'Red Dead 2' Fast Money Guide - How to Make Money & Find Gold Bars

Red Dead Redemption 2 offers plenty of ways to get sweet goods with and without money. That being said, in this guide offers some glitch-free tips to get rich quick. If you want to buy that top-notch gun or cool outfit, here are a few steps on the road to getting there.

1) Play the Campaign: This may seem like a frustrating tip, but it's probably the best one. Campaign missions take you on quests that include robberies, claiming bandit camps and other worthwhile activities that direct you toward serious loot.

Simply put, Red Dead Redemption 2 is designed in such a way that its developers don't really want players engaging in tedious grinds for cash. Just by playing through, you'll earn most of the game's best weapons and other goodies without spending a dime. Eventually you'll find that you have such a good loadout that money stops becoming an issue.

2) Three Gold Bars In the Money Cave: Go to this spot east of Adana Falls, and you'll come to a slit in the side of the rocks.

Red Dead statue puzzle map
You'll find the statue puzzle at Adana Falls. Rockstar Games/Mida Life Crisis @ YouTube

It's dark inside, so you'll need to wait until daytime or have a lantern in your possession. In the center of a room is a bunch of statues.

Red Dead statue puzzle slit
Enter this slit in the rockface. Rockstar Games/Mida Life Crisis @ YouTube

One of them is missing an arm that can be found on the ground nearby. Place the arm on the statue that needs it, and press the buttons on each statue in this order:

Red Dead statue puzzle arm
Look for the missing statue's arm on the ground. Rockstar Games/Mida Life Crisis @ YouTube

Statue closest to the entrance > skip the next one to the right > press the one after that > skip the next one > press the next two in a row. At the end the cave will shake, and three gold bars will fall from the central statue. Sell these bars at a Fence, which are symbolized by a basket icon on the world map.

3) The Poisonous Trail Treasure Map: First you need to complete the "Gunslinger Stranger" quest which appears early on in Valentine. Once you have that, take a look at the pictures from that quest in your inventory. The back of one of them will take you to Cairn Lake.

Red Dead Cairn Lake
Go here to find a cabin and your first real clue. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Dispatch the guy in front of the Cabin, go inside and you'll find the first clue in this lock box.

Red Dead Cabin
Get the lockbox in this cabin by Cairn Lake. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

The clue takes you to the Face Rock, which is north of Rhodes.

Red Dead Face Rock
The next clue takes you to Face Rock. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Approach this suspicious tree stump, and you'll find clue number 2.

Red Dead Face tree
Find the clue in this very suspicious tree stump. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

The next part of the quest takes you to this snake-like shape near the Van Horn Trading Post.

Red Dead 2 Snake
Go to this snake-like location on the map next. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes

Inside the eye of the snake is another clue.

Red Dead Snake eye
There's another clue in the snake's eye. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

The last clue takes you to Elysian Pool, right before it tappers up to the river.

Red Dead Elisyan Pool
Elysian Pool is t where you'll find the treasure. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Go through the waterfall.

Red Dead Elisyan waterfall
Go through this waterfall to enter the treasure cave. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Grab a lantern, navigate through the cave, drop down and look for this notch on the right.

Red Dead Elisyan right opening
Look for this opening on the right to inch closer toward your goal. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Once you come out on the other side, take a right.Go straight through the narrow tunnel and take a left.This takes you to a ledge where you can jump down.

Red Dead Elisyan jump
Jump down from here and follow the path towards the treasure. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

Follow the tunnel down, and you'll find treasure in this rock. The fastest way out from here is to kill yourself. Sell the treasure to a Fence and profit.

Red Dead Elisyan treasure rock
Climb up and get the treasure from this rock. Rockstar Games/Gamers Heroes @ YouTube

4) Horses: High-level horses go for top-dollar in the Red Dead universe. That being said, it pays big to look for a proper Shire or race horse to sell at any nearby stable. Unfortunately this is a case where you need to spend money to make money, because the best horses in the game are purchased from stables at Saint Denis, Blackwater and other key locations.

That being said, we have a great horse guide that tells you how to make the most of a wild steed. Provided you didn't steal the animal from somebody else, it will fetch solid coin.

5) Sell Carriages: In addition to selling horses, you can also sell carriages to the Trapper. The laws of morality that apply to animals aren't true for vehicles, which means you can steal something if you're in a pinch. No matter what you offer, the Trapper is game for it.

Also, if you do find a good carriage, make sure you loot it before selling it back. You can use the trinkets to sell to a store or upgrade your camp.

6) Sell Animal Pelts: If you're in love with Red Dead's deep hunting system, it's a great avenue to make money. Just shoot creatures, get your pelts, feathers or hides and sell them to a butcher, Trapper or shopkeep. If you have the skill to track down Perfect and Legendary Pelts, you'll get nice returns.

Feel free to check out our Trapper and Legendary Bear Pelt guides to get started with that part of the game. The general rule is that the best pelts have the fewest bullet holes and are sold quickly.

7) Gamble at the Bar: If you're up for it, gambling is also a fun way to make money in Red Dead Redemption 2. Head to any bar or saloon, and you should be able to find a table for Poker, Blackjack, Five-Finger Fillet or Dominos. The first two options require skill to succeed, while the latter are more random. Just pick the table that plays to your strengths and collect the winnings.

That being said, we'd only suggest this path after you've devoured plenty of story missions and side missions first.

8) Play as a Good Cowboy: Store prices are lower if you're a good cowboy, and you'll get the most cash for an honestly-owned horse. If you're able to make it through the campaign without getting a bounty on your head, you'll make more money. If you're already on the opposite path, most bounties expire with time as long as you don't extend your rap sheet.

It's a little boring to play nice, but it allows you to save money for other things. Help others, and they just might help you later on.

Uncommon Knowledge

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Christopher Groux is a Gaming and TV reporter with bylines at Newsweek, Player.One, iDigitalTimes, IBTimes, QJ.Net and more. Now, his primary ... Read more

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