Two of the most annoying questions I see in WoW are:

1) How do I make gold?
2) Can I have some gold?

My answers to this are:

1) Sell some shit that people want to buy.
2) Sure. See Answer 1.

Everybody likes having cash in their pocket. For some, it’s a rainy day fund for buying potions and repairing their gear. Others like being able to hit the AH and upgrade their gear to the best money can buy. Oh, and buy sexy mounts and stuff. Gotta have the sexy mounts, right? Otherwise how would scrubs know you’re ballin’, playa.

It’s like riding a Porsche with gold spinner rims.

Whether you’re searching on blogs, forums, or even Youtube, you’ve seen the title: “Earn X Thousand Gold in [Insert Absurdly Short Time Here]”.

It’s bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit.

People who make those claims are often using “projected wealth.” They’ve picked up a rare drop, usually a transmog item, that according to some spreadsheet should sell for a small fortune. Post it up on the Auction House and wait for the cash to roll in.

Youtube is guilty of this, and the comments below the video reflect that. People will outright call bullshit on the video (like I am doing on the whole concept) because they’ve done the same thing, maybe even farmed the same gear, and after months of posting it they made a few hundred gold.

People lie on the Internet?

But there are still those sellers who swear up and down that they’re making hundreds of thousands of gold per month with various techniques. Huge transmog sellers, flipping, sniping the AH, they make it sound easy. It can be, if you have the server economy. Generally speaking, you’re looking at a long term time-investment if you want to make any kind of serious gold.

There is no magic formula to make a mountain of gold.

There is no single zone that unlocks your fortune.

There is no one profession that crafts cash.

Don’t get me wrong. Professions can definitely net you gold. Double gathering professions are nice to use while leveling, and if you keep them up as you level you can earn some decent gold. A gathering profession with a complimentary crafting profession (mining & blacksmithing) can beef your cashflow since you can gather your own crafting mats. More time consuming, but you save money while you make money.

Once you learn your market, you can start flipping items. You know what the regular going rate is on an item, so buy it out when it’s selling low and post it for the regular market price. People will dump things on the AH when they’re hoping for a quick resale, so if you’re patient you can swing some swag of your own.

If you’re the patient type, then and only then should you dip your toe into the transmog pool. A fortune can be made here, but it’s going to take some time. Plus, you need to know what to buy. Phat Lewts is a transmog wizard, who often posts market information that can give you an idea as far as where to start. Tailor prices as the market allows.

Making gold isn’t about earning X gold in Y minutes. It’s about research. It’s about knowing what sells, and for how much. It’s about knowing when to sell, and when to snipe from the AH. I’ve posted numerous “The Gold I Find” segments here to help people find various methods to earn gold. Playing the gold making game is the same as playing any other aspect of World of Warcraft – there are various ways to reach your goal. Find one that works for your playstyle and ride that puppy until the wheels fall off.