Saying No to Temptation: Getting Ahead in eRep by Saving and Waiting

Day 2,125, 14:02 Published in USA Ireland by Mercurius100
Patience is a virtue.

Patience is also a huge advantage when developing your eRep character.

eRep surrounds players with temptations to spend huge amounts of money right now. But partying all day today only to be totally broke tomorrow doesn’t grow your abilities, and right now your abilities suck compared to what they can be in the future.

Previously we discussed the many ways you can play eRep without spending any of your own money on daily expenses. Between the money you save not having to buy your own food and weapons, and the large amount of money you will earn just from fighting and working normally, you’re going to have a lot of cash in your piggy bank. But instead of making it rain with all that hard-earned money, take a cue from how the most elite and successful veteran players have gotten to where they are today.

-Save your money.
-Do thorough research before spending.
-Wait for the best time and opportunity.
-Invest in your character for the long-term, and make your money work for you.

There’s a bunch of investment choices in eRep, several of which we’ll touch on in this article. But the underlying theme for all investments should be the same. Successful investing means planning out when you invest as much as what you invest in.



Training Grounds, the most profitable investment you will ever make.


The eRep Wiki is always your best friend for getting basic info on anything in eRep, like on Training Grounds.

Sure Training is nice. You gain strength daily for free (fight the temptation, don’t spend that gold!), and that strength means you do more damage in fights. Gain strength faster than you level and you’ve now outclassed your opponents. But how is it profitable?


Super Soldier Medals for 5 Gold please Alex.

That’s a Super Soldier medal and 5G every 250 Strength for life. Every day you train you earn Gold, and payday is every time you hit a multiple of 250. In effect, for each 5 Strength you earn 0.1G, or about $20 tax-free. And you’re increasing your damage-dealing ability.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could earn more than 5 Strength a day from training without spending on those tempting but unprofitable Training Grounds that cost money?


20 Strength a day! That’s like 4 times what the original earned!

So very profitable! Earn your initial investment back quickly, and increase your Strength to beastly levels at the same time.

So with such a wonderfully tempting investment opportunity, you should run out and get it right away, right?

We’ve already gone over this temptation thing though. This is where the “When to invest” thing becomes important. Because if you invest today you’ll miss this:


Not quite free, but pretty close.

Discounts on Training Ground upgrades happen at the whims of the eRep admins, but there is one every calendar month.

But wait, it gets even better:


No backlog of foreclosure sales here in eRep.

So if you really need the Gold to pay off your loan shark before he breaks you kneecaps, you can get 50% of the Training Ground value back at anytime. That’s 50% of full price, even if you bought using the discount.

So by the time you’ve gotten your free Training Grounds to Q4 through 2-3 months of wise investing and patiently waiting for those discounts you’ve bought a building worth 85G in “resale” value, increased your daily earnings by 0.3G a day (over $60), and supercharged your Strength for an investment cost of 93.5G.

Being so profitable to make up your initial investment so quickly, raking in the gold for the rest of your eLife, and leaving carnage in your wake on the battlefield. That’s the recipe for an outstanding investment, if you are patient and do it right.



You sure you want to do that? Investing in Companies.

Plato lies!

They make his picture a head-shot because his pants are literally on fire.

Plato tells players they should be self-sufficient. Make your own weapons and food and you’ll get ahead.

How dumb is that? Every soldier should blow all their savings to build and run their own factories? To produce inferior weapons and food that you can either get for free or buy from the Marketplace for much less? And you lose money every day paying for worker salaries, raw materials, and taxes?

If you want to have a big career in business that's one thing. But a soldier's job is to be a good fighter, not to run a factory.


For those with only a minor interest in a career in business:

Leave business to the business people. If you've bought companies already on Plato's recommendation, sell them now and get your money back. Don't work at the companies eRep gives you, you will lose tons of money on them.

Focus on the career you want, whether that's in the military, in politics, or in journalism. Business careers require a major time investment to thoroughly research business opportunities and to manage your companies once you've invested. Plus even with all that time and money invested most businesses never make money.

It is possible if you are really good (and a bit lucky) to make money in business, even in this awful economy. But investing in your own character to become a good soldier is almost always makes you more money and turns a profit faster.


For the serious career entrepreneurs:

So nobody has been able to talk you out of running a business in eRep. You've done all your research, factored in all the costs and taxes and economic risks to find the business that will be profitable to run. You've got the "What to invest in" question thoroughly answered in a business plan that reads like a PhD thesis.

Funny how it's not the businesses Plato recommended you buy.

So time to dive right in, right?

There's that "When to invest" thing again:


That looks a lot like the Training Grounds discounts!

Company upgrade discounts come along at the same time as the Training Grounds discounts. Once a calendar month, with specific timing chosen secretly by the admins.

If you're investing that much money into a business, it is certainly worth it to wait for the discounts and cut 45% off your upgrade costs.




Producing WMDs in your basement. Investing in Rocket Factories.


If you are investing in a Rocket Factory to make money, you will probably be disappointed.

In a previous article we talked about making money through Combat Orders. Plus there's Battle Hero medals and True Patriot medals that Rockets make much easier to earn.

Rockets are great for increasing your damage and for helping to win battles, but they are very expensive to produce if you are paying for them yourself. Additional income you get from fighting will help reduce the cost, but few people are skilled and experienced enough to actually turn a profit with Rockets.

However, spending money to do a lot more damage is worth it to many people. If you are one of those people, a Rocket Factory may be a useful investment for you. Even better if you fight that temptation to write that check immediately and wait for the big sale.


There seems to be a trend here.

Discounts on Rocket Factories are usually separate sales from Training Ground and Company upgrades, but they occur approximately as often. Using that sale can help you produce more Rockets or have the funds for a future upgrade sooner.



Sales to keep you under your credit limit.


So you like eRep, you want more Gold, and you are willing to get your credit card out to buy some.

But more Gold for your money is worth waiting for, right?


If only your RL bank issued coupons like these.

But wait, there's more. what about getting some extra-cheap Gold plus a really nice gift basket of stuff for soldiers?


That's a lot of bonus stuff.



Clipping coupons for special items.


Really like Energy Bars but can't get enough from just your Daily Orders, completing missions, and other special offers? There's even specials for getting more Energy Bars available for the smart shopper.


Hand these out for Halloween and you'll be every kid's favorite house.


Just can't get that one piece you need to assemble your bazookas? There's a special offer for that!




Discounts for cost-conscious political despots.


Finally, what is there for the aspiring dictator looking to buy himself some political glory?

Sorry, there's actually no sale from the eRep admins that helps you buy an election on the cheap.

But have you considered North Korea? I hear they have wonderful beaches and the weather there this time of year is wonderful.


Being able to speak Chinese helps too.





So what's the bottom line on investing in eRep?

When you invest is just as important as what you invest in.

For just about anything you want to buy, there's a special offer just around the corner.

If you can fight off that temptation to spend that money immediately, and patiently wait for the right investment opportunity, your bank account will be much better off for it.

All that money you save can pay for one huge party that people will never forget. Or not.





More educational reading:
This Article Will Self Destruct: Introduction to Missions
Secret Agent Training: Introduction to eRep's Secret Missions
Don't Do That! How Not to Get Banned in eRep
Fighting on a Budget: How to Be a Soldier without Going Broke
You are the Commander: The Guide to Combat Orders
The Collected Knowledge of eRep's Greatest Minds: Introduction to the eRep Wiki
Guide to Understanding PTO's and ATO's