River, plot and first harvest
Start at the river, buy a seed you can afford, plant it in an open plot and watch the visible growth. Harvest before lightning removes the run; the official description confirms this loop but does not publish a safe global wait time.
Cash reinvestment and reserve
After a credited harvest, keep enough cash for another seed instead of risking the whole balance on one expensive river spawn. Record the cost and credited return before calling a seed profitable.
Tickets, Farmers Market and pets
Treat Tickets as a separate currency. The current evidence separates five Ticket eggs and 18 baseline pets from the limited Majestic Egg and five reported Update 4 pets; live tasks, prices and effects should be checked before spending.