Learn how to quickly earn 5,000 Nook Miles on your first day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons to pay off your initial debt to Tom Nook and upgrade your tent to a house!
Hey there! Ready to ditch that tent and get your own place on the island? It’s totally doable on your first day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons by paying off your initial loan to Tom Nook. The key is racking up 5,000 Nook Miles. Don't worry, it's easier than it sounds, especially since the game showers you with Miles for trying new things early on!
You'll already get some Miles just for chatting with Nook. Open up your Nookphone and check the Nook Miles app – you can claim 500 Miles for the [Town’s Name] Miles award right away. After that, focus on the achievements listed below. You'll be surprised how fast you hit that 5,000 Miles goal!
Earning Nook Miles
Here are some of the quickest ways to earn those first 5,000 Nook Miles:
Catching Bugs and Fish
| Achievement | Requirements | Miles Earned |
| Nookphone Life | Use your Nookphone | 300 |
| Angling For Perfection | Catch 10 Fish! | 300 |
| Island Ichthyologist | Catch 10 different Fish species. | 300 |
| You’ve Got the Bug | Catch 10 Bugs! | 300 |
| Bugs Don’t Bug Me | Catch 10 different Bug species. | 300 |
Crafting and Island Life
| Achievement | Requirements | Miles Earned |
| Have a Nice DIY | Learn 10 DIYs. | 300 |
| Trashed Tools | Trash 1 Tool. | 300 |
| DIY Tools | Craft 5 Tools | 300 |
| Bulletin-Board Benefit | Write a post on the bulletin-board. | 300 |
| Island Shutterbug | Take a photo! | 300 |
Selling and Planting
| Achievement | Requirements | Miles Earned |
| DIY Tools | Craft 5 Tools. | 300 |
| Greedy Weeder | Sell 50 Weeds. | 300 |
| Go Ahead! Be Shellfish! | Sell 10 Seashells. | 300 |
| First-Time Buyer | Buy something. | 300 |
| Seller of Unwanted Stuff | Sell something. | 300 |
| Flower Power | Plant 10 Flowers. | 300 |
Remember, these are just examples! As you play, you'll naturally unlock tons of achievements just by exploring and trying things out. Don't stress too much; just enjoy your first few days on the island!
Paying Off Your Debt
Once you've gathered at least 5,000 Nook Miles, head over to Tom Nook at the Residential Services building. Chat with him about your moving fees, and you'll be able to confirm you're ready to pay off your debt. He'll then give you the option to upgrade your tent into a proper house!
Upgrading Your Home
After settling your initial debt, you can talk to Nook again about upgrading your home. Turning your tent into a house will cost 98,000 Bells. The great news is that Nook gives you all the time you need to pay this off, and there's no interest!
You'll also get to pick a cool roof color for your new house. Once your house is built (it'll be ready the next day!), you'll automatically get the Nook Miles+ upgrade. This means you'll have daily tasks that give you Nook Miles, making it even easier to earn them without always having to complete big achievements. Things like catching a few bugs or planting a tree will pop up – super easy Miles!
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