price.