Europa Universalis 4: How To Make Money

thegamer.com:

The economy in Europa Universalis 4 can be tough to manage. Even large empires can find themselves drowning in debt after a prolonged war, and even if your nation's finances are fine it can all come tumbling down.

Related: The Best DLC For Europa Universalis 4

The early game in particular takes a while to generate lots of income, as there aren't yet rare and exotic goods to sell or treasure fleets sailing home packed with gold and silver. Whichever stage of the game you're in, these are the best ways to get cash for your empire, both in the short and long term.

Investing your hard-earned Administrative and Diplomatic Power into your provinces will boost your overall income for the entire game, so it's worth doing early and often. Raising the Tax or Production of a province means a small but instantaneous increase to your monthly income. This can be all it takes to keep your treasury out of the red, and developed provinces pick up Institutions faster as well.

While developing a province gets more expensive each time you do it., the benefits of a highly-developed province usually outweighs that of several low- to medium-development ones. This is especially true when you add income buildings like Temples into the mix, which grant a percentage bonus ideal for already-rich cities.

When developing Production, try to focus on provinces that make expensive trade goods. Gems, Spices, and other luxuries fetch high prices, meaning you'll get more money for the same amount of Diplomatic Power.

Related: The Best Mods For Europa Universalis 4

Sending Light Ships to a Trade Node increases your power there, giving you a greater share of the money passing through that area. It's a good idea to have fleets patrolling your primary trade