7 mistakes you should avoid in GTA Online if you're just starting out

GTA Online players who are just starting the game out for the first time may be overwhelmed with the amount of things you can do. For instance, you get cash with almost every mission, but the way you spend this cash, whether on cars, guns, properties, or more, can be crucial. Any wrong move will set you back on the way to starting up your virtual criminal career.

As such, we've put up a list of mistakes that you should definitely avoid as a beginner in GTA Online. This naturally includes spending money on frivolous things, not paying attention to weekly updates, and more.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer’s opinions.

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Beginner mistakes you should avoid doing in GTA Online

1) Buying a flashy car

One can say that GTA Online is all about vehicles since this aspect of the game is never underlooked. New cars are added to the game with every major update, and as such, it has a long and diverse list of purchasable vehicles as of 2024. This might make it tempting to buy one of the cooler, more expensive vehicles the moment you have enough money to buy one, but that's not a wise decision.

Instead, hold off your hard-earned in-game cash and spend it on a more resourceful vehicle like the Armored Kuruma, that will help you out in missions. Once you're quite well-off, the expensive cars will become more affordable. One of the more affordable vehicles is the Imponte Ruiner ZZ-8, which is currently also the Podium Vehicle.

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2) Wasting too much money on weapons

If you're starting out in GTA Online for the first time, you might be confused about which weapons to buy as there are quite a lot of them. Some of the more exotic ones are rather expensive, and money doesn't equal efficiency in the game. As such, stick to the basics, and don't waste too much money on weapons that you'll never need.

For instance, some of the newer weapons, like the Battle Rifle, might seem quite useful, but their prices rarely justify their features or performance.

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3) Buying properties you won't be immediately using

Start with the most profitable businesses (Image via Rockstar Games)

A lot of the points here are about wasting money, which is the key mistake most newbies in GTA Online make. This also applies to properties, which, despite allowing you to make profits, require quite an investment.

For instance, don't purchase a Salvage Yard unless you're keen on carrying out the Vehicle Robberies. Similarly, buy a Kosatka only when you're absolutely ready to take on The Cayo Perico Heist.

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4) Spending too much money on clothes

Stick to cheaper clothes at first (Image via Rockstar Games)

The last thing you don't want to waste your money on when you're just starting out GTA Online is clothes. Again, this might be extremely tempting, considering the fact that this is a multiplayer game with a customizable protagonist where you can express yourself.

That said, just stick to the basics or the unlockable outfits which you get for free. There are even cheaper alternatives to most types of expensive clothing.

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5) Grinding Contact Missions

Contact Missions are good, but not great (Image via Rockstar Games)

Contact Missions are quite good for beginners in GTA Online, but don't keep playing them when you can move on to some of the bigger moneymaking methods. There are countless Contact Missions to choose from in the game when you're starting out, so you might think that you should finish them all.

That said, Contact Missions should only be grinded for the money to start a business. Playing them after that is pointless.

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6) Not taking advantage of weekly updates

Weekly updates bring many bonuses (Image via Rockstar Games)

Every GTA Online weekly update introduces some new bonuses, rewards, and discounts. Use these to buy the property you need, play the missions and game modes that offer bonuses for higher profits, and complete the given objectives, which sometimes reward you with cash.

There are up to 4x cash and RP bonuses on select missions, heists, and PvP game modes, which are always worth doing.

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7) Not using an Invite Only session

GTA Online is a multiplayer game where you will benefit the most if you play with others. However, the public servers are often filled with griefers, hackers, and other players who will ruin your experience.

Rockstar Games has removed restrictions on many aspects of the title to make it more solo-friendly, so most things can be done on private servers now. This is the best way to keep making a profit without the risk of griefers or hackers.

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Also check:

Best cars in GTA Online this week