Look, let's be real for a second. Skier is a jerk. He’s the kind of guy who wants you to risk your life for a fancy jacket or some loose change, and Easy Money Part 1 in Escape from Tarkov is basically your initiation into his brand of misery. Most players think they can just run into Ground Zero, tap a few buttons, and get out.
They’re wrong.
You’re probably here because you’ve already tried it and got head-eyes'd by a scav with a TOZ, or maybe you're just starting your wipe and want to avoid the meat grinder. This quest isn't technically hard—it’s just a massive magnet for every other player on the map. It's the first real "gatekeeper" quest of the early game.
What Easy Money Part 1 Tarkov Actually Asks You to Do
Basically, Skier wants you to find his "long-lost" stash. It’s located in the TerraGroup parking garage on Ground Zero. You have to go in there, find the specific SUV (it's the one with the open trunk and the scav body nearby), and then—this is the part that kills people—you have to survive and extract.
If you die, you don't necessarily have to find the SUV again if the sub-task checked off, but you still need that "Survived" status. If you get a "Run Through," it doesn't count. You need to stay in the raid for at least 7 minutes or gain enough XP (usually about 200) by looting or killing a scav to make it a legitimate survival.
Ground Zero is a weird map. It’s designed for beginners (levels 1-20 in the starter bracket), but because everyone is funneled into the same three or four buildings, it feels like a mosh pit.
Finding the TerraGroup Parking Lot
If you’re lost, look for the massive TerraGroup building. It’s the one with the glass facade and the big logo. The parking garage entrance is on the side of the building, slanting down into the darkness.
Don't just sprint in.
I see people do this all the time. They think speed is their friend. In Tarkov, speed is how you stumble into a tripwire or a guy sitting in a dark corner with a PM pistol. Walk. Listen. The garage has a lot of echo. If you hear metal footsteps, someone is already there.
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The Most Dangerous Spots Near the SUV
The SUV you're looking for is tucked toward the back of the garage area. It’s a dark-colored vehicle, and there’s usually a dead body right next to it. Once you get close enough, the quest sub-task will pop. You don't actually have to pick up a physical item, which is a blessing, honestly.
But here is the problem: the garage is a transition zone.
People use it to move between the street and the interior of the building. There are also scav spawns right inside. You’ll often find AI scavs wandering between the pillars. They aren't the threat. The threat is the guy sitting on the second floor of the building looking through the floor grates or the windows that overlook the garage entrance.
If you're doing Easy Money Part 1 Tarkov during the first week of a wipe, expect company. Every single person in that raid has the same quest. It becomes a game of "who got there first" and "who is camping the exit."
Timing Your Run
A lot of veterans suggest waiting.
Sit in a bush. Hide in a closet. Eat some croutons. Wait until there are only 15 minutes left in the raid. By then, the "chads" and the aggressive players have usually finished their business and extracted. The map becomes a ghost town, save for a few player scavs. This is the safest way to get your quest done without having to fight a four-man squad using iron sights and sheer aggression.
Dealing with the Extract Requirement
Getting to the SUV is only half the battle. Now you have to leave.
On Ground Zero, your extracts depend on where you spawned. You’ll likely be looking for the Emercom Checkpoint or the Police Checkpoint.
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The Police Checkpoint requires 5,000 Roubles. Always bring 5,000 Roubles in your Secure Container. I cannot stress this enough. If you have the cash, you can take the car extract right behind the TerraGroup building. It’s the fastest way out. Just be careful—once someone pays, the car starts a 60-second timer, and everyone on the map can see that it’s being used. It’s a giant "come kill me" signal.
If the car is gone, you’re hiking to Emercom.
The Emercom extract is a funnel. There are trucks, barricades, and plenty of places for people to hide. Don't run down the middle of the street. Stick to the sidewalks, use the bus stops for cover, and always—always—check the windows of the buildings above you.
Gear Recommendations for Low Levels
Don't go in naked.
I know it’s tempting to just "naked run" it to save money. But a single scav will end your run if you don't have at least a Paca vest.
- Weapon: An SKS or an MP-133 shotgun is fine. You want something that can drop a scav quickly.
- Armor: Paca is better than nothing. It stops the "buckshot to the chest" instant death.
- Headset: This is the most important item. Use the GSSH or whatever you can buy from Ragman. Hearing a footstep two seconds earlier is the difference between living and dying.
Common Mistakes People Make in Easy Money Part 1
Honestly, the biggest mistake is greed.
You find the SUV, you get the sub-task done, and then you think, "Well, I'm already here, I might as well loot the TerraGroup offices."
No.
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Go home.
The quest is the priority. The loot on Ground Zero is okay, but it’s not worth losing quest progress over. If you die after visiting the SUV but before extracting, you have to survive a whole new raid. While you don't have to go back to the car if the sub-task is green, you still have to deal with the stress of the "Survived" status. Just get out.
Another mistake is ignoring the mines. Ground Zero has specific areas marked with signs—usually a skull and crossbones. If you see those, stop. If you keep walking, you will blow up. There’s a minefield near the science office area that catches people trying to take shortcuts to the parking garage.
Why Skier is Testing You
Skier’s quests are designed to be annoying. He’s the "shady" dealer, and his early tasks are meant to force you into high-traffic areas. By completing Easy Money Part 1 Tarkov, you aren't just getting XP; you're unlocking the rest of his quest line, which eventually leads to better attachments and bigger payouts.
It’s a hump you have to get over.
Once you finish this, you’ll likely move on to "Saving the Mole," which is arguably even more chaotic because it involves a physical key and a specific office. Think of Easy Money as the "tutorial" for how to navigate Ground Zero without losing your mind.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Raid
If you want to finish this tonight, follow this exact sequence.
- Load in with a Headset: Even if you have no armor, buy the cheapest headset from Ragman.
- Check Your Spawn: If you spawn near the parking garage, move in slowly immediately. If you spawn across the map, find a room and wait 10 minutes.
- The 5,000 Rouble Rule: Put the cash in your Alpha/Gamma container. If the Police car is there, take it. It’s worth the 5k to avoid the cross-map trek.
- Identify the SUV: Look for the dark SUV near the dead body in the underground garage. You’ll hear a "ding" or see the quest notification.
- Path to Emercom: If the car is gone, move through the buildings, not the street. Use the "Empire" building or the "Unity" clinic as cover waypoints.
- Kill One Scav: To avoid the "Run Through" penalty, try to tap one scav on your way out or search 3-4 containers to get your XP up.
Stop sprinting everywhere. Most players die because they are making too much noise. Walk, look, listen. You'll find that Ground Zero is a lot less scary when you aren't the loudest thing on the street. Turn in the quest to Skier immediately after getting out—don't let it sit there. Get your rewards, buy some better gear, and move on to the next headache.