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[2-Zons]

Let me start by saying "I love this game".  I'm having a little issue with the fact that after your new player stipend stops your crew payroll kicks in and you go from, In my case: +10,000 per month to -35,000 per month.  That's a pretty dramatic change and hard to make up when playing as an explorer / surveyor.   I'm guessing the designer was intending that you take a commission by then.  I am trying to play a game where I don't take a commission and work up the attitude of all factions (with possible exception of Luddic Path as it seems they don't give out missions).

I think there needs to be an alternative monthly income that you can use besides commisions and colony income.  Something to transition between the new player stipend and colony income for those who don't want to go down the commision route.

[Lucky33]

And why do you need 3500 crew as an explorer/surveyor?

[DaLagga]

If you're playing as an explorer/surveyor and have those kinds of expenses then you really need to dial it way back.  You don't need anywhere near that many officers and crew for simple exploration.  Beyond that, there's other ways to make money besides taking a commission like opportunistic trading or bounties.  In fact, I've been playing this game on and off for over 7 years and have never done the whole commission thing because I hate the idea of half the galaxy randomly declaring war on me because my faction decided to crazy. 

[2-Zons]

I don't need that much crew.  I didn't realize that crew received a salary.  In a previous game where I was running a large bounty hunting fleet with 6 level 20 officers and the commission was always enough to give me money every month.  The drastic change in my current game is what made me aware of it.  My point is still valid however.  If you want to run a large fleet and not have a commission there should be a way to earn monthly income before your colonies get established.  What if you don't want to run colonies?  I imagine it's a big part of the game (I'm just starting my first colony). 

[Lucky33]

3500 crew is an endgame fleet capable of glassing entire sector without breaking a sweat. Why it should be free of charge?

[shoi]

I don't need that much crew.  I didn't realize that crew received a salary.  In a previous game where I was running a large bounty hunting fleet with 6 level 20 officers and the commission was always enough to give me money every month.  The drastic change in my current game is what made me aware of it.  My point is still valid however.  If you want to run a large fleet and not have a commission there should be a way to earn monthly income before your colonies get established.  What if you don't want to run colonies?  I imagine it's a big part of the game (I'm just starting my first colony).

Not sure I get what you are saying. any combination of Survey Missions, bounties, trading and scavenging should more than cover your expenses. Class V Survey data alone is worth 30k  a pop

[SCC]

It's possible to explore for a living and get by without a commission just fine, you just need to be efficient. Don't get carried off by storms, don't fight derelict drones with many ships, don't have many escort ships, avoid pirates.

[kenwth81]

I don't need that much crew.  I didn't realize that crew received a salary.  In a previous game where I was running a large bounty hunting fleet with 6 level 20 officers and the commission was always enough to give me money every month.  The drastic change in my current game is what made me aware of it.  My point is still valid however.  If you want to run a large fleet and not have a commission there should be a way to earn monthly income before your colonies get established.  What if you don't want to run colonies?  I imagine it's a big part of the game (I'm just starting my first colony).

You are not earning a positive income as a surveyor. You shouldn't be running a large fleet as a surveyor. I suspect bringing your entire fleet on a survey mission is what cause the deficit. Do you really need your entire fleet? Scarcity and Resource management is a thing in this game. The concepts of scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost are at the heart of economics and making the right choices are the basis of economics; in other words you don't make money being inefficient.

[Plantissue]

How did you go from +10,000 per month to -35,000 per month? Galatian Stipend is 15,000 a month. Like others have said, why do you need 3500 crew as an explorer/surveyor? That's the same amount or more than what's needed to fight the biggest bounties. Well beyond what is needed as normal fleets never get anywhere so big. What are you exploring/surveying with such a fleet? Fighting multiple ordos at the same time? In which case you should be able to sustain the monthly cost in salvage anyways.

[Rocksummit]

I'm currently paying 35.000€ a month while doing exploration in my fairly large fleet and I'm not part of a faction. It is costly but I try to build a money buffer while in core doing some supply runs and then I might pick up a bounty here and there if I'm close to one. This along with finding supply chances, science bases etc makes it work. I just have to be aware of the money supply.
I wouldn't be able to do it on exploration alone however.

[2-Zons]

Thanks for all the feedback.  I am only a few days at this game.  I am realizing that this game is MUCH!!! deeper than I first thought (amazing).  The economy system is fantastic.  I am just starting to get a grip on how it all works.   I formally withdraw my initial criticism. 

[DatonKallandor]

Be aware that you pay a percentage of your stored goods if you store them at a faction's base that isn't your own every month. Those costs can really add up.

[Nick XR]

If you care about saving money (and you do!) Only store your stuff at abandoned bases where it's free:
https://starsector.fandom.com/wiki/Abandoned_Base

[Astran]

I have to say, I'm also a new player and what OP describes also happened to me. I stopped playing because I thought the game kind of forces you to ally with another faction even if it's temporally since no beginner's guide I have watched warned about this.

After reading this thread I'm gonna start another run, thank you guys.

[sector_terror]

If you care about saving money (and you do!) Only store your stuff at abandoned bases where it's free:
https://starsector.fandom.com/wiki/Abandoned_Base

How did it take me this long to realize, this instant, that I can hide my smuggled trade goods inside these places and half, say, 10k in organics stored up for free....