If you’ve spent your first hours in HumanitZ constantly short on ammo, food, or cash, you’re definitely not alone. The early game can feel brutally slow until you understand one important truth: getting rich isn’t about fighting more — it’s about looting smarter.
Once you know what items matter, where to focus, and how to turn junk into profit, the entire pace of survival changes. Suddenly you’re not scraping by anymore — you’re choosing what to buy, where to explore, and how to build efficiently.
Here are the 10 most effective early-game loot tricks that completely change how fast you build wealth.
Treat Pocket Items Like Portable Currency
Small valuables such as pocket watches and compasses are some of the best early-game money makers. They weigh almost nothing yet sell for surprisingly high prices.
Because they look like ordinary junk, many players ignore them during rushed looting sessions. That’s a mistake. These items are essentially lightweight cash stacks you can carry effortlessly.
Keeping a dedicated inventory slot for these valuables allows you to build a profitable batch before visiting traders. Selling them in bulk provides a quick financial boost without filling your backpack with heavy scrap.
Smash Broken Cars for Easy Scrap
Wrecked vehicles scattered around cities aren’t just scenery. Many of them can be destroyed with melee weapons to produce scrap, batteries, and metal components.
Running a route where you clear streets while smashing cars creates a steady resource income without relying on random loot containers.
Not every car can be broken, though. If a vehicle doesn’t take damage, simply move on. Efficiency comes from consistency, not stubbornly attacking one object.
Dismantle Furniture to Farm Nails
Instead of endlessly searching for nail boxes, you can generate them instantly by dismantling household furniture. Chairs, sofas, and other items can be converted into building materials directly from construction mode.
This method turns every house into a resource hub and removes one of the biggest early-game bottlenecks for crafting and base upgrades.
The key is to dismantle quickly and leave before danger escalates, since the game world doesn’t pause while you gather materials.
Prioritize Optical Items for Quick Profit
Binoculars and weapon scopes are often overlooked because they don’t seem immediately useful. However, they sell for excellent prices while taking minimal inventory space.
These items are most commonly found in bedrooms, closets, and observation areas. Treating them as priority loot allows you to build wealth rapidly with very little carrying cost.
Keeping one for personal use while selling extras is usually the smartest strategy.
Search Antique Buildings for Rare Finds
Antique shops and similar locations often contain rare melee weapons and collectible items. These can either upgrade your equipment or provide large profits when sold.
Looting these buildings slowly and thoroughly pays off far more than rushing through them. A single rare item can fund multiple purchases early in the game.
Treating these locations as recurring stops on your loot routes helps maintain steady income.
Farm Spare Gas Masks for High Value Sales
Extra gas masks are one of the most underrated sources of money. Many players see them only as protection gear, but traders pay significant amounts for them.
Exploring polluted zones while collecting spare masks allows you to return with a backpack full of valuable items. Selling all but one creates a reliable income stream.
This approach transforms dangerous areas into profitable opportunities.
Unlock the Powerlifter Skill Early
Increasing your carrying capacity might seem simple, but it dramatically improves loot efficiency.
With more inventory space, you can clear entire areas in one trip instead of making multiple runs. This saves time, fuel, and effort while maximizing resource collection.
Prioritizing this skill early creates long-term advantages that compound over hours of gameplay.
Combine Hotel and Gun Store Routes
Hotels contain large numbers of loot containers concentrated in one area, making them excellent for gathering high quantities of items quickly.
Gun stores complement this by providing high-value gear such as weapons, ammo, and protective equipment.
Planning routes that include both locations ensures you collect both volume and valuable items in a single outing.
Pick Up Every Weapon to Sell Later
Even weapons you don’t intend to use should be collected. Many firearms sell for substantial amounts, making them excellent trade goods.
Thinking like a merchant rather than just a survivor changes how you approach looting. Every unwanted weapon becomes potential profit.
Over time, consistently collecting spare weapons creates a steady income source.
Choose the Starter Spawn for Early Advantage
Your starting location can significantly affect early wealth. The starter spawn area often provides a vehicle, basic equipment, and accessible loot.
Having mobility immediately allows you to cover more ground, gather more items, and sell faster than starting in resource-scarce zones.
Using this area as an early loot hub creates a strong financial foundation before expanding further.
Success in HumanitZ doesn’t come from grinding endlessly or fighting every enemy you see. It comes from understanding how to turn the environment into a steady source of income.
By focusing on high-value items, efficient routes, and smart skill choices, you can transform the early game from a struggle into a period of rapid growth.
Once these habits become routine, staying well-supplied stops feeling difficult — and survival starts feeling strategic.
