Homeless sims are the most fun for me. Money comes too easily in the Sims, especially with painting.
Agreed. I've never had as much fun before until I tried a homeless sim. And I am so glad that bills are higher in TS4. I always used a cheat in TS3 to have the same effect.
It just depends on what I'm doing. The family I'm playing now I used lots of money cheats so I could get their house built and designed the way I wanted to. If I do a challenge or a legacy or something, then I will follow the rules and not cheat. Sometimes I just want a poor sim and will also resist using cheats in that case.
On the other hand, I almost never use cheats to increase mood and fulfill needs. I struggle through that mess like nobody's business.
It's kinda complicated for me, cuz the very first time I played with my new household during the release of the game, I didn't cheat. But then whenever I want to move them into a new saved game (to make the save file size smaller again), I will cheat just enough to buy a house they would have been able to buy in the past save game. Does that make sense?
i would say 99% of the time they start with what they can afford even if there is no paint on the walls occasionally its the "money 0" cheat but i dont feel thats a cheat i feel thats just the reality. ok you have a home now work for it (or your a homeless begger go get your food) on rare very rare occasions ill cheat and add the money but i do that only if its a quick game or a specific internal story i have in mind.
Sometimes I use freerealestate or money cheats to get them a particular house, but beyond that, I don't generally leave them with a huge amount of excess moolah lying around.
The last time my Sims moved into a house within their budget was at the very start of my main save, when I placed an extremely cheap home for my two sibling-Sims who weren't even supposed to have any money to begin with. Moved 'em in, and cheated all of their Simoleons away.
Other than that, I don't think I've ever not used the FreeRealEstate cheat in this game when it comes to houses. (Except probably when I first got the game and was discovering everything.) Apartments make it easier, since they're not as expensive, but I've stilled used it for the more expensive ones. It's just handy when it comes to setting the Sims up for the stories that I play out, without having to wait.
Once they're all moved in, though, they're on their own (and I usually cheat their money away). Renovations and the like don't happen until they've made enough Simoleons themselves.
I do not play with cheats and love to do challenges that make it even harder on my little simmies... like keeping the knight statue in inventory and starting with very very little cash and building up from there.
When I first started playing Sims 4 I used the 'motherlode' cheat all the time. Later I found that my Sims had very little to do because they had everything. About a year ago I started a "Rags to Riches" challenge and found that I liked that my Sim had to earn everything. I also found that it was pretty easy to gain the money needed to start building his first tiny house. He started collecting and selling stuff, then started a garden which led to grafting, which led to Dragon Fruit. He started repairing things as they broke, which leveled his Handiness skill, which led to being able to craft the camp mascot. In the meantime, he was also painting, writing books and earning tips from playing various musical instruments. The reward trait from completing The Curator aspiration was a nice boost too.
After that, I never used the 'motherlode' cheat again. I also don't use career objects that a Sim hasn't earned.
I started doing the same with Maxis pre-made households and townies that I place in houses. They have to live in very modest homes until they can afford something more expensive. None of the pre-mades can afford the homes Maxis places them so they all get relocated to something more affordable until they can afford something more expensive which never happens because I don't play pre-mades for very long because a lot of them have traits that I don't like to deal with.
I feel like I worry about money enough in real life that my Sims shouldn't have to worry about it. They all have houses worth over 200,000 simoleons and they all have about 700,000-800,000. It's more fun for me that way.
You know what would be cool? And I think about this all the time, but like applying for loans on the computer or with your phone for a house. So maybe you could just pay a mortgage instead, so that way you wouldn't be stuck with some little crummy house. Especially if your sim had the job that could afford it. And maybe it could go by that, too. Like how much money your sim currently has, along with their current job, and maybe they could even figure it out to take into consideration your spending habits. If you can't afford your house after some time, then your sim gets sent to the family bin, and you have to find a new home, and less chance of getting approved for another loan.
I usually use free real estate to get a reasonable house. After I redecorate to my liking and to fit the sims living there, I reset their money to 15,000-20,000
I used to cheat to buy Sims stuff, but sort of stopped, not too long ago.
