Making money in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is something you’ll be doing quite a lot. From paying off your debt to Tom Nook, to buying furniture to decorate your new island home, Bells are essential in the world of Animal Crossing and there are various ways to fill your pockets, with some methods faster than others. From simple jobs such as collecting shells and selling weeds to taking big risks on the stalk market, you can earn a lot of Bells and become very wealthy. Find out how to get Bells in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

What are Bells in Animal Crossing?

Bells is one of the two main currencies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which you can earn and spend as you build your island. The second currency is Nook Miles.

You will use Bells to pay off mortgages, upgrade your island, purchase new clothes and furniture and more in the game. Bells are the main driver of everything in New Horizons, so you’ll be spending most of your time earning and spending your bells.

You can keep an eye on bell balance by opening the inventory screen.

How to get Bells fast in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

There are various things you can do in New Horizons that will earn you Bells fast, so you can be on your way to being a bellionaire! Find out how to make money on Animal Crossing: New Horizons with the following tips.

Get on the Stalk Market

If you’re looking for big rewards that come with a high risk, then the stalk market could be for you. This fun play on the stock market sees Daisy Mae visit your island every sunday morning to sell turnips, with prices varying from week to week. You can buy these turnips to sell to Nooklings. Because the prices change twice a day, every day, you could make a loss if you don’t sell them at the right time. 

Whatever you do, make sure to not forget about your turnips or store them inside as they will go rotten and you won’t be able to get the best prices! Also, for players who time-travel there is no way to cheat the turnip stock market! Time travel means rotten turnips!

Fishing Challenges & Selling To CJ

Fishing is a popular pastime in ACNH, with the waters around the island filled with fish. With your fishing rod at hand, you can earn some money fast by selling your catches to Nooklings at the Nook’s Cranny.. You could even find rare ocean fish if you go at night, which could fetch you over 10,000 Bells. With no limit on the amount of fish you can catch every day, you can earn a huge amount of Bells.

You will need fish bait to summon fish in the lakes or ocean, which you can learn to craft by digging up a manila clam on the beach. These can be found by searching for small, reappearing holes in beaches that have water spitting out of them periodically. 

To get the very best value for your fish, keep an eye out for CJ, the young beaver with a passion for angling. After completing a small fishing challenge, CJ will let you sell your fish to him at 150% their normal value during his random visits or during one of the quarterly fishing tourneys. 

Sell Bugs To Flick

The alternative activity to fishing is catching and selling bugs. There are a wide variety of insects around your island, including butterflies and wasps. All insects can be caught and sold   at Nook’s Cranny. Alternatively, selling your bugs to ACNH’s latest bug-obsessed chameleon will see your bells soar! Flick, the pink grunge-styled chameleon offers 150% of bugs' usual value during his random visits and bug catching tournaments! 

Rare Mystery Island Tours: Tarantula Island, Big Fish Island & Money Rock Island

When you venture to your island’s airport, nook miles ticket in hand, and speak to Orville about setting off on a Nook Miles Tour, you never know which of the 18 mystery islands you may arrive on. However, with a bit of luck, you will land on one of the islands which has a lot of Bell-making potential. 

With Mystery Island Tours, you can gain serious Bells in a single visit! From islands with a constant supply of Scorpions and Tarantula to ‘Big Fish’ island, the dream island for those looking for some high value sharks, these mystery tours allow you to fill your pockets with some seriously high value critters. 

Top Tip: If you land on Tarantula, Scorpion or Big Fish Island, make sure to store your catches until you see CJ or Flick wandering around your island rather than selling them to Timmy & Tommy Nook! As CJ and Flick pay 1.5X the normal value for each critter (For example, get 12,000 Bells per tarantula rather than the usual 8000!) You can make some serious Bells and pay off your mortgage so much quicker!

Sell Shells

Finding beautiful shells that wash up on the shore is something we all love to do at the seaside. Now you can do it wherever you are on your Nintendo Switch in ACNH. A selection of shells will wash up on your shores every day. Collect them and sell them for a nice daily profit of Bells.

Sell Fossils

Much like selling your fish and bugs, your museum only needs one donated fossil. This means you can sell fossils for a nice amount of Bells, giving you a tidy earner each day for selling your archaeological discoveries. 

Search for the Money Rock

The money rock is a rock that generates money when you have hit it with a shovel. Each day one rock on your island becomes the money rock, and it’s your mission to find it. Avoid hitting it with the Flimsy Shovel, as it could break during your quest.

Floating Presents

On your way around your island, you may see a present attached to a balloon float above you. By using your slingshot, you can shoot down presents and keep them as a gift for yourself. This might reward you with Bells or an item, such as clothing or furniture, which you can later sell.

Shake Trees

Trees have several hidden surprises for those willing to give them a shake. Bells, furniture, and even wasp nests can be found in trees.

Find the ‘Hot Item’ of the day for Nook’s Cranny

As your island develops, a Nook’s Cranny will open on it. Each day, the Nooklings will choose a ‘Hot item’ that it wants. If you source the item and sell it to them on this day, you will earn double the amount. Because the hot item is chosen at random, you may not be able to take advantage of the bonus each day.

Do Favours for Villagers

Animals populate your island in New Horizons and are always looking for help with something. If you offer to help, they will reward you for doing so. You will earn Bells, but also clothing and furniture you can sell.

Sell Furniture

As you spend more time in New Horizons, you will buy, earn, find or create a lot of furniture. While furniture is nice, you don’t want it all. Selling your unwanted furniture will earn you some Bells. You can even create furniture for Nooklings with spare crafting materials to sell for profit.

Grow a Money Tree

Money doesn’t grow on trees, except on Animal Crossing money trees. After digging up a bag of Bells from a glowing spot in the ground, don’t immediately close the hole or take and spend that money. Instead, you should plant the beg of Bells you found to grow a money tree. Alternatively, if you’ve got a good amount of Bells saved already, you can plant up to 10k to earn a greater value money tree.

Buy Bell Vouchers with Nook Miles

Nook Miles is a currency you earn by travelling and taking part in activities throughout New Horizons. For just 500 Nook Miles, you can trade it for Bell Vouchers that give you 3000 Bells, making this method a quick earner.