Loosing money and becoming rich

[speedyglides]

In my first game I've got negative income between -500 and -1000 credits due to integrating other humans and its fleet. I also had deficit of about -4000 credits after the expense, so I waited to see what was going to happen but surprisingly my income rocketed up to 20k-30k (sorry, I don't remember the time span).

My understanding it is that this is due to private ships construction, but I'm not sure about it. Could there be another reason for it?

On the other hand, even when I have not advanced much in the game, it seems too easy to make money?

[BTAxis]

You're getting money from bonus income, which isn't included in your cash flow. Bonus income can indeed result from the construction of civilian ships, but also includes tourism and trade.

[Calacorm]

It's one of the strange concepts in the game. But it is important to realize that if you are in negative cash flow you are not funding the Excess catagories, Colony Development and Research. If you can get enough cash into these catagories you can gain big bonus for the catagories; generate more revenue or keep maintenance low or both.

Your tax revenue is cut first directly to your cash flow then the rest flows into maintenance catagories first, if you fill all those costs, the excess will then flow to colony development and research bonus catagories. If you still have excess cash then that rolls back into the cash flow.

Bonus Cash mostly comes from private ship sales, so keep giving the private economy reasons to buy ships, and new colonies to provide more revenue so they won't go broke. Can also get tourist stations and get some more bonus that way.

The game offers no prediction on bonus Cash so it looks like you are loosing money but as long as the negative cash flow isn't insanely bad so even private ship sales can't cover it, you fine.

[HateVagueManuals]

It's one of the strange concepts in the game. But it is important to realize that if you are in negative cash flow you are not funding the Excess catagories, Colony Development and Research. If you can get enough cash into these catagories you can gain big bonus for the catagories; generate more revenue or keep maintenance low or both.

Your tax revenue is cut first directly to your cash flow then the rest flows into maintenance catagories first, if you fill all those costs, the excess will then flow to colony development and research bonus catagories. If you still have excess cash then that rolls back into the cash flow.

Bonus Cash mostly comes from private ship sales, so keep giving the private economy reasons to buy ships, and new colonies to provide more revenue so they won't go broke. Can also get tourist stations and get some more bonus that way.

The game offers no prediction on bonus Cash so it looks like you are loosing money but as long as the negative cash flow isn't insanely bad so even private ship sales can't cover it, you fine.

I am new to the game. I find it very difficult to maintain positive cash flow once I get passed the very beginning. Once I get out in the galaxy, spending ramps up fast. Most of the cash goes to ship maintenance, and building more. I like being able to respond to the different challenges that come up. Everything seems to chug along well. Though, for all I know, I could be falling way behind the other empires. So far, so good.