I'd cheat to get them a house, BUT then take away money from them each week or so, until they paid off the cost of the house.
The rest, food, furniture, etc, I get normal way, no cheating.
Since the game has no banking and such, I have to make up my own versions and use cheats to add, but later take away, the funds.
I wish the game had bank accounts, lol...
I think that there are very few instances where I've cheated to add money. I can understand why people do but for me it cheapens the experience if things are too easy. I just get bored, lol. I also don't play very rich sims often, and if I do it's their own wealth that they've accumulated so there's that.
I even occasionally feel weird placing a YA sim in a starter home right off the bat, fresh from CAS, because they're a brand new sim without any skills or a job yet so I almost feel like I have to have a reason in mind as to how they got there, like storytelling type of stuff.
I actually had a save where I played Wolfgang Munch (from Get Together) as a teen... Gave him a part-time job and saved up the money to then build him what was essentially a shack, because I thought he seemed like the kind of guy who would want to be out on his own as soon as possible and through his own means, not with the help from family or whatever else.
So yeah, for the most part with me it's definitely about earning. I've used the free real estate cheat a couple times in cases where I've wanted to pretend that someone had inherited a house, lol.
I'd say both. I tend to use cheats at times and other times I make them live within their means and work their way into a bigger place. It just depends on how I'm feeling.
Simming for 19 years! Family Tree Playing Mod & CC Free
I also cheat needs if they happen to be critically low right before they go to school or work. But I've started actually tending to their needs without cheats as much as possible.
Comments
Agreed. I've never had as much fun before until I tried a homeless sim. And I am so glad that bills are higher in TS4. I always used a cheat in TS3 to have the same effect.
I have families who start in tiny apartments, and I have families who start out in huge mansions, and everything in between.
On the other hand, I almost never use cheats to increase mood and fulfill needs. I struggle through that mess like nobody's business.
origin ID: maureenponderosa
Other than that, I don't think I've ever not used the FreeRealEstate cheat in this game when it comes to houses. (Except probably when I first got the game and was discovering everything.) Apartments make it easier, since they're not as expensive, but I've stilled used it for the more expensive ones. It's just handy when it comes to setting the Sims up for the stories that I play out, without having to wait.
Once they're all moved in, though, they're on their own (and I usually cheat their money away). Renovations and the like don't happen until they've made enough Simoleons themselves.
After that, I never used the 'motherlode' cheat again. I also don't use career objects that a Sim hasn't earned.
I started doing the same with Maxis pre-made households and townies that I place in houses. They have to live in very modest homes until they can afford something more expensive. None of the pre-mades can afford the homes Maxis places them so they all get relocated to something more affordable until they can afford something more expensive which never happens because I don't play pre-mades for very long because a lot of them have traits that I don't like to deal with.
https://youtube.com/channel/UCUJb4PoX07uH_iNM1GyJ2mw
Lol. Just an idea.
I'd cheat to get them a house, BUT then take away money from them each week or so, until they paid off the cost of the house.
The rest, food, furniture, etc, I get normal way, no cheating.
Since the game has no banking and such, I have to make up my own versions and use cheats to add, but later take away, the funds.
I wish the game had bank accounts, lol...
I even occasionally feel weird placing a YA sim in a starter home right off the bat, fresh from CAS, because they're a brand new sim without any skills or a job yet so I almost feel like I have to have a reason in mind as to how they got there, like storytelling type of stuff.
I actually had a save where I played Wolfgang Munch (from Get Together) as a teen... Gave him a part-time job and saved up the money to then build him what was essentially a shack, because I thought he seemed like the kind of guy who would want to be out on his own as soon as possible and through his own means, not with the help from family or whatever else.
So yeah, for the most part with me it's definitely about earning. I've used the free real estate cheat a couple times in cases where I've wanted to pretend that someone had inherited a house, lol.
Family Tree
Playing Mod & CC Free