How to make money in this game early on?

[ideaman81]

I am playing as Portugal. I dissolved my alliance before I started the game with Englad. I focused on Morroco about two years in so I could increase my tax base and acquire some more trade zone territory. But I've been in debt since the game started and even after adjusting the sliders I'm still operating at a pretty decent defecit.

[Angantyr]

It's hard to make money until you're level 5 in Admin, I usually rush to that while just trying to stay afloat.

[Atomic Wedgie Murderer]

As Portugal, I focus only on exploring first. I lower the sliders for land military until I'm a bit in the green. Then you just tech up until you get tax houses. After you build those in all your provinces, you'll be at about +6 ducats.

[Zaippo]

Also, note that reinfocing armies takes LOTS of money. In my Sweden game, it took about 30 ducats/month to replenish a victorious 34k army, which lost bit more than half of it's men against Moscovy. And my war of independence resulted in inflation of 15% or so, due to mercs, reinc. and being over force limit.
So don't go to war too often, save the money and build temles if you can when you get them.

[Bandit17]

Sounds like your doing the right thing with keeping your military maintenance sliders down. The other thing you can do is just go to war for gold. Or keep a real small army/navy. Or go to war often enough to where your gains will eventually get ya ahead of the money game. Check advisors as well to make sure they are all lvl one.

Portugal is in a much better position than most so I'm sure you'll find a way. Oh, keep an eye on war weariness as well. Want that and chance of rebellions to be non-existant as much as possible.

[ideaman81]

I thought you needed the explorer though to discover new lands?

[erike]

Trade is important. Try to control as many trade nodes as possible and you will draw in income.

Lower matinence on armies and navies when you are not at war.

[ideaman81]

So basically I should just tech up for a bit and working on my alliances beforing looking to expand?

[Atomic Wedgie Murderer]

Portugal starts with 3 explorers. Look at your admirals! I explore as much as I can before they die, because they will die before you get the ability to make more. I get colonization as my first idea, then get the first tech in that. Then you can start making colonies.

There's islands below the canaries you can colonize, and also the west coast of Africa.

You can start some wars before that point though, if you want. I usually end up at war with Castile, one way or another. They ally with Morocco.