How to Make Money in GTA 5 Story Mode: The Ultimate Guide

Grand Theft Auto V is a massive game where cash is king. If you want the best cars, the fastest planes, and the biggest houses, you need a lot of money. This guide will show you exactly how to make money in gta 5 story mode so you can become a billionaire with Franklin, Michael, and Trevor.

Introduction

Making money in Los Santos is not just about robbing people on the street. It is about playing the game the smart way. You can make millions or even billions of dollars if you follow the right steps.

Many players finish the game with very little money. This happens because they spend it too fast or miss out on big chances. In this master class, you will learn how to turn a few thousand dollars into a massive fortune.

We will focus on the stock market, hidden treasures, and the big heists. You do not need to be a pro gamer to do this. You just need to follow these simple instructions.

Tools and Prerequisites

Before you start hunting for riches, you need to know what tools you have. Each character has a phone that connects to the internet. This is your most important tool for the stock market.

What You Need to Get Started

Tool	Purpose	How to Access
LCN Exchange	Local stock market influenced by game events.	In-game phone browser.
BAWSAQ	Online stock market influenced by the community.	In-game phone browser.
Properties	Generate weekly passive income.	Visit the "For Sale" signs.
A Save Slot	To fix mistakes if a stock trade goes wrong.	Use the bed in your safehouse.

Essential Requirements

1. Patience: Some stocks take a few days to rise in price.
2. Story Progress: You must complete the first few missions with Franklin.
3. Lester’s Missions: Do NOT finish these until the end of the game.

Step-by-Step Instructions: The Billionaire Method

This is the most important part of the guide. If you want to reach the maximum amount of money, follow these steps exactly.

Step 1: Save the Lester Assassination Missions

Lester gives Franklin special missions to take out CEOs of big companies. When a CEO dies, their company's stock drops, and their rival's stock goes up.

Critical Warning: Only complete the first Lester mission (The Hotel Assassination) to move the story forward. Save the rest for after the final heist!

Step 2: Complete "The Big Score"

Play through the main story until you reach the final heist called "The Big Score." Choose the "Obvious" approach for the biggest payout. After the credits roll, each character should have about $25 million to $35 million.

Step 3: Invest in the Multi-Target Assassination

Now that you have millions, it is time to multiply it. Open your phone and go to the stocks.

The Investment Strategy

1. Before the mission, put all your money from all three characters into Debonaire (LCN).
2. Finish the mission.
3. Wait for the stock to rise to about 80% profit.
4. Sell all shares.
5. Immediately put all that money into Redwood (LCN).
6. Wait a few in-game days for Redwood to recover and gain about 300% profit.

Step 4: The Vice Assassination

This mission targets the company Fruit.

1. Before the mission, buy Fruit (BAWSAQ) stocks.
2. Sell after the mission for a 50% gain.
3. Buy Facade (BAWSAQ) stocks while they are low.
4. Wait for them to rise and sell for another 30% gain.

Step 5: The Bus Assassination

This one is a bit different. Do not buy stocks before the mission.

1. Complete the mission.
2. Buy Vapid (BAWSAQ) stocks after the price drops by 50%.
3. Wait for the price to double back to normal.
4. Sell for a 100% profit.

Step 6: The Construction Assassination

This is the final big jump for your bank account.

1. Before the mission, buy Gold Coast (LCN) stocks.
2. Complete the mission.
3. Sell the stocks for an 80% profit.

Exploring Hidden Money Map Locations

If you need cash early in the game, you can find hidden packages underwater. These are called "Hidden Caches."

The Paleto Bay Cache

There is a crashed plane underwater near Paleto Bay. You can find a briefcase with $12,000 inside.

How to Get It:

1. Swim or boat to the north part of the map.
2. Dive down to the wreckage.
3. Grab the briefcase.
4. Switch characters and then switch back immediately.
5. The briefcase will reappear, and your breath will be full!

Random Encounters

Keep an eye out for blue dots on your mini-map. These are random events.

• The Buried Girl: Near the north of the map, you can save a girl from being buried alive. She is a mobster's daughter. Later, she will send you $60,000.
• The Bike Thief: In Little Seoul, a guy gets his bike stolen. Return it to him. He turns out to be a billionaire and gives you $100,000 in stocks.

Investing in Property for Passive Income

Once you have a few million, you should buy businesses. These give you money every single week without you doing any work.

Best Properties to Buy

1. McKenzie Field Hangar: Great for Trevor to make money through smuggling.
2. Los Santos Customs: If Franklin buys the one in the desert, all his car repairs are free.
3. The Cinemas: These cost a lot but give the highest weekly payouts.
4. The Golf Club: This is the most expensive item in the game ($150,000,000).

Expert Tips & Troubleshooting

Making money is easy if you know the secrets. Here are some expert tips to keep your wallet full.

Use the "Sleep" Trick to Skip Time

Stocks take time to change. If you want time to move fast, go to a safehouse and act like you are going to sleep. You do not have to actually save the game. Just entering the menu advances time by 6 to 12 hours depending on the character.

Pro Tip: Trevor sleeps for 12 hours, which is the fastest way to make the stock market move!

Watch the News

Check the "Liberty Tree" or "Daily Globe" news sites on the in-game phone. They often give hints about which companies are doing well or failing.

Don't Die or Get Busted

Every time you die, the hospital takes a percentage of your money. If you have $1 billion, you could lose thousands of dollars just by dying once. Always reload your last save if you die.

Common Problems

• The stock isn't rising: Sometimes it takes an extra day. Keep sleeping until the percentage hits the target.
• The BAWSAQ is down: You must be signed into your Rockstar Games Social Club account and connected to the internet to use BAWSAQ.
• The character has no money: Make sure you are using the character who actually has the cash. Money is not shared between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor.

How to Rob Armored Trucks

You will often see "Gruppe Sechs" vans driving around. These are rolling ATMs.

1. Shoot the back doors where the handles are.
2. Wait for the briefcases to fall out.
3. Pick up the cash (usually $3,000 to $7,000).
4. Lose the police stars quickly by hiding in an alley.

Managing Your Portfolio

Action	When to do it	Expected Result
Buy Low	When a graph shows a red downward line.	Saves you money on the purchase.
Sell High	When the profit percentage is green.	Puts the most cash in your pocket.
Diversify	Buy stocks in different industries.	Protects you if one stock crashes.

Conclusion

Making money in GTA 5 story mode is all about timing and the stock market. By saving Lester's missions until the end of the game, you can turn your heist reward into over $2 billion for each character. This gives you enough money to buy every building, car, and weapon in the game. 

Remember to save your game often and always check the stock prices before you sell. Now, go out there and take over Los Santos!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make money fast without the stock market?

You can find hidden packages and rob armored trucks, but these give small amounts. The stock market is the only way to get billions.

Does the stock market work offline?

The LCN market works offline. The BAWSAQ market requires an internet connection and a Rockstar Social Club account.

How much money can I have in total?

The maximum amount of money a character can hold is $2,147,483,647.

What is the best business to buy first?

For Franklin, the Los Santos Customs in the desert is the best. It gives you free car upgrades which saves you money in the long run.

Why did I lose money on a stock?

The market is risky. If you wait too long after an assassination, the price will start to go back down. Always sell when you hit the target percentage.