Farming Simulator 22 guide: Tips for saving money

Farming Simulator 22 is not a reward-heavy experience. You really have to put in a lot of time and effort to generate a decent profit flow. On top of that, the prices of buying almost anything for your farm are pretty high.

With all that being said, here are some tips to keep in mind to lessen the financial burden. Pay special attention if you choose to keep the new seasons mechanic enabled, as playing within its confines requires even more strategic decisions in order to make sure you don’t run out of cash.

Saving money in Farming Simulator 22

• Use the starter machinery as much as possible — When you start on a new map in “New Farmer” mode, you’ll have $100,000 in the bank and a variety of starter equipment. This is more than enough to get you well on your way to building your farm with relative ease. Some players want to sell as much as possible and immediately jump for bigger, better equipment. But, if you want to be a bit more conservative with your funds, hang onto what’s provided in the beginning for as long as possible. The tractors don’t have that much horsepower and the tools are very small, but often you’ll have equally small fields to work with, so everything kind of balances out. You can still buy machinery in the beginning stages, of course, but see what you can get away with from what the game provides for you, to build up a good chunk of initial funds first.

• Lease instead of buying small machinery (including equipment you need periodically) — The allure of buying new equipment is a powerful one. However, the high price tags may often deter you. Thankfully, there’s always the option to lease. Leasing heavy machinery like tractors and harvesters may not prove to be beneficial, but smaller equipment like balers, tedders, weeders, front loaders and such is far more economical. The initial lease may cost a $1,000 or so, but only a few dozens of dollars per day afterward. Thus, if it’s something that you only need periodically, leasing may very well be a more viable option. Take a good look at the state of your farm and consider what machinery you’ll need to keep on-hand regularly, versus stuff you only need every now and again.

• Check the “Used” options regularly — On the flipside of leasing is a feature that’s new to Farming Simulator 22; the ability to buy used machinery at a much reduced price. As nice as that is, there are a few caveats (of course). First, the discount depends on the age and maintenance level of the machine. Thus, the better the discount, the more money you’ll have to reinvest into getting the equipment back up to snuff. Used machinery will also never run as well as new units, which can be especially troublesome for bigger tractors that you’re going to want for their extra horsepower. So, always keep that in mind. The last issue is that the used market is constantly in flux with offers coming and going every few in-game hours. You have to check back often to see if there’s something truly worth your while.

• Take your machines in for regular repairs — The repair system was first introduced in Farming Simulator 19 and has continued into the new FS22. Overtime, both machines and their equipment will wear down due to use. Thus, you’ll have to take them to a repair station and pay for them to be fixed, otherwise they’ll start running hard and below their usual performance levels. Rather than waiting for too long to repair your machinery, try taking them in to be tended to on a regular basis. That way, you won’t be swamped with an extra large repair bill all at once.

• Go “halfsies” with the AI Workers — The whole purpose of the AI Worker system is to free up your time to go ahead and complete other tasks. As convenient as it is, it still comes at a cost. Money is swiped away for almost every second of labor, so perhaps you can optimize the workflow. Consider splitting the load in half by completing one half of a field and then your AI Worker can take care of the rest. This way, you can still save time and also a few credits.

• Turn off AI Worker purchases in the settings — Another way that AI Workers can eat up your cash is by automatically refilling resources that are being used. This includes stuff like seeds, fertilizer, and the like. In the settings menu are some toggles that will allow you to turn these purchases off. It’s a lot more economically beneficial for you to manually buy these things and when the resources are depleted, you dismiss the AI Worker, refill your tool and then set the worker on their way again.

• Use manure instead of fertilizer — Speaking of resources, one expense that you can cut down on (if and when you have cows) is the purchasing of fertilizer. Fertilizer isn’t overtly expensive, but using manure can at least cut it out of your budget. The best part is that manure is totally free — well, technically. Of course, in order to get the manure you’ll have to buy, raise and take care of your cows which requires time and expense. But, one reward is a semi-continuous source of “free” natural fertilizer for your crops.

• For your animals and greenhouses, get free water from rivers/lakes — While you can put very convenient water tanks on your farm that will pump water into your trailer on demand, that comes at a cost. Thus, for a free alternative, you can fetch water by taking your water trailer to any body of water on a map. Simply back the trailer up near the edge of the water and begin filling. Depending on the map, finding a good spot might be tedious, so it may not necessarily work everywhere. But, nonetheless, it’s a worth a shot if applicable.

For more information about Farming Simulator 22, keep an eye on our Guides and Features hub.