Good post by
@andshrew there.
Like he says, the economy has tipped so extreme (to sell shark cards most likely) it's almost impossible for new players to progress very far without help. Maybe there are some groups you can find online whereby an experienced player can take you through the Perico heist a few times which is the quickest way to get money. The problem is the high level players have so much money that they cant spend it (they introduced yachts for purchase a few years back, $8m each and they litterally do nothing) the lower level players don't do missions because as fun as some of them are they just don't pay well enough. You can launch them on your own but they are very tricky by yourself and you'll soon get fed up.
If you have a few businesses then your time is far better spent supplying and selling goods. Having a nightclub, meth lab, coke lab and bunker will net you about $1m per real time hour but its a pretty boring grind on your own. It is easier these days as you can do all your sales in a private lobby meaning nobody is out there griefing you (seeking you out on the map and destroying you and your cargo while you are completely defenseless for zero gain for themselves) but its not much fun and even then to minimise your travel time and maximise profitability you need an Oppressor MK2 (the flying bike that fires rockets). These are essential to get around the map quickest but more importantly you need to carry the threat of one to avoid or at least counter the threat of one.
They cost about $4m but to buy but to arm it you need a Terrobyte truck (over $1m) and upgrade it ($500k). You can't have a terrobyte unless you own a nightclub, which are all in excess of $1m.
To get to that point of turning in $1m per hour the outlay will be close to $20m. See what I mean about extreme?
HOWEVER! I've just been looking at some stuff online and it seems if you start a new char on a next gen system you'll get $4m to kick off with. If this is still possible (article from 2022) then you should that. This is also a decent and brief guide for starting out.
Pick the best GTA Online Career to invest your $4m in
www.gamesradar.com
It's a great leg up if you can get it. Try to avoid the mistake I made though, buying the cheaper businesses at the north end of the map. Becomes even more of a grind, buy them as close to the inner city as possible.
If you can get on with a few friends it's an absolute hoot in a high traffic lobby. Probably the most fun I've ever had online gaming. Helped me through the covid lockdowns while I was unemployed for a bit
