But there are also quirky ways to get money, including repeatable farming methods to gain as much money as you desire. Some of the most exploitable methods to gain money in Earthbound include:
The Fresh Egg trick Fixing Broken items to sell Selling mushrooms to the hospital (or to the girl in Peaceful Rest Valley)
There are many other money farm methods, but these 3 are repeatable and can be exploited to seriously fill your pockets fast.
Method 1: Fresh Egg Trick
When can it be done – Twoson, although much easier in Happy Happy Village This is hands-down one of the quickest methods for getting money really quickly in the game, and it might be the most profitable method on this list. If you carry Fresh Eggs in your inventory, after a while they will hatch into Chicks. Keep these for a little while longer and they’ll eventually grow into fully grown Chickens. These can then be sold for $110 a pop. Considering you can buy each egg for $12 beginning in Twoson, that’s a considerable profit for very little work. Tip: You can even steal Fresh Eggs from the Self-Serve Stand in Happy Happy Village. Make sure you take advantage of the freebies before you defeat Mr. Carpainter, as the stand will close for business immediately after.
Method 2: Fixing Broken Items to Sell
When can it be done – Once Jeff joins the party This method involves making Jeff fix your broken items, and then selling the completed product for more money. To get Jeff to repair an item, he needs to have the IQ required to fix it. Then just spend the night at any hotel or rest area. The money you make from this method depends on how much you spend, and where you are in the story. Here’s a list of all purchasable broken items, how to fix them, and how much they sell for: Tip: To get the most out of this exploit, you want to try and find somewhere that lets you spend the night for free. The best place for this is the lone house in Dusty Dunes Desert. Not only is it free, but the dialogue between spending another night is quick to mash through. Note: This method can be done as soon as you get Jeff, and can be done all the way through the game.
Method 3: Selling Mushrooms
When can it be done – From Onett onwards This farming method is far from profitable, but it’s an okay way to make money before Happy Happy Village. In Earthbound, there’s a status effect called Mushroomized. Afflicted party members will have a mushroom above their heads. The first enemy you encounter that can Mushroomize you is found on the path from Onett to Twoson. It’s a pretty nasty status effect, but at least it’s a way to make a little money. Once a character is Mushroomized you’ll see a little mushroom on their head. And that mushroom is worth moolah. Simply go to any hospital, and you’ll find an NPC there who will pay you $50 for each mushroom you have. A girl located in Peaceful Rest Valley (screenshot above) will offer the same amount to take those mushrooms off your heads.
