Throughout the game, you will find that money, or Cats, the currency in game, will be very useful and most likely needed to advance higher in the dangerous world of Kenshi. Here are just a few helpful tips and methods of getting rich in this apocalyptic desert.
The "Merchant" Method
This is probably one of the hardest and most complicated methods. Find the trader in your starting location and buy up whatever is cheap and you can afford, then head to the nearest location and sell whatever you can make a profit on, then buy up the cheapest again and proceed to either the previous location or a different one, repeat until you can purchase some better equipment or some followers to act as guards or distractions (Your choice). Repeat until you are rich enough.
The "Hoarder" Method
What you want to do is lure the bandits to the town guards until you can afford a backpack, and then go on until you have good equipment and decent skills, probably around 20 for attack and defense. Once you have good enough equipment, try taking on some wandering loners. At about 30-40 in those skills, you should be able to take on small groups of enemies